Success starts with training
By Susan Hoy

A successful practice does not happen by accident. Successful practitioners prepare ahead, systemize the process, train others to help, and insist on consistency.

The chiropractor has to create and develop a plan for success. The first action step of that plan is to assemble a group of people with a desire to help others, who can work.

The second step of the plan is to train the staff to fulfill their respon-sibilities and empower them to do so.

Employee turnover costs the practice money and distracts everyone from the primary responsibility — the patients. Consequently, you want to make training as efficient as possible.

The goal of employee training is to teach new employees their jobs and to familiarize them with the intricacies of patient care.

Teaching new CAs how to do their jobs is important. Teaching them the importance of creating a positive atmosphere in which patients can feel confident and cared for is just as important.

Here are some suggestions to include in your employee training:

• Job descriptions. Write a description for each job in the office. Job descriptions outline accountabilities. Accountability is a key to efficient practice operations.

• Procedures manual. Job descriptions tell what must be done; a procedure manual outlines how each accountability is carried out. New employees use a procedures manual for reference and guidance.

• Office policy. Another source of employee training is the office policy manual, which spells out such things as pay periods, paydays, vacation and sick-day accumulation and use, holidays, and benefits.

The policy manual also outlines work rules, expected demeanor, patient privacy procedures, and disciplinary actions.

• Job concepts and strategies. Job descriptions, job procedures, and office policy help to keep the stress out of training a new employee. They are efficient and effective training tools.

CAs also need to understand “how” and “why” of their jobs, such as strategies for collections, scheduling, patient tracking, scripting, organizational techniques, problem solving, etc.

The CA’s role is not easy. If you train your CAs correctly from the time you hire them, everyone benefits. How well an employee is trained makes the difference in how often new CAs are trained. Successful practices have found a way to simplify the training process.

Susan Hoy is an award-winning team trainer and consultant. She presents training seminars for teams throughout the country and is the author of two team training manuals. The newest is entitled, Systemize Organize Simplify. Susan can be reached at 215-674-0130, suzzhoy@aol.com, or through her website at www.beefitup.net.