St. Francis HR staffers reap national recognition for employee communications

INDIANAPOLIS – Two human resources professionals will be honored for their work in creating an internal electronic newsletter for employees at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers.

Employee Communications Specialist Keri Brantley and Karen Sagar, director of recruitment and retention, have earned the 2009 Communication Award (Internal Electronic Communication category) from the American Society of Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA). They will receive the award Nov. 3 at the society’s annual conference in Chicago.

Both are credited with the creation of eSource, an electronic newsletter distributed to St. Francis employees. It is the primary tool – carrying the distinctive St. Francis brand – used by human resources to communicate with all managers and employees.

The newsletter covers a variety of topics about employee compensation, benefits, health screenings and other timely developments at the hospital’s campuses at Indianapolis, Beech Grove and Mooresville.

Brantley, who received her associate’s of business degree from Indiana Wesleyan University, has been affiliated with St. Francis and Alverno Information Services (a division of the Sisters of St. Francis Health Services) since 1998. She has varied experience in communications, human resources and systems analysis.

Sagar has 25 years experience in human resources, most of which has been in the health-care field. She earned her master’s of business administration from the University of Phoenix and her undergraduate degree in psychology from West Virginia’s Marshall University. She’s also the current president of the Indiana Society for Healthcare Human Resources and Administration.

The ASHHRRA Communication Award is for members who have written noteworthy books, articles and electronic communications related to the human resources profession.

ASHHRA is a national organization representing human resources professionals in health care.