Employees who feel overburdened and underutilized are unlikely to perform at their best. This causes problems with employee satisfaction and retention, as well as a negative impact on productivity and patient satisfaction.
Staff who feel empowered and motivated to perform to the best of their abilities, on the other hand, can help improve practice management and even patient engagement.
Burnout among physicians and healthcare workers has steadily increased over several decades, a critical issue that has only gotten worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s private practice providers and staff must balance the demands of running an independent practice with the numerous safety and compliance concerns associated with the coronavirus.
According to the American Medical Association, at least 40% of physicians are showing signs of burnout. Similarly, even before the pandemic, many nurses were feeling burned out and disengaged. It does not end there.
According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, more than one-third of front-office employees report feeling burned out.
Today’s healthcare professionals face an increasingly complex, highly regulated work environment. The pandemic is only bringing these issues to the forefront. According to a recent study conducted by Mental Health America, 93 percent of healthcare workers were stressed, with 76 percent reporting exhaustion and burnout. Seventy-five percent report feeling overwhelmed.
A healthcare practice guide for avoiding burnout and increasing employee satisfaction.
Most practice managers and administrators understand that a healthcare practice is only as good as its employees. How do you motivate and engage your practice staff during a global pandemic, when burnout is a major concern?
We have several tried-and-true tips for keeping your staff happy even during the most difficult times for healthcare practices.
1. Put into Practice Time-Saving Technologies
Prior to the national health crisis, practice management was already a time-consuming endeavor. Time is even more limited now that healthcare practice teams must balance safety protocols on top of their regular duties.
When your staff’s to-do list seems to grow longer by the day, it’s time to consider areas of your practice that could benefit from automation. Implementing the right technology can save your staff time, assist them in doing their jobs more effectively, and significantly improve patient engagement. Consider tools that can assist you in eliminating manual processes.
For example, online appointment scheduling reduces phone calls and shifts the “work” to the patient. Automated appointment reminders eliminate the dreaded phone list and can assist in lowering your no-show rate. Implementing these technologies reduces staff workload, particularly for more redundant, rote tasks, and they are essential in today’s era of high patient demand.
Patients will appreciate the convenience in these examples, especially if you can use text reminders, which are a patient favorite. Going digital is a win-win situation because nearly 70% of patients say they will switch doctors for greater convenience.
2. Encourage open, Two-Way Communication with Practice Personnel
Employees in any business want to feel like they have a voice and that their concerns are being addressed. Find ways to keep an open dialogue going throughout your practice, and make sure everyone has a chance to share their thoughts. This is a fairly basic aspect of employee satisfaction that is simple to implement.
Whether you achieve this line of communication through regular staff meetings, a true open-door policy, or informal feedback sessions, give your team the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas. You might be surprised at how many good ideas you’ll get and how much your morale will improve simply by listening. Whatever process you use, remember to keep your staff informed of any practice priorities, changes, needs, or patient communications. Depending on your staff size and scheduling, this can be accomplished through quick stand-up meetings, internal office email, or both.
3. Use a LEAD Approach To Practice Employee Satisfaction
LEAD is an acronym that stands for Listen, Encourage, Acknowledge, and Develop. This straightforward approach to employee satisfaction could be exactly what you need to reduce burnout.
Listening is directly related to the two-way communication mentioned above, and it entails actively seeking feedback from your employees on how things are going. Consider going one step further: Formalize your feedback requests by deploying an online questionnaire on a regular basis that encourages employees to share their thoughts on operational issues, staffing, practice culture, and personal development.
Encouragement is critical for fueling a high-performing work environment. It’s as simple as expressing your appreciation for administrative staff and encouraging them to take on more responsibility when they’re ready.
Acknowledgement can be as simple as a thank you for a job well done, or it can be a formalized reward system. With 80 percent of American workers reporting that they do not feel recognized or rewarded, there is very little more satisfying in the workplace than receiving recognition from people you respect and work with.
The most effort is required to develop. It’s about maximizing your employees’ skill sets and expanding their roles so they can contribute at a higher level. They will not only welcome a more varied set of tasks, but they will also have a better sense of the future of your practice as you grow. Remember that a true development plan takes time, so any opportunities to cut hours on office tasks can help you get there.
4. Aim High when it comes to Office Roles and Responsibilities
This is related to the ‘Develop’ concept discussed above. It’s a particularly common topic in the healthcare industry, where organizations like the Institute of Medicine encourage providers and nurses to practice to the “full extent of their education and training.” Just as clinicians want to practice to the full extent of their license, most practice administrative staff want to maximize their skills and strengths in order to be as effective as possible and contribute to the practice’s success.
Eliminating manual tasks and encouraging staff growth and development can boost morale and efficiency.
After implementing automated tools for workflow steps like scheduling and patient registration, front-office staff can take on new responsibilities like managing your patient satisfaction survey process or patient communication campaigns.
This engages high-performing staff in patient engagement and can provide visibility into practice growth — new skills that will give staff a sense of greater value and contribution, as well as a stronger connection to the business.
Conclusion
Remember that one of the most valuable assets a private practice can have is an exceptional staff. Each individual has a significant impact on patient satisfaction and, as a result, the reputation of your practice. As we emerge from the pandemic, assisting your team through difficult times will position your practice for continued success and growth.