Albany Medical Center Reviews in Albany, NY Area

Pros

Great Atmosphere, managers listen and things are always changing.

Cons

There are caps that you can reach in positions for pay.

Pros

The learning experiences, are uncomparable to any other I've had, and have been a large asset to further9ing my nursing career.

Cons

It's a very fast paced and demanding physically as well as mentally.

Advice to Senior Management

To be a little more flexible to working parents. The payscale could be better for nurses, and well deserved. The number of staff members on any given time on all floors could be better.

Pros

Some excellent coworkers. People care about the job they do and clients they serve. Undergoing a growth cycle so there are opportunties for career advancement.

Cons

Staff churn. Higher than expected turnover. Salaries are less than similar academic med centers in other states and areas.

Advice to Senior Management

Reinvest in your talent pool. Don't settle for middling less-costly talent.

Pros

the people you work with

Cons

the pay, the parking and the location

Pros

The hospital is continually expanding, and is acquiring neighborhood buildings. Trauma center is supposedly very good, so hospital employees may have access to cutting-edge technology. Once you get into your job, seems difficult to get fired, so high job security.

Cons

Completely mismanaged by a group of good-ol'-boys that don't care much about research (even though they pretend to). Not so sure about the hospital side, but I hear a lot of complaints from friends that the management is only concerned with money over there, too. The management doesn't listen, because they don't need to - since they don't care about their employees, why should they change? Upper management is filled with men who only got the position because they agree with their superiors, so voicing concerns only brings headaches, never change about important matters.

Advice to Senior Management

For the research side, hire a Dean who actually knows something about education or research. To head the hospital, don't hire a lawyer - hire someone who actually knows how to run a hospital. Divide the Center into two entities - one which is the hospital, the other the college, and give some degree of autonomy to each side to do what is best. Hire people in HR and Payroll who understand the different requirements between a hospital and a college.

Pros

The majority of people who work there are competent and nice.

Cons

The administration suffers from utter incompetence and small-mindedness. They care very little about what's true. Lying is acceptable. They do not value education or research, even though they may pretend to do so. It's all part of a facade. The only thing that really matters to them is how much money is brought into the institution.

Advice to Senior Management

Someone with a medical degree or a Ph.D. in one of the health sciences would be better suited to run a medical center than a lawyer.

Pros

Since it is a teaching hospital, there is much to learn and many to learn from. You will see a great variety of procedures, conditions, that may not be seen at other facilities.

In place protocols provide a good guide for patient care and allow the nurse a fair amount of autonomy.

Cons

Antiquated information systems that are not integrated.
not alot of feedback or recognition for a job well done

Advice to Senior Management

Provide a better way for nurses to be recognized

Pros

The institutionis good and one can be proud to work for a good medical center. Senior leadership is not concerned with employees nor is there a good conduit for employees to b heard, valued, and respected.

Cons

Poor communication, lack of respect for employees.

Advice to Senior Management

Be involved and knowledgeable with what is happening in the departments under your purview. Get to know the employees and develop relationships outside "executive" row.

Pros

The organization has a mission you can believe in. You feel like you're making a contribution to the community. There are a lot of intelligent and dedicated people working at AMC, and there is a strong sense of teamwork. I've always gotten a sense that they appreciate the efforts you make at your job and they have always been very supportive regarding personal/family issues.

Cons

Sometimes they get rigid about dress codes. They try to be cautious with money to the point that sometimes they seem penny wise and pound foolish. The parking situation leaves a lot to be desired and you have to be careful in the neighborhood at night.

Advice to Senior Management

I'd like to see them increase the IT budget.

Pros

Access to some of the best research and acute care in the region. Continuing education availability is also a bonus.

Cons

There is a good deal of political bickering and administrative incompetence.

Advice to Senior Management

There are too many silos. Departments don't talk to each other or share information. Work is done inefficiently as a result. There are people who have risen up the ranks by virtue of seniority, but unfortunately don't know what they're doing. Not enough focus is put on preparing employees for change; there is a lack of appropriate communication and training, particularly with regard to technological initiatives. People get away with doing very little work for long periods of time and don't have to answer for it. Other people have too much work to do and don't have the resources to do what they're being asked to do. Furthermore, the pay is dismal. Advice to senior management is to hold people accountable for doing their jobs and work on improving communication -- both between departments and from management to employees.