How To Launch A Top-Notch Healthcare Training Solutions Program
If you’re considering healthcare training solutions for your team, there are probably a few questions on stakeholders’ minds. Is it really worth the investment? How will it benefit your bottom line and employee engagement? Where do you find the best healthcare compliance training outsourcing partners? For that matter, should you outsource or develop content internally? This article has everything you need to know to launch a successful program in the healthcare sector, including benefits, topics to cover, and tell-tale signs that it’s time to consider healthcare training solutions. I’ll even highlight some of the pain points that healthcare L&D programs can help you address. First, let’s look at who can leverage healthcare training services and why they’re so essential.
Here's A Sneak Preview:
- Why Are Healthcare Training Solutions Important And Who Can Leverage Them?
- What Are The Benefits Of Healthcare Training Courses?
- What Is Healthcare Compliance Training? 5 Ways It Helps You Solve Critical Organizational Pain Points
- Which Topics Should You Cover In Your Healthcare Training?
- Is Your Organization Ready To Launch Healthcare L&D Certifications?
- Should You Hire Healthcare Training Services Or Handle It In-House?
1. Why Are Healthcare Training Solutions Important And Who Can Leverage Them?
Healthcare training programs are vital because they set standards for your team. Everyone understands company policies and compliance regulations that relate to their job roles, but these solutions also ensure that every patient gets the same level of care because staffers have the necessary skills and experience. Below are just a few groups that can leverage them to reduce risks and improve patient services.
Healthcare Facility Directors
Directors and owners can implement healthcare training solutions to cut costs and cultivate internal talent. Training happens online, which means that staffers are able to fit it into their busy schedules, while personalized paths and role-based certifications make L&D more relevant and meaningful for every member of the team. Another perk is delivering a consistent level of care to your patients and avoiding costly compliance violations.
HR Managers
HR managers are able to use healthcare training programs to recruit, onboard, and develop their talent pool. For example, use the healthcare LMS to assess candidates’ qualifications and streamline the new hire training process. It also makes it easier to uphold company policies and compliance standards since everyone has access to vital job-specific support resources.
Frontline Healthcare Workers
Directors and managers are the main groups who can leverage healthcare training solutions. However, there are others who benefit directly from these L&D initiatives, such as registered nurses and doctors. For instance, doctors participate in online simulations and branching scenarios to build real-world experience. Thus, they’re ready to take on any challenge in the triage unit. Likewise, nurses can attend live events and access JIT support tools to bridge gaps on the spot.
Medical Assistants
Medical assistants and nursing assistants are other roles that use healthcare training courses to expand their knowledge base. In fact, many of them rely on certifications to learn about new techniques and medical trends, as well as hone specific skills that help them care for patients more effectively. For example, they may need to learn new COVID protocols and isolation procedures to prevent contamination.
Home Health Aides
Though home health aides work remotely, they still need continual training and reinforcement to uphold company standards. Healthcare training solutions are accessible on the go. Aides can use their mobile devices to view tutorials or medical guides right away instead of waiting until the next certification course or compliance training presentation.
2. What Are The Benefits Of Healthcare Training Courses?
Healthcare training solutions impact every aspect of business operations, including employee morale and patient satisfaction scores. But the perks don’t end there. Effective online training in healthcare can help prep your team for any challenge that comes their way, as well as retain top performers so that you can reduce new hire expenses. Here are some standout benefits healthcare training can bring to your organization.
Mitigate Risks
First and foremost, healthcare training helps keep your employees and patients out of harm’s way, not to mention prevent costly compliance fines and penalties and high insurance premiums, in short, fewer on-the-job accidents and malpractice suits. This is due to the fact that staffers know the rules of conduct and how to avoid common mistakes. They also understand the importance of ongoing training and striking a balance. For instance, how crucial it is to mentally recharge between shifts so that they don’t have to deal with fatigue-related errors. Finally, these online training solutions give them real-world practice without putting lives at stake.
Improve Patient Care
Patients get higher quality care because employees understand how to perform their job roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, your team develops crucial skills that don’t just safeguard patient health, but their emotional wellbeing. For instance, how to work on their bedside manner and inform patients tactfully. If you own or manage a private facility, this can mean the difference between a thriving practice and a dwindling patient list.
Reduce Employee Turnover
Staffers expect continual training from their employers. They know how important it is to build core competencies and broaden their knowledge base. Thus, healthcare training programs can help you retain top performers and prevent new hire costs. For example, you hold onto experienced employees instead of spending money to recruit, hire, and train their replacements. Employees are also more satisfied on the job because they have access to JIT support and certification renewals.
Build A Stronger Team Dynamic
Employees understand how their roles tie into those of their co-workers, as well as how they’re expected to collaborate with other departments and groups to improve workplace productivity. Therefore, healthcare training courses can help you build a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork in your organization, particularly if you incorporate coaching, social learning, and other peer-based training initiatives. For instance, staffers know they can count on their fellow co-workers for moment-of-need support. They’re not competing but working together to achieve shared goals.
Identify Emerging Talent
Another notable reason to launch a healthcare L&D program is to spot hidden talent. Use assessments, real-world activities, and certification courses to identify strengths. A member of your nursing team might be on the fast-track to management because they possess all the necessary skills. Or, maybe an employee would be better suited in another department with a little cross-training and competency re-alignment.
Maximize Internal Resources
All the benefits above translate into better resource allocation. You hang on to your top talent, instill self-confidence, and identify hidden gems. Healthcare training even helps you stretch your budget by moving your ILT online and improving accessibility. Plus, you can use reports to spot areas for improvement and fine-tune your strategy. For instance, employees may need more hands-on experience to prevent on the job mistakes.
3. What Is Healthcare Compliance Training? 5 Ways It Helps You Solve Critical Organizational Pain Points
When all is said and done, you need a healthcare training program that gets results, one that helps you bridge emerging gaps and address pain points rapidly. While every organization has its own burdens to bear, there are a few obstacles that most healthcare businesses face on a daily basis whether it’s breaking negative work habits or alleviating the burden on the HR team. So, let’s review 5 crucial organizational challenges that healthcare training solutions can resolve.
Promote Ethics
Ethics are the backbone of any profession, but doubly so for the healthcare sector. You must follow an industry code of ethics that extends to every aspect of the field, including decision-making, beneficence, non-maleficence, and patient privilege. Healthcare training can help you promote and maintain a higher ethical standard because employees are in-the-know. There’s also constant reinforcement that encourages staffers to make respectful and ethical choices that respect patient’s rights.
Prevent On-The-Job Injuries
One of the fundamentals of healthcare compliance training is safety. Employees need to know how to prevent accidents and mitigate risks on the job. For example, simulations show them how to prep for emergency situations or wear the proper gear, while video demos walk them through work-related processes and all the potential hazards involved.
Improve Performance Behaviors
Healthcare workers are often called on to make split-second decisions that impact other people’s lives. They need to be able to perform under pressure and not crack under the strain. Healthcare training solutions build their self-confidence and assurance so that they can handle common stressors. For instance, they already know how to deal with challenging patients or irate family members because of their practical training. Your L&D program can also help them identify limiting behaviors, habits, or beliefs that hinder their workplace performance.
Optimize Patient Services
Directors, managers, and facility owners must balance profit with patient care. They need to provide the service that patients expect but there’s also a financial element involved. After all, it is a business. Healthcare training programs allow you to expand your list of patient services and specializations, as employees can cross-train and earn new certifications since online training is more flexible and personalized.
Streamline Paperwork Processing
Many organizations invest in healthcare training courses because it centralizes performance reports, evaluations, and other L&D paperwork. All the assessments, certifications, and courses are completed online. Thus, you have up-to-date records in case of an audit—not to mention, your L&D and HR teams can quickly verify whether an employee is up to code or if they need additional training.
4. Which Topics Should You Cover In Your Healthcare Training?
Just as every healthcare organization has unique challenges, the same goes for objectives and goals. However, some topics extend to the far reaches of the sector, whether you’re caring for patients at home or dealing with the COVID crisis in your IC unit. Regardless of your patient profiles or staff size, healthcare training should cover the following skills, compliance issues, and core competencies.
Customer Service
You may not be in the sales industry, per se, but you do provide a unique service. Thus, your employees need to know the ins and outs of customer service. For example, how to handle an uncooperative patient who doesn’t want to receive treatments. This requires a whole host of skills, ranging from communication and active listening to empathy. Some job roles may even require another customer service skillset, such as your insurance processing or collection department.
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency preparedness ensures that your team is ready for work-related disasters, major and minor. For example, they know how to safely evacuate themselves and patients during a fire or what to do in the event of an earthquake. The healthcare sector also has its own emergency situations to consider, depending on the job position and department. For instance, ER nurses encounter different challenges and hazards than home healthcare aides.
Conflict Resolution
Employees have to work well with their colleagues and communicate effectively with patients. Keep in mind that, in some cases, your staffers are meeting patients during the worst points in their lives, maybe after they’ve experienced a severe injury or a loved one is dealing with a serious illness. Thus, tempers are bound to flare up. So, your team needs to resolve conflicts and treat even the most difficult patients with the utmost respect.
Practical Problem-Solving
Healthcare employees must be master problem-solvers. They need to diagnose issues based on symptoms and find the best possible treatment. But these problem-solving skills also apply to resource management. For example, can they delegate tasks to the right people to achieve the best outcomes? How can they use the available tools, equipment, and facility space to safely treat the maximum number of patients?
Infection Control
This is a particularly relevant healthcare training topic due to the COVID crisis. Your healthcare training program should cover infectious diseases and how to control them effectively. Simulations, branching scenarios, demos, and other real-world activities are an ideal fit since they allow you to impart practical experience minus the risk. For instance, employees can learn which gear to wear and how to properly dispose of materials.
Pathogens
Bloodborne pathogens are another healthcare training issue that should be at the top of your list, especially if employees frequently take blood samples or work in the lab. However, even staffers who don’t come into direct contact with patient samples should know the basics of pathogens and containment.
Hazard Communication
Hazard communication focuses on chemicals that employees use and their dangers, as well as other potential risks they might face on the job. Of course, this greatly depends on their work duties. For example, your maintenance staff needs to be aware of cleaning products and how to handle them safely, while your radiology techs have to work with x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging that might pose a risk.
Workplace Safety
Ergonomics, slip-and-fall prevention, and proper waste clean up are just a few of the subtopics to cover in workplace safety training. While your office employees need to be aware of their posture and data safety protocols, your frontline nurses must be able to stand for long periods of time without straining their joints and muscles. Demo videos and tutorials are great for safety instruction because they provide a visual example.
Diversity
Doctors, nurses, and healthcare aides typically encounter a broad range of personalities throughout the course of their workday. Likewise, they work with a group of people who have different backgrounds and opinions. As such, diversity training is essential because it teaches staffers how to interact and respect other viewpoints. For instance, patients who come into the facility and decline certain treatments because of their religious beliefs.
Patient Rights
Every employee needs to be aware of patient rights that are set forth by regulatory bodies and your organization. For example, how many people are allowed into a patient’s room? How do they get written consent? How do you handle advanced directives? It’s often best to cover this in a comprehensive certification course. But you should also follow up with microlearning resources to reinforce and refresh their memory.
5. Is Your Organization Ready To Launch Healthcare L&D Certifications?
Now, the question is: Is it the right time for you to launch healthcare training certifications, especially given the global pandemic and the financial difficulties that come with it? The simple answer is that your team needs to be prepared now more than ever. They need support, moment-of-need training, and skill refreshers to do their jobs effectively. Here are 6 warning signs that you’re ready to launch healthcare training certifications ASAP.
Inconsistent Quality Of Care
There doesn’t seem to be any standard when it comes to the quality of care and how employees carry out company policies. For instance, staffers might contradict each other when meeting with a patient, or the reception team during one shift might follow one check-in protocol, while the next skips over crucial intake paperwork. Healthcare training ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding your policies, task protocols, and patient services.
Low Employee Retention
Employees don’t stay for long or maybe it’s a recent development and your top talent is gradually jumping ship. High employee turnover is another symptom of ineffective training and support. Healthcare L&D programs help you retain employees because there are always opportunities for growth and advancement. Team members appreciate flexible online training that helps them improve work practices and behaviors on their own terms. They also avoid skill stagnation and can renew certifications to achieve their full potential.
High Training Costs
Traditional training may be pushing you over budget with the printed materials, site rental fees, and instructor costs. That’s not even considering all the safety risks involved due to the pandemic. Healthcare online training helps you stretch resources and reduce spending. Employees no longer have to travel to remote certification courses or seminars as all their development takes place within the LMS. You also reduce training seat time, which means lower payroll costs since staffers can focus on courses and support resources that align with their needs. Plus, online training improves knowledge assimilation because it’s more engaging and immersive.
Ineffective Performance Evaluation
You’re unable to diagnose organizational pain points or personal areas for improvement. This is because you don’t have evaluation or feedback systems in place to assess employee performance or even determine if your traditional training strategy is living up to expectations. Healthcare training solutions have metrics that focus on your KPIs and objectives. For example, you’re able to identify skill gaps and intervene before it leads to a full-fledged compliance violation. You can even use real-world activities to see how employees perform on the job before they interact with their first patient.
Heavy Manager Workload
Unfortunately, managers and team leaders bear the brunt of the workload if their employees aren’t trained properly. For instance, they have to perform tasks that fall outside their purview, or maybe they spend most of their workday answering questions and resolving conflicts because their team doesn’t have the right skillset. Healthcare training courses make staffers more self-reliant so that they don’t depend on managers every step of the way. They can handle minor issues on their own so that supervisors focus on other job duties and responsibilities.
Limited Employee Support
Employees feel like they’re being thrown into the fire instead of getting the one-on-one support they require. Training for the healthcare sector gives them the opportunity to tap into a peer support network. For instance, participate in online forums or peer mentoring groups. However, they also have access to microlearning resources that target specific gaps and enrich the online training experience.
6. Should You Hire Healthcare Training Services Or Handle It In-House?
While the need for healthcare training solutions may be a given (for most organizations), outsourcing is another story. Should you develop content in-house or hire an eLearning content provider? Which approach is more cost-effective for your organization? These tips can help you decide if you should hire healthcare training services or handle it internally.
Evaluate Your L&D Budget
How much can you invest in your new healthcare training strategy? It may seem counterintuitive to hire an eLearning content provider if you’re trying to cut costs. However, this is the most cost-effective option for many healthcare organizations. It gives you the power to repurpose existing resources and make the most of their industry expertise. For example, you’d have to hire a development team (SMEs, Instructional Designers, etc.) to create content in-house, as well as purchase eLearning software and an LMS to deploy and track. That’s not even including the time involved and associated payroll expenses. If you hire a content provider or buy off-the-shelf solutions, all of these expenses are included. For instance, they have the necessary tools and team members to develop engaging healthcare training certification courses.
Weigh The Pros And Cons
The next step is to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of outsourcing versus developing internally. Hiring an eLearning content provider requires vendor vetting, which can be time-consuming. Plus, you don’t have as much control over the timeline. That said, there are ways to streamline the qualification process and you can always specify milestones and due dates in the agreement. If you decide to handle it in-house, it might take more time to create and deploy content, and you need an experienced team to implement new software and roll out your program. It’s best to compile a pros and cons list that covers both ends of the spectrum.
Get Employee Feedback
Employees probably already have some thoughts and opinions about your current training program, but they aren’t sure if your organization is open to suggestions. So why not invite their feedback to decide if outsourcing or-in house is the right approach? For instance, your L&D team can help you identify skill gaps, but they may not have the time or experience to develop courses. As such, you can handle the needs analysis internally, then hand the data over to healthcare training providers. Another option is to use their feedback to choose off-the-shelf solutions that address pain points, such as negative performance habits or common knowledge gaps.
Inventory Your Assets
What do you have to work with? The answer to this question lets you evaluate the outsourcing versus internal development dilemma from a different perspective. As an example, you already have archived resources you can reuse for your current healthcare training program. The catch is that that they’re printed and you need everything digitized and brought up to date. While your team could handle this task on their own, it would take a significant amount of time and software expertise. Therefore, hiring an eLearning content provider that specializes in legacy content and digitization might be the best option.
Map Out The Timeline
Time is what prompts most organizations to invest in pre-built training solutions or hire an expert. Either the time it takes to develop content and all the work that goes into it is too costly, or you simply don’t have the time to create everything internally because you need to meet compliance deadlines. So, develop a development and implementation schedule to make the right L&D decision. This also allows you to identify potential roadblocks that may be eliminated by niche expertise and experience.
Conclusion
The right training solutions can make a world of difference in terms of employee performance, retention, and patient care. In fact, it might even mean the difference between life and death in the healthcare sector. Your staffers need to be ready for every eventuality or, at least, have tools that quickly bring them up to speed. Thus, many opt for eLearning content providers who specialize in hospital and healthcare training. You might also consider pre-built solutions to reduce development time and costs. Our exclusive online directory has the leading providers for your field. You can even evaluate ratings and pricing options to make the best hiring decision.
How do you find the right healthcare training services provider for your budget without overwhelming your implementation team? Download our eBook Healthcare Training Solutions: Secrets To Launch A Successful Program In The Healthcare Sector for exclusive content. It features top tips to kick-start your search and qualify vendors today.
