Kim Sisk's mission is to help senior adults maintain their health, safety and independence.
As executive director of in-home and consumer-directed services at Oxford HealthCare, Sisk daily supervises and mentors more than 900 aides and nurses and 40 office staff as they care for clients in the comfort of their homes.
Service is paramount for Sisk, whether dealing with clients or employees.
"I am passionate about providing the highest quality of care and excellent customer service while treating our employees as customers, too," she says.
Also important to Sisk is providing the right training and support for employees, many of whom work in patients' homes and don't have daily personal contact with staff at Oxford, an affiliate of CoxHealth.
"We developed a leadership program wherein potential leaders in the field can be trained to help mentor others," Sisk says. "This has given many of them opportunities to learn and use their special talents and abilities in ways that otherwise would not have been possible."
Sisk's focus on developing staff in the 15 months since she became executive director of in-home and consumer-directed services has allowed Oxford HealthCare to dramatically reduce turnover.
"By training, mentoring, developing programs and assuring that people are in the positions where they can soar, we have reduced turnover by 37 percent and improved client satisfaction," Sisk says, noting that while she tries to lead by example, she also understands the value of listening.
"I genuinely value and appreciate employees and their contributions," she adds. "(I) am always eager to know their needs, observe their ambition and gifts, and determine how to create the best opportunities for their talents to be utilized most effectively for their own fulfillment as well as to benefit the company."
The down economy is a challenge for clients in need of care, Sisk says, but Oxford's team is ready to help.
"Our people have rallied to help identify needs and assure people are getting the care they need," she adds.
In her position at Oxford, and as a partner of the Missouri Council for In Home Services, Sisk is an outspoken advocate for the Medicaid population, promoting to Missouri legislators the value and effectiveness of in-home services.
Beyond the workplace, Sisk has worked with the Girls on the Run program, which promotes self-esteem, goal accomplishment and healthy lifestyle choices for young women, and she is an active volunteer with the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
"After my grandmother died 25 years ago of Alzheimer's, I have been dedicated to raising funds for research, prevention and treatment of this disease," Sisk says.
She also leads the Oxford team for the American Heart Association Start! Heart Walk and is Oxford's coordinator for the Go Red for Women campaign.
"I consider myself extremely blessed as I have had tremendous opportunities to make a difference through the leadership roles I have been given," Sisk says.[[In-content Ad]]
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