By: Mitzi Kent, RN, BSN | mkent@barlowmccarthy.com
Bringing a new provider into the organization can be the start of a successful relationship or the beginning of a missed opportunity. Effective onboarding is not just a “nice” thing to do; it is a critical first step for the new provider and a key part of receiving full value of your investment. A successful onboarding program can reduce attrition, decrease replacement and recruitment expenses and shorten the time to productivity. Here a five key elements to a successful onboarding program.
- Have a plan. To successfully take a new recruit from relocation through their first year, you need an integrated plan that outlines each step of the process and who is responsible for each of the steps. By having a formalized road map and checklist, you let the provider know early what to expect. You can then assign internal accountability and deadlines for the tasks and spell out what successful completion looks like at the end.
- Address more than just the tactical details. Beyond the steps and process, take the time to call out the relational aspects. Create a meet-and-greet meeting with the new recruit that includes your onboarding specialist, practice manager, physician relations leader, and marketing director. Discuss who’s who. Use a stakeholder map that goes beyond an organizational chart and includes specifics on who to call for what, operational protocols and communication samples from various stakeholders. This equips the new provider to more quickly understand the culture of the organization. The combination of these connections, along with the tactical details, helps the new physician become engaged, satisfied and retained.
- Measure to identify gaps and make improvements to your program. Communication with internal leaders and stakeholders is essential. While we may have ongoing conversations about what’s working or not, metrics are another excellent communications tool. Create key metrics you want to track for improvement. Determine which metrics align with business strategy, but also consider those that provide significant insights and/or impact for your organization. Tracking can be done on excel spreadsheets, or through one of the many available programs. The key is to think holistically when choosing what to measure and what goals you should have around each metric.
- Create connections that lead to retention. Facilitate and encourage activities that support becoming emotionally rooted in the organization as quickly as possible. Consider assigning a physician to a member of the administrative team that will regularly check on the new recruit and ensure that they are getting connected and introduced to various individuals within the organization. For recruits who joined the organization around the same time, create a “class” that can get together and share experiences and insights. Don’t forget about the significant others. About 85 percent of the time, family dissatisfaction influences a physician’s decision to relocate. Rooting the entire family can be done by establishing a welcoming committee that reaches out quarterly to answer any questions they may have and helps them integrate into the community.
- Have your new recruit involved in their strategic growth plan. Involving your new provider from the beginning on understanding organizational goals will lead to stronger engagement. Schedule quarterly touch-base meeting with the provider to share the strategic objectives for their service line, and ask the provider how they can impact those objectives. This type of partnership will lead to improved retention and provider satisfaction.
These five steps will get you well on your way to improving your onboarding program and ultimately help produce the outcomes your organization looks for in a newly recruited provider.
I would love to hear more about your specific needs and challenges when it comes to onboarding. Send me an email and we can set up a time to talk, mkent@barlowmccarthy.com.