10 Aspects to Cover in your Annual Medical Practice Staff Training

As the year comes to a close, it’s time to start thinking about getting ready for your annual staff training. Training is the easiest way to make sure your employees are prepared for any situation that could come up in a medical practice. 

Have a plan

Trying to dive into your training seminar without a plan is like trying to teach a class on a subject you don’t know. You won’t feel as comfortable, and the people receiving the training will be able to tell.

Develop an outline for your session and stick to it! This will not only help you stay on track and cover all the topics you want to get through, but it will also help your employees be able to follow along much easier.

Cross-train 

One of the best things you can do for your team is to make sure you have multiple people who can cover a single position. Emergencies, sickness, and vacation time all happen, so it’s on you to make sure your team is prepared to be down a member.

An added benefit to cross-training your team is that you’ll always have a spare set of eyes and a spare mind to be a backup, in the event that one team member is too busy for a particular task.

Don’t forget about customer service

Patients are customers, just like with any other business, so it’s important to treat them with the same respect and kindness! Making sure your employees are prepared to give service with a smile is of the utmost importance.

Being that medical offices can often be stressful, providing a welcoming and helpful attitude can make a world of difference for patients who may be dealing with difficult situations.

Make sure everyone is up to date with new technology

In an ever-changing world, it’s important to stay current with technology, especially in a medical practice. New systems can make processes faster and more efficient, but they can also take time to learn.

Staff training is the perfect time to make sure your entire staff is up to speed with any new tech you’ve implemented in your practice. Having everyone be proficient with your system is not only helpful, but crucial in maintaining safety and security of your patients.

Conflict Resolution

As we mentioned before, practices can sometimes be stressful places, and sometimes, conflict is inevitable. You have a responsibility to make sure your employees are trained to handle any situation they may find themselves in.

Training gives you the opportunity to present potential conflict-type situations to your staff and give them a chance to practice how they would handle them, so they can get it right before they have to deal with them in real life. 

HIPAA compliance

Patient privacy is paramount. That’s why making sure your employees are completely aware and compliant with HIPAA regulations isn’t just important - it’s crucial. Your practice could face legal reparations.

Employees are required to comply with HIPAA regulations, so take the time in your staff training to make sure everyone remains compliant.

OSHA compliance

Much like HIPAA, OSHA is also completely necessary to maintain compliance with. Maintaining the safety of everyone who enters and leaves your practice is your responsibility. Take special care in your training seminar to make sure your staff is fully aware of all OSHA safety protocol.

Make sure staff is current with certifications

Not only do practitioners require specific licensing, but there are also various certifications that non-practitioners must hold if they’re going to be working in a medical environment.

Ensuring that your staff is up-to-date with any certifications that are required of them is an important step in any employee training.

Develop your protocol

Staff training is for training your staff! This is the perfect time to cover the protocol you and your employees will use when handling different situations in day-to-day operations. Whether it’s vomit in the waiting room or a patient fainting unexpectedly, it’s great to develop steps for your staff to take in these scenarios.

Leave enough time to answer questions

Hands down, the most important part of your staff training is to leave enough time for your employees to ask questions. Allowing the staff to voice any concerns or topics they may not fully understand will be much more beneficial in the long run.

Even if it ends up taking more time than you may have thought, creating a space where you can make sure everyone understands all your rules, regulations, and procedures will ultimately create the safest and healthiest medical practice possible.