PRESQUE ISLE – The local hospital has received a state grant that will allow motivational and other types of speakers, including actor Robert Urich, to speak to its 900 employees.

The Aroostook Medical Center received $103,870 from the Maine Governor’s Training Initiative Program. Such grants are given to Maine businesses for funding nontraditional types of training, such as team building, leadership, communication and customer service.

The programs are geared toward boosting employee morale and retention, which contributes to improved patient care, according to Kim Jones, TAMC’s public information coordinator and a training team leader.

“Ultimately it all comes down to providing exceptional service,” Jones said Tuesday.

Last year, the hospital implemented a staff development pilot program to incorporate new types of customer service training and education. A group of employees calling themselves the Staff Development Core Team developed quarterly themes, such as teamwork, celebrating change and communication.

All employees were given the opportunity to participate in the activities centered on the themes, resulting in excellent attendance, according to Jones. The pilot program was recognized in Bob Nelson’s Rewarding Employees, a national newsletter.

The initial success led Jones to apply for the state grant.

“We wanted to keep up the momentum the pilot program had created,” Jones said. “This grant will open up many doors for us in providing top-notch training and programs to our staff that we would not otherwise be able to afford.”

For instance, the public will be invited to attend a guest presentation by actor Robert Urich on Saturday, May 5.

Urich will share his story about surviving a rare form of cancer, according to Jones.

Other health care agencies, businesses and the community will be invited to other activities funded by the grant.

“Staff development is a priority at TAMC because our staff is our most important asset in providing high quality, effective patient care services,” said David Peterson, TAMC president, in a prepared statement. “We are committed to providing customer service training and employee enrichment opportunities.”

The grant will continue through this year and into May 2002, according to Jones.