Methodist Healthcare Ministries' Workforce Innovation Earns International 6-Star Best Practice Award

Global recognition validates organization's employee engagement model and commitment to performance excellence

San Antonio, TX, Nov. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) has earned international recognition for workplace excellence, receiving the Employee Engagement and Empowerment Category Award and a 6-Star Best Practice Award at the 12th International Best Practice Competition (IBPC 2026), for its award-winning “Creating a Thriving Workforce" initiative. MHM was recognized for its innovative, employee-centered approach to building a thriving workforce and strengthening organizational performance. 

Presented by Best Practice Improvement Resource (BPIR), the International Best Practice Competition is a global benchmarking and knowledge-sharing program that evaluates organizational practices against internationally recognized standards of excellence. This year's competition included 165 qualifying entries from 12 countries, with only 24 entries advancing to finalist status, and an even smaller group achieving prestigious 6-Star and 7-Star distinctions. The award places MHM among a distinguished group of organizations recognized worldwide for excellence in workforce engagement and organizational performance.

The recognition validates a decade-long commitment by MHM to organizational excellence and continuous improvement. Guided by the Baldrige Excellence Framework, MHM has systematically invested in strengthening its workplace culture, developing its workforce and creating systems that enable Team members to thrive while advancing the organization's vision of improving the health and wellness of underserved communities throughout South Texas. The award affirms MHM's belief that creating a thriving workforce strengthens its ability to fulfill its mission, advance health equity and deliver meaningful impact across the region.

"Organizations that aspire to create lasting community impact must first create an environment where their people can thrive," said Jaime Wesolowski, President and CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. "This international recognition is a proud milestone for MHM and validates our commitment to excellence, continuous improvement, and investing in our Team members. By fostering a culture where people feel valued, supported, and empowered, we strengthen our ability to improve the health and wellness of underserved communities throughout South Texas. We are honored to be recognized alongside leading organizations from around the world."

The award-winning Creating a Thriving Workforce initiative grew out of MHM's broader excellence journey and reflects the organization's belief that fulfilling its mission begins with empowering and equipping Team members to operate at the highest levels of skill, engagement, and impact. It was designed to create shared ownership of employee engagement through a holistic approach centered on belonging, purpose, and continuous improvement.

Unlike traditional employee engagement programs that rely primarily on annual surveys, MHM's Thriving Workforce model incorporates a comprehensive Internal Voice of the Customer process that includes employee engagement surveys, monthly officer listening sessions, annual town halls, and regional listening tours. Workforce feedback is reviewed by a cross-functional Thriving Workforce Task Force representing employees across disciplines and organizational levels, ensuring diverse perspectives help shape organizational decisions. 

Using Lean Six Sigma principles, the task force analyzes employee feedback, identifies emerging workforce needs, and develops recommendations for leadership consideration. This structured approach has led to the implementation of numerous workforce-focused initiatives, including expanded parental and bereavement leave, volunteer time off (VTO), paid time off (PTO) donation programs, leadership development opportunities, educational partnerships, student loan repayment assistance, financial wellness programs, and a Team member emergency relief program. 

"At Methodist Healthcare Ministries, workforce engagement is not a standalone initiative. It is a strategic capability that strengthens everything we do," said Oanh Maroney-Omitade, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). "By intentionally listening to our Team members and investing in their success, we create a culture where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others."

The international recognition further builds on MHM's growing reputation for excellence. In recent years, the organization earned the 2023 Achievement Award and the 2024 Texas Governor's Award for Performance Excellence from the Quality Texas Foundation. MHM was also recognized as a finalist for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, one of the nation's highest honors for organizational performance excellence. 

MHM's Thriving Workforce model is one example of how the organization applies proven excellence frameworks to strengthen its operations and increase its impact across the 74 counties it serves. By investing in employee well-being, engagement, and professional growth, MHM enhances its ability to advocate for, invest in, and provide access to healthier, more RESILIENT communities. 

For more information about Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc., visit https://www.mhm.org.
 

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About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) 
Methodist Healthcare Ministries broadens the definition of healthcare by providing low-cost clinical care for the uninsured and by supporting community-led efforts that improve living conditions that cause people to be sick in the first place. Using its earnings as co-owners of Methodist Healthcare, the organization strives to ensure that people who are economically disadvantaged and uninsured can live their healthiest lives. This is accomplished by advocating for, investing in and providing access to quality clinical care and addressing factors that affect health—including economic mobility, supportive relationships, food security, broadband access, and safe neighborhoods. Ultimately, the organization fulfills its mission of ‘Serving Humanity to Honor God’ by advancing health equity so that more RESILIENT individuals and families living in its 74-county South and Central Texas service area can thrive. 

CONTACT: Teno Villarreal
Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
2106920234
avillarreal1@mhm.org