Who wouldn’t want a practice that operates with an equally distributed workload; synergistic work mentality, increased efficiency and productivity; improved office morale and less team burnout; trained hands to assist in more patient care thereby generating more revenue; professional customer service; and less time constraints on the practitioner allowing him/her more patient-focused hours? If you’ve ever given any thought to onboarding new staff in order to create some of these circumstances, don’t just JUMP IN and expect a miracle! It takes more than just a thought. It takes a plan.

The following is a six step outline that can help you put one together. 

Step One: Recruitment

• Where should we look to find new recruits?
  • Schools, social media, patients, eateries, internet job sites (Monster.com, Indeed, etc.), hairdressers, gym, anyone in hospitality (customer service positions, i.e. hosts, waitstaff, valet, front desks, etc.) Chat it up! Let people/patients know you are searching.
• How can existing staff help in the search?
  • Individuals tend to hang out with those who exhibit similar personalities. Ask your staff: “Are there more of YOU out there?” “What about the job attracted YOU?”
  • Staff input helps to evaluate the practice’s current staffing needs. Where is help most needed? In what ways do they see a new hire affecting workflow? (Good or bad)
  • Put an Employee Referral Program in place as an incentive for them to help.

Step Two: The Hiring, Interview, and Selection Process

• Assess application responses
  • Pay attention to “red flags” on resumes and eliminate those that do not meet your needs.
  • Follow up: Set up appointments for first interview.
    • Decide who will conduct this interview – Doctor or Manager
    • Use a standard questionnaire for consistency and fairness to compare apples to apples; take notes to review later.
    • Have your favorite interview questions ready. Refrain from asking illegal ones.
      • If you encourage an open dialogue with your interviewee, they may offer information you are not allowed to ask.
    • Initiate role playing scenarios – focus on behaviors, words, expressions.
    • Discuss basic job descriptions, wages & benefits, hours, travel.
    • Meet and greet staff; are first impression personality clashes obvious?
    • Highly recommended to set up a second interview for those who seemed promising! Learn as much as you can before pulling the plug on your selection.

Step Three: Orientation

• Conduct a facility walk-through with new employee on day one. Best to start them on a Tues or Wed as Mondays typically are a little too hectic.
• Formal introduction to staff and practitioners.
• Match peer mentor to new recruit.
• Assign email account and login info.
• Have new employee spend adequate time with Office Manager (or the like) to:
  • Review and sign all necessary work-related paperwork.
  • Explain workplace culture, set practice goals and milestones; help them understand the importance of their participation as a team player.
  • Set up a training schedule.
  • Review employee policies and handbook for rules; conduct and disciplinary actions; workplace safety.
  • Explain job, employee, and employer expectations.
  • Review the performance review process; how, when, why?
  • Present a thorough review and understanding of their detailed job description and responsibilities. Prioritize primary and secondary duties.

Step Four: Training (MAKE the time!)

• As part of active work duties, all new employees regardless of hired position should report to the following positions (requiring their focus for a one week period in each position) to shadow, understand associated tasks, and observe interactions of each role. This is mandatory and in coordination with the components of a Successful Proactive Training Model (described in detail below).

  Some observations entail:

  • Doctors (observe doctor-patient interaction, instruments, protocols, podiatric vocabulary and commonly treated conditions, supplies, etc.)
  • Medical Assistant (Proper patient rooming and exam room setup, sterilization, inventory, documentation responsibilities, etc.)
  • Receptionist (phone, scheduling, patient data, collections, patient communication, etc.)
• Components of a successful proactive training model:
  • Demonstrate task, 1) Explain HOW, 2) Clarify importance, 3) Encourage questions, 4) Trial Time to observe and monitor, 5) Allow them to perform task solo.
• Require note taking as a learning tool – notes should be checked daily for accuracy.
• Cross training.

Step Five: Job Expectations that should be reviewed regularly with ALL Staff/Team members (new and existing)

• Professionalism
• Risk Management
  • HIPAA Confidentiality/breaches/consequences
  • OSHA Compliance
  • Legal Scope of practice
• Communication Skills (The patient/Staff connection)
• Customer Service
• Basic knowledge of podiatric medicine
• Dealing effectively with difficult personalities
  • Demanding, Complainer, Perfectionist, Disrespectful, Chatterbox, RUDE…. Abusive?
• Competence, Accountability

Step Six: Retention

• GOOD MANAGEMENT and Leadership!
  • Incentives
  • Inspiring, fun work environment
  • Employee rewards, appreciation and engagement opportunities
  • Fair Compensation & Benefits
  • Growth Opportunities
  • Employee surveys: Because it is unlikely that every staffer is motivated by the same thing, the best thing to do is to ask and FIND OUT.

Turnover is expensive AND disruptive! A strong onboarding process will considerably increase the likelihood of a voluntarily longer-term, happier employee.

Obsoletion - noun: the act of becoming or condition of being obsolete.

Is that what phone training in a medical office has become?

The telephone is a patient’s very first personal contact with the practice. A vital communication tool responsible for practice building and management. Why, then, is it that doctors do not require professional training in proper phone skills and etiquette? Not just for their receptionist, how about the entire staff?

After years of consulting experiences (combined lately with crazy stories I’ve had with personal medical encounters), it is evident that not all physicians know what goes on at that front desk, particularly on the phone. That is, not until they overhear an uncomfortable conversation they wish they hadn’t. I can’t tell you how often a client has come to me sounding the alarm, saying, “I can’t believe what I just heard my staff say to a patient on the phone!” It is at that point that reality sets in.

Unfortunately, if new job applicants indicate they have experience as a receptionist on their resume, it is often mistakenly assumed that they possess excellent telephone skills. It might further be misconstrued that answering phones is “just another standard job” that receptionists have indeed mastered. However, that is rarely the case. Too many “receptionists” cannot pass that test, presenting an unpleasant first impression of the entire practice.

This leads me to wonder…

• Are doctors aware of the information their staff communicates (whether it is accurate or medically advised?)

• Do they assume that all their employees professionally conduct themselves on the phone by utilizing proper tone, volume, and attitude in their voice?

• Do they know whether (or not) staff SMILE and are courteous when they speak on the phone, or are they bothered by the interruption?

• Do staff (intentionally or unintentionally) abuse the hold button - losing patients, literally and figuratively, as a result?

• Can they diffuse angry, disgruntled, and abusive patient situations and take appropriate action to resolve issues?

• Do doctors know if staff remain focused on welcoming patients in or shutting them out because they feel stressed or overwhelmed?

• Do docs feel that sending new staff for proper training only unnecessarily delays their start date? Is the cost of professional training a deterrent factor?

It may appear I blame staff for all the transgressions – not so. Unless they receive specific “how to” instruction and official training, they will do what they do, right or wrong, good or bad – and believe there is no problem. It all goes back to management. The more self-made protocol that slips by uncorrected, the more they will trust that their way of (mis)handling things is okay.

Because of its impact on the practice, many successful doctors consider the office phone as relevant as the essential clinical equipment – x-ray, ultrasound, etc., ensuring that those tools are in optimum working order and professionally maintained. Telephone training is no different. Phone skills also need to be professionally maintained. I would even go so far as to say that annual training and refresh are necessary. Anyone in practice responsible for answering the phones and speaking with patients, other medical offices, hospitals, or vendors…must know how to handle those calls effectively. Mishandling is not an option.

If formal training is not currently possible, commit to a time that is. In the meantime, schedule and conduct in-house training sessions. These should include discussing common scenarios, role-playing, customer service etiquette, problem-solving, medical advice no-nos, opening and closing calls, and turning phone inquiries into appointments. If webinars are available, take advantage of this alternate resource.

Don’t wait until you overhear an uncomfortable conversation. It could be too late. Get staff the training they need now. And remember, you don’t have to train all your team – just the ones you want to keep!