You may have staffed your practice with well-qualified people, but now they need proper training to understand your practice and its culture, their role within your practice, your policies and procedures, patient population, state and federal requirements such as HIPAA and OSHA, and other office practices. (If you need help with hiring, read our blog article, “Hiring the Best Staff for Your Practice”!)
Office Policy & Procedure Training
It is also important to develop and maintain an office policy and procedure manual to ensure that everyone is on the same page and there is consistency in operations. Your office policies and procedures should align with legal and regulatory requirements and provide guidance on how to conduct various tasks within your practice consistently and efficiently.
It is a good idea to include your staff in developing office policies and procedures since they are a valuable resource regarding tasks that are performed daily and identifying areas that may need improvement. Your policy and procedure manual may include clinical procedures, administrative procedures, office opening and closing procedures, patient scheduling, missed patient appointments, informed consent, disclosure of patient information, billing practices, emergency preparedness, and employee matters such as sick leave, vacation, termination of employment.
Ensure your policies and procedures are integrated into your EHR system. You can set up prompts, or alerts within your system to guide staff in following your policies and procedures. Regularly review and update your office policies and procedures to reflect changes in your practice, updates in regulations, feedback from patients, staff, or external audits.
Role-Specific & Individualized Training
During the hiring process, it is important to create a job description detailing the duties, requirements, physical abilities required, qualifications, qualities, necessary skills, and language requirements needed for each position. That way, you can base training on what is needed for the specific role.
A formal initial individual staff member training should be developed to include education on office policies and procedures and an evaluation of required skills based upon the applicable job description. It is helpful to develop a checklist of required training and skills proficiency for each job description.
Customer Service & Documentation Training
The utmost importance should be placed on customer service and patient satisfaction. This includes telephone etiquette and interpersonal skills. Better interpersonal skills improve patient satisfaction, which creates a more positive environment for both staff and patients and keeps patients returning to your practice.
The importance of documentation should also be emphasized in staff training. All staff should be trained in proper documentation practices. Good documentation is a valuable risk management tool as it serves as evidence of compliance and can be valuable in the event of a malpractice suit or audit.
Ongoing Performance Support Training
Staff training is not a one-time event. Training regarding updated policies and procedures, regulations, laws, and other pertinent information should be ongoing through regular staff meetings and federal and state required annual training. All staff training should be documented and placed in the staff member’s employment file.
Assign designated staff members to regularly monitor and enforce compliance with your policies and procedures. Any non-compliance should be addressed promptly, and appropriate corrective actions, as defined in your policy and procedures, should be taken as necessary.
A well-trained staff is crucial in helping providers achieve good patient outcomes, comply with state and federal regulations, reduce malpractice risks, and maintain efficient operations. As an additional benefit – employee retention is also positively impacted. When a practice is running smoothly, patients are happy, and the staff understands what is expected of them, job satisfaction improves. When staff members feel valued and satisfied, they are much less likely to leave your practice which will help you retain institutional knowledge and achieve a great patient experience.
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The information contained on the PICA Blog does not establish a standard of care, nor does it constitute legal advice. The information is for general informational purposes only. We encourage all blog visitors to consult with their personal attorneys for legal advice, as specific legal requirements may vary from state to state. Links or references to organizations, websites, or other information is for reference use only and do not constitute the rendering of legal, financial, or other professional advice or recommendations. All information contained on the blog is subject to change.
