EDITOR’S NOTE: We have received several inquiries and there are rumors about the ambulance service and staffing. The Pioneer reached out to Adventist Health with these questions and received this press release that details a recent successful hiring fair, there are 57 open positions – six of which are in the EMS department, and this is an average for openings. There is a nationwide shortage of healthcare workers and the challenges are even greater for a rural area. Adventist encourages the community to reach out to them if you have questions or concerns about any of their healthcare services.
(June 28, 2023; Tillamook, Ore.) – Following the Adventist Health Tillamook recruiting event widely advertised in June, they are happy to report it was a huge success, with 64% of candidates interviewed on the spot or immediately following the event. The remaining candidates who were not interviewed had informational discussions about healthcare careers, a primary goal of the recruiting fair. At the event, they provided candidates with important information about healthcare careers, including a new guide* recently created, including education requirements with reimbursement options and pay ranges for all positions. Tillamook Bay Community College representatives were also on hand to discuss education, including their new nursing program starting in the fall.
Adventist Health Tillamook has 57 positions open in the Tillamook County area, including six open positions in our Emergency Medical Services (EMS) department. The current number of EMS openings is average over the last two years, and reflects current EMS staffing challenges in neighboring counties as well as nationwide. The year-to-date employee turnover rate at Adventist Health Tillamook, the percentage of workers who leave voluntarily or with cause, is a remarkable 5.2%; currently 11.2% below healthcare industry benchmarks provided by PwC Saratoga, a third party that is the world’s leading source of workforce measurements. All pay and benefits are reviewed annually to stay competitive with the Portland metro area.
To the best of their knowledge, Adventist Health Tillamook is believed to be the highest-paying private ambulance employer in the state. Their average EMS response time in 2023 through May is 11 minutes, 14 seconds. This response time is 26 seconds faster than their average response time in 2022, 23 seconds faster than their average response time in 2021 and 8 minutes, 46 seconds faster than the standard set by the State of Oregon for rural county response times. Adventist Health Tillamook EMS has an average of over 5,000 calls per service year. They greatly appreciate their EMS and healthcare staff’s commitment to our community, saving lives daily to inspire health, wholeness and hope. Anyone interested in healthcare careers, including EMS, please reach out to Joe Penna, talent advisor, at mpennaja@ah.org.
Recruitment continues to be a top priority at Adventist Health Tillamook, with their largest barrier being access to affordable housing in Tillamook County. Anecdotally, this is also a leading reason for employee turnover as employees leave due to long commutes while waiting for affordable and local housing to become available. Affordable housing is defined by the federal government as consuming no more than 30% of a household’s income, recently detailed in Adventist Health Tillamook’s 2022 Community Health Implementation Strategy report as a high-priority need. To support this need, Tillamook County recently approved the development of accessory dwelling units in unincorporated communities of the county on January 30, 2023. ADUs provide great potential for supporting healthcare staff housing in Tillamook County. They are a great opportunity for homeowners to support growth in our community while creating additional income. If Tillamook County residents are interested in providing rental opportunities to healthcare staff, such as a room or a house, please reach out to our administration office at 503-842-4444.
*New healthcare career guide
Since 1973, Adventist Health Tillamook is a faith-based, nonprofit healthcare organization that includes:
a 25-bed critical access medical center located in Tillamook, Oregon; the largest hospital-based
ambulance service in the State of Oregon with four stations located throughout Tillamook County; and
rural health clinics and urgent care medical offices serving the northern Oregon coast as well as the
communities of Sheridan, Vernonia, Estacada and Welches. Adventist Health Tillamook employs over 550 associates and healthcare providers and is part of Adventist Health, a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities in California, Hawaii and Oregon. For more information about Adventist Health Tillamook, visit AdventistHealthTillamook.org