Staffing

All workplaces face challenges when it comes to human resources (HR). Medical offices are no different. National surveys show that the following challenges tend to rise to the top for medical practices:

1. Hiring and recruiting qualified candidates.

2. Retaining employees and minimizing turnover.

3. Finding opportunities and resources for professional development.

4. Keeping up with expanding administrative and regulatory changes.

5. Ensuring compliance with all HR laws.

How do you address and overcome these challenges? Some best practices for each are below.

Recruit high-quality employees

Hiring the right talent begins with the right employment strategy. An effective strategy should include:

Job description

• Write a detailed job description including job title, a summary of key duties, and required qualifications and experience.

• Outline perks such as flexible hours, benefits, and a sign-on bonus to showcase your work culture.

Recruitment

• Use a job application as a tool for collecting a potential candidate’s qualifications and experience, and have them sign off on the accuracy of the information.

• Use online platforms to advertise the job opening and/or consider using a staffing service. AADCareerCompass.org is a professional online job board for dermatology job-seekers and employers with open positions.

Interviews

• Conduct an initial phone interview to reduce your pool of candidates.

• Bring the best candidates in for interview(s) with the immediate supervisor and other relevant staff.

• Use a standard set of questions or script to avoid any discriminatory inquiries (such as pregnancy, marriage, age, living arrangements, religious affiliation, or other protected categories).

Hiring

• Before offering the job, check at least three references. It is important to get names of previous supervisors including physicians.

• Consider conducting a criminal background check and credit check if appropriate (and only if legal in your state).

• Use an offer letter to extend the opportunity. It should include salary information, work hours, job title, supervisor’s name, benefits, a brief synopsis of orientation, and a statement about whether the offer is at-will or a contract.

• Consider implementing a probationary period to assess whether the new hire or newly promoted employee is truly a good fit for the position. Take appropriate steps after the probationary assessment to ensure the employee meets the requirements and challenges of the position.

Maximize retention and minimize turnover

Your practice should have a retention strategy to support its recruitment and hiring strategy, as they go hand in hand. This strategy should include:

Performance appraisals

• Providing timely and effective feedback on job performance is essential to addressing any concerns early and helping staff feel supported and valued. At a minimum this should be done on an annual basis. Use the opportunity to set performance goals for the upcoming year, so staff understand expectations and can work toward success.

Training

• Training should be job-specific, timely, and on-going. This can be either in-person or online and could be as simple as shadowing another staff person.

Team building

• Team building can create a culture of camaraderie and give employees a sense of being part of a larger whole.

Recognition

• Acknowledgment of a job well done, and expressions of gratitude go a long way. Simple gestures such as thank you notes with small gift cards express appreciation. More significant gifts, such as providing an additional paid day off, can help boost morale and retention.

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Offer professional development

Ongoing professional development is important to your practice’s success and ability to respond to change.

Conferences/networking opportunities

• Set aside a budget for sending staff to in-person conferences or networking opportunities where they can learn in a dynamic environment while building a professional social network.

Online courses

• Allow staff to identify and participate in online courses that are relevant to their job. Ask them to share key highlights from their learning and determine what can be incorporated into their job.

Professional association memberships

• Consider paying annual dues for membership in professional associations relevant to dermatology, medical office management, etc. These memberships provide access to current news, timely education, conferences for networking, and more.

Coaching and mentoring

• Offer opportunities for coaching and mentoring from managers, team leaders, or coworkers.

Leadership development

• Leadership development should not be limited to physicians and supervisors alone. Leaderships skills can enhance communication, help develop a positive culture, and improve conflict resolution skills.

Stay on top of administrative and regulatory changes

Changing regulations can cause disruptions. Here are some ways to stay top of it all:

Assign a compliance officer

• The best step you can take to ensure you are in the know is to hire or assign a compliance officer in your practice. This person will take the lead in learning about all things compliance to ensure your practice is meeting those requirements. The investment is worthwhile because falling out of compliance can cost much more.

Join industry associations

• Just as the Academy provides a wealth of information and resources, other industry associations may offer insights relevant to your needs.

Sign up for blogs and newsletters

• Many blogs and newsletters are free subscriptions that deliver timely industry news.

Partake in training

• Seek out training in administrative or regulatory requirements. The Academy offers training on HIPAA, OSHA, CLIA, as well as a number of coding and practice management products and resources.

Know your HR laws

You should be aware of the labor laws in your state but there also are several laws that span across all states.

Workplace discrimination

• Laws that ensure the workplace is free from discrimination include: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Equal Pay Act (EPA), and Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). Provide training that covers all of these to help avoid unnecessary liability.

Wages and hours

• These laws protects the wages and time of employees as regulated by the U.S. Department of Labor. Two key statutes here are the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Employee benefits

• These laws protect employee access to benefits and include the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), and the Health Insurance Portability and accountability Act (HIPAA).

Immigration laws

• These laws ensure that employers only hire candidates eligible to work in the U.S. and includes the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

Workplace safety

• These laws safeguard employees from unsafe work environments and seek to protect their safety. They include the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and Workers’ Compensation.

Always maintain confidentiality when it comes to any HR-related matter, except as specified otherwise by law. Be sure to communicate with legal counsel if you have questions or concerns.

Running effective HR operations can be complex and time consuming. Building clear policies and understand best practices can significantly reduce liability and contribute to your overall success.

Additional Academy resources