Onboarding: Equip employees 

Q. How can we improve patient outcomes with the right employee onboarding? 

A. Employee satisfaction and career longevity are directly tied to a positive onboarding experience. Additionally, we know in health care, engaged employees provide excellent patient care and impact successful patient outcomes. Health care onboarding encompasses a diverse set of intricate tasks, such as mastering crucial regulations and navigating the intricacies of an advanced electronic health record (EHR) system. Ensuring the optimal onboarding experience for health care professionals means delivering a seamless, uniform and engaging process that aligns with your organization's objectives and principles. Now, let's delve into how to improve patient outcomes with the right onboarding program, focusing on two principles. 

Stay organized with a centralized system 

An organized onboarding system is vital for tracking and managing the progress of new employees. Centralized learning systems that are user-friendly can help streamline the process by monitoring the completion of training modules, providing easy access to resources, and ensuring that employees meet compliance requirements. With a centralized learning system, companies can better manage the onboarding process and reduce the risk of missing important training steps. This organizational efficiency ultimately contributes to better patient care. 

Keep the training going 

Having the centralized system allows onboarding to be an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. Continuous training and professional development are key to maintaining and improving employee skills and knowledge. Health care organizations that prioritize ongoing training empower their employees to stay up to date with the latest medical advancements, compliance requirements and best practices. This commitment to continuous learning benefits both the health care workforce and, most importantly, the patients they serve. 

Effective onboarding is not just a formality; it's a critical investment in better patient outcomes. By staying organized and maintaining ongoing education, organizations can equip employees with the knowledge and skills they need to provide the best care possible. 

Cindy Diehl Yang is vice president at VGM Education. Reach her at Cindy.diehlyang@vgm.com.