Keenan Cortez from Crothall has a singular, triple influence on the folks of Joplin, Missouri. He’s the affected person -farm supervisor at Freeman Well being System, the mayor of the town and an related pastor in St. Paul's United methodist Church.

In these roles, Keenan provides distinctive alternatives for Crothall to get extra intently in touch with sufferers, whereas the corporate additionally helps the corporate to convey its means to assist others locally.

“I imagine that my work at Freeman and my position as mayor have elevated the presence and fame of Crothall,” says Keenan. “Sufferers acknowledge me and can’t imagine that the mayor has visited them of their room. It provides us numerous favorable consideration and opens different methods for Crothall to contribute to the neighborhood.”

Distinctive background

Cortez, who additionally served within the US Marine Corps, grew to become concerned with the native authorities in 2004 when he was appointed within the Citizen Advisory Council of the Joplin Police Division. In 2019 he was appointed to the town council and was elected by the council by the council in 2024. 20 years from the federal government service have enabled him to assist higher perceive the neighborhood.

In his path, for instance, Crothall supplied in depth cleansing providers after the development of 8 flats to assist the big opening of the Washington Household Hope Middle – a facility that focuses on serving ladies and youngsters who escapes damaged homes by providing meals, shelter and important providers.

“We’ve got taken volunteers there a number of occasions to scrub the ability professional bono, which helps to decrease their prices and enhance the extent of care,” says Keenan. “Utilizing my relationships, we have been in a position to make use of our experience and assist individuals who want it essentially the most.”

Due to his data and relationships with individuals who serve the homeless hiding locations of the town, Crothall was capable of ship a whole bunch of {couples} socks to those locations as a part of Compass One's annual Socktober marketing campaign.

“As mayor of Joplin, Keenan is a good demand from many organizations,” says Gavin Goodwin, Crothall regional supervisor at Freeman. “As such, he has priceless perception into the accessible alternatives to assist the neighborhood. Primarily based on his suggestions, we will mobilize the assets of Crothall to assist folks in want.”

Freeman Well being System's 100-year anniversary

When he not too long ago celebrated his one centesimal anniversary, Keenan was one of the crucial essential audio system and delivered particular person proclamations that the hospital equipped on behalf of the town of Joplin and the state of Missouri.

He is aware of the hospital properly and has served as Crothall's Affected person Expertise Supervisor since October 2020. Below his management, the cleanliness scores of HCAHPs have elevated significantly in recent times. Till now, they’ve risen 6 factors in 2025 in comparison with the identical time final 12 months.

Keenan credit his workforce, led by affected person ambassadors Shannon Walker and Kelsey Allen, for the bounce in HCAHPS scores.

“They make a lot of the visits within the hospital, and they’re their personalities and strategy to the job that make sufferers extra glad,” he says.

Keenan have enabled their robust efficiency to focus on enhancing EVS coaching and enhancing the EVS recognition program and constructing stronger relationships with the hospital employees.

Keenan did in depth analysis within the path of Goodwin, together with journeys to Pittsburgh, PA, to go to a simulation and coaching laboratory at Allegheny Well being Community. This journey and analysis resulted in making the EVS Studying Lab at Freeman. The Studying Lab is the first coaching heart for all new staff. Crothall has 109 EVS staff within the Freeman Hospital, so sustaining a well-trained workforce is a key to success.

Keenan and EVS workplace supervisor Amie Mays give a brand new class each two weeks. Every new worker receives a handbook and three days instruction and hands-on coaching within the Leerlab. There are three lecture rooms to show them totally different abilities, starting from day by day cleansing methods to cleansing rooms as soon as a affected person is fired. New staff additionally hear from Freeman's an infection prevention workforce about how Crothall enhances his work.

Keenan provides a presentation to every class concerning the significance of affected person experiences, together with the influence on HCAHPS scores. Along with cleansing and disinfecting a room, new staff learn to current themselves to sufferers to make sure that each affected person is conscious of and belief within the family providers they obtain.

“We’ve got a excessive customary, so we wish to characterize the division and the corporate in essentially the most skilled means we will. It’s important that each new EVS worker rapidly understands that idea.”

To finish the coaching, each new worker is linked to a coach for a couple of days earlier than they rent their first cleansing assignments. Because of this, Keenan says that the Leerlab has contributed to lowering the turnover of EVs by virtually 50 p.c.

Recognition for workers, scientific employees

Keenan additionally focuses closely on the popularity of staff and constructing relationships with nursing departments.

The Gem Frontline Awards from Crothall are month-to-month, though Keenan frequently rewards the frontline employees with tokens that may be exchanged within the goodie retailer of the division to purchase smooth drinks, power drinks and a wide range of meals, from sweet bars to lunches. Self -care merchandise are additionally accessible.

Along with recognizing EVS employees, Keenan leads each three -month festivities to additionally reward and acknowledge nurses. The costs embrace trophies and certificates that emphasize essentially the most improved and prime HCAHPS scores. The workers of items who obtain the costs additionally get pleasure from a cart with cake and fruit.

“These joint events have resulted in elevated communication and higher total relationships between the scientific suppliers and our frontline employees. It takes this partnership to realize the specified consequence of improved HCAHPS outcomes.”

My mission – to be of service

Keenan acquired a allow as a pastor in July 2023 and was appointed assistant -pastor in St. Paul's United methodist Church. Keenan and his household have been members of the church for greater than 15 years.

“I’ve identified for the reason that age of seven that my calling was to evangelise the gospel and serve folks,” he says.

Keenan says that his position as a pastor is intently tied to his work As mayor and a supervisor of the affected person.

“My mission to God is to be of service,” he says. “In well being care we regularly see folks at their worst moments. At the moment we will provide them the drugs that no physician can provide.

“I inform my employees that they can’t go away the affected person till the affected person laughs or laughs. That is without doubt one of the greatest medicines that may be supplied in a hospital. By caring for folks and having to really feel protected, cared for and joyful, we will decide the rewards.”