Regardless of what industry you are in, the people that make up your organization will dictate its success. If you have a group full of talented individuals, the possibilities for your business are seemingly endless. But the healthcare sector, decisions made by staff members could determine whether or not a patient lives to see another day.
When it comes to putting together a healthcare administration staff, good hiring decisions are crucial for success. From giant research hospitals to smaller family practices, a medical facility is only as strong as its administrative staff. Here are a few tips to finding all-stars for your healthcare administration staff:
Try taking notes about candidates while you interview them.
"Create a scorecard for each candidate."
If you're the one in charge of making hiring decisions for non-medical staff at your healthcare facility, you probably know how tricky it can be to remember specific details about every candidate as you progress through the interview process. But as one tasked with hiring the right individuals, it is your responsibility to pick out the strongest person for the position. Instead of getting overwhelmed by all of the people you meet throughout the process, jot down some notes as you conduct interviews. One easy way to organize your thoughts is to create a scorecard for each candidate, according to Harvard Business Review. Choose a few criteria that are most important to you and your practice. During the interview, fill in the scores for each category as the candidate answers questions. At the conclusion of the interview, your scorecard should be filled out so that you have a way to compare individuals to one another.
Look for individuals who have experience working with the systems you use.
Healthcare administration has changed drastically in recent years as a result of new technologies, such as electronic health records. If your medical practice utilizes EHRs, it is probably not a bad idea to hire administrative staff with experience using the technology. That way, whomever you decide to hire can contribute more immediately to your team without having to go through EHR training again.
Don't be afraid to dig a little deeper than a resume and cover letter.
One of the best indicators of how a potential hire will perform at your organization is performance at previous jobs. People are creatures of habit. If the individual has handled a lot of high-pressure situations in previous positions, there is a good chance he or she will perform successfully at your company as well, according to Selecting Winners. That said, it's important to ask questions about how candidates handled specific difficult situations in the past during the interview.
Talent is great, but don't forget about personality.
In addition to sheer talent, candidates should possess good integrity and character. These attributes often determine how well a new hire performs in the role, according to Forbes. While technical knowledge and skills are necessary to complete the job, the intangible qualities can dictate the amount of time a candidate may spend with your organization.
Taking all of this into account, it is easy to see that hiring decisions are made easier with more knowledge. By using these tips, you should be able to more confidently hire healthcare administrative staff members who won't miss a beat and provide patients with top-notch care on a consistent basis. For more resources and training materials to improve your hospital's financial efficiency and protect your bottom line, contact Professional Medical Services today.