For healthcare companies, 2020 has been a year unlike any other due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The frontlines are delivering heroically, but the next normal for healthcare will look nothing like the normal we leave behind,” stated McKinsey & Company.1 Something that will help healthcare companies navigate COVID-19 now and in the future is staff upskilling via online employee training.
Because healthcare company administrators are constantly dealing with the ramifications of the pandemic, employee training may not be on their list of priorities. However, upskilling staff is one of the best things healthcare organizations can do at this time.
Why healthcare organizations should
make upskilling employees during
COVID-19 a priority
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a tremendous amount of strain on the healthcare industry. Despite this, now is the time for healthcare organizations to focus on providing remote training to upskill their employees. Here are a few reasons why healthcare company leaders should prioritize staff training starting today:
Related Reading: An LMS Can Enhance Healthcare Training
1. Upskilling staff decreases turnover
The effect of COVID-19 on the financial health of healthcare companies has been crippling in some cases. “When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, hospitals had to stop all but the most urgent non-COVID care,” according to The American Hospital Association. “The result was a dramatic slowdown in the volume of patients and revenue, while expenses remained high. To date, no one knows when and to what degree these patients will return. The result has been an unprecedented impact and an uncertain future about the ability of hospitals to serve their communities and remain financially viable.”2
Healthcare organizations can promote cost savings and help to mitigate the financial devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic by taking specific actions to retain their staff. According to Forbes, upskilling employees has been shown to increase rates of worker retention, which can help to prevent the financial burden of onboarding new employees.3 Additionally, when healthcare companies upskill current employees, they are enabled to promote from within instead of investing in new talent.
Related reading: Save On Essential Healthcare Training During the Coronavirus Crisis
2. Some healthcare companies are in a period of downtime
COVID-19 has affected different healthcare organizations in different ways. While some healthcare companies are overrun with work, others are in a period of downtime due to the restrictions necessitated by the pandemic. Healthcare companies that are in the latter position should take this period of downtime to upskill their staff members.
Understandably, company leaders experiencing slow business will worry. After all, less business means less revenue and fewer opportunities to care for patients and customers. Healthcare company administrators must keep in mind that this will not last for long and take advantage of the extra time employees have to invest in training. Healthcare organizations may never again have an opportunity to equip staff with new skills at such a quick pace.
Related reading: The Top 3 Benefits of an LMS for Healthcare Organizations
3. Employee training promotes patient loyalty
One thing healthcare organizations with strained budgets cannot afford to lose is established patients or customers. Providing products and services to these individuals is what’s keeping many healthcare companies financially afloat. Organizational leaders can encourage patient and customer loyalty by upskilling healthcare staff in the area of customer service and patient relations.
“The established patient base for any healthcare organization, practice or group is never permanent… and may not be as firmly established as you might think,” according to Healthcare Success.4 “The process of improving retention is grounded in the internal communications skills of (doctors), staff, and everyone who works there. Surprisingly, the essentials are all about caring.”
Upskilling your staff with communication and empathy skills is a surefire way to boost customer and patient loyalty and create a healthier bottom line.
Upskill your staff rapidly with a healthcare LMS
The coronavirus pandemic is raging, but that doesn’t mean employee training should be downplayed. Now is the time to make upskilling your staff a top priority. With a healthcare learning management system (LMS), your company can effectively train every staff member according to their schedule and reap benefits such as increased rates of staff and patient loyalty, as well as a better bottom line. Use a healthcare LMS to create, deliver, track, and report on staff training that gets excellent results.
Interested in implementing an LMS and quickly upskilling your workforce? Request an LMS demo of the TOPYX healthcare LMS. Our Quick Start Program is perfect for companies that want to rapidly deploy an LMS and get their employees on the fast track to learning new skills.
References:
1. https://healthcare.mckinsey.com/
2. https://www.aha.org/guidesreports/2020-07-20-effect-covid-19-hospital-financial-health
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2018/07/23/developing-your-employees-is-the-key-to-retention-here-are-4-smart-ways-to-start/#4212c8f43734
4. https://healthcaresuccess.com/blog/medical-marketing-advertising/the-9-essentials-of-improving-patient-retention.html
