How to Choose the Best LMS for Healthcare Training

The value of healthcare training became more obvious than ever in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic necessitated more and different training than prior years did. On top of regular healthcare training, telehealth training and various training courses and programs related to COVID-19 became critical for healthcare workers. Because of this, healthcare companies increased their usage of learning management systems for healthcare training.

Many healthcare companies are still seeking the best LMS for the healthcare training their workforce needs. By understanding eLearning trends in healthcare training and knowing what to look for in an LMS, healthcare organizations can implement an eLearning system that will produce the results they want.

See our COVID-19 eLearning resources for helpful remote learning solutions

Why do Healthcare Organizations Need an LMS?

In today’s post-COVID world, no healthcare organization can afford not to have a learning management system. An LMS’s primary function is to help healthcare facilities improve patient care by keeping staff updated on medical best practices and equipping them with vital skills. An LMS:

Provides quick, mobile training for busy staff.
Allows employees to share information online with one another easily.
Gives staff 24/7 access to training materials.
Decreases time to productivity (eLearning can reduce overall training time by 40 to 60 percent).²
Helps organizations stay compliant with shifting regulatory requirements.

An LMS can also lower the cost of employee training by eliminating the need for most in-person training and training-related travel expenses. However, not every LMS lowers the cost of training. An LMS that charges per user can inflate the cost of training, but a flat-rate eLearning platform allows healthcare organizations to give unlimited users access to training through the LMS.

TOPYX LMS, a flat-fee learning management system for healthcare organizations, can lower training costs for healthcare companies hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. For one reasonable price, healthcare organizations can launch TOPYX and upskill their staff either remotely, in-person, or a blend of both. Request a free LMS demo of TOPYX to learn more.

4 Things to Consider When Choosing an LMS for Healthcare Training

In 2016, about 60 percent of hospitals used a learning management system.¹ It’s likely that even more healthcare companies are using LMSs today since remote training needs have increased due to COVID-19. Healthcare companies that have yet to implement eLearning via LMS should take a few things into consideration before choosing an eLearning system:

Current eLearning trends in healthcare training - Being familiar with eLearning trends in healthcare training helps organizations choose an LMS that aligns them with current trends. . “...staying compliant with ever-changing regulations is a top eLearning trend for healthcare training in 2021,” said Simon Cooper, CEO, Interactyx. According to Cooper, remote training and disseminating training quickly are also key current eLearning trends in healthcare training. The American Hospital Association stated,

“America’s hospitals and health systems have stepped up in heroic and unprecedented ways to meet the challenges of COVID-19. As outbreaks have occurred across the country...hospitals have ramped up testing efforts and are treating hundreds of thousands of Americans in an effort to save lives and minimize the virus’ spread.”²

Healthcare employees need quick training to keep up with the new services and treatments they must deliver to patients affected by COVID-19. An LMS enables healthcare companies to rapidly disseminate remote training that can be accessed on any personal device.

An LMS’s reporting capabilities -- The training requirements for medical facilities are very strict. Healthcare organizations are often legally required to keep current and historical records of employee training. LMS reporting features make it easier for administrators to audit training and provide records of it when needed.

“A good LMS helps an organization create better audit trails and reports that may help reduce auditing costs, respond more quickly and effectively to opportunities and challenges, and avoid potentially expensive legal and other liabilities,” stated NetDimensions.³

A healthcare LMS should have reporting features that track training to prove the accuracy of certifications. LMS reporting should track learning progress in a course, certifications, and courses that staff have yet to complete. If your staff base is falling short in any way concerning training, LMS reports should highlight the problem early so you can correct issues quickly.

An LMS’s ability to promote compliance -- The healthcare industry must comply with numerous laws that ensure quality care for patients. To adhere to these laws, healthcare facilities provide compliance training and certify staff routinely.

“Compliance is absolutely vital for every organization, as failure to follow certain rules, laws and regulations that concern your company could lead to severe penalties,” stated eLearning Industry.⁴

Compliance training is especially vital to healthcare training, where patient well-being depends on the competency of staff members. Without an LMS, administering and tracking compliance training can be overwhelming. The best LMS for healthcare facilities will effectively manage compliance training so your team can focus less on bureaucratic needs and more on delivering quality care.

An LMS’s ability to train patients -- A great healthcare LMS trains patients as well as staff. For example, a patient may need to take an online diabetes management course or a post-surgery-care course. With LMS content creation tools, a healthcare LMS can craft courses like these that equip patients to care for themselves. Healthcare companies can also purchase these courses from a third-party vendor. Giving patients online access to medical records is another advantage of a learning management system.

The best LMS for healthcare training will provide ways for you to segment what material is available to each user so patients see only training that’s essential for their needs. Learning paths and security levels are just a few tools that can help your facility ensure that both patients and staff see the appropriate material for their needs.

Questions to Ask LMS Vendors Before Choosing an eLearning System for Healthcare Training

Depending on your healthcare organization’s needs, you may want to look for all of the features above in an eLearning system for healthcare training. Alternatively, you could tailor your list to a few vital LMS capabilities.

Before you start asking LMS vendors questions about their products, develop a list of key LMS capabilities that are musts for your organization. Ask questions related to your list when evaluating healthcare LMS platforms. For the list above, you could ask potential providers four key questions during the demo:

“Does this LMS enable healthcare companies to deliver remote training, stay compliant with shifting regulations, and disseminate training rapidly when needed?”
“Does this system have tracking and reporting tools that allow for auditing of training?”
“Does this LMS manage compliance training for large volumes of people?”
“Can your LMS software provide training to patients as well as staff?”

If you receive an affirmative answer to each question on your list, you may have found the ideal LMS for your healthcare organization.

Cooper suggested a few more questions to ask vendors before choosing an LMS platform for healthcare training:

“How robust is your LMS’s reporting feature?” - It’s not enough for an LMS provider to offer tracking and reporting tools. The right LMS for healthcare training will offer a robust reporting feature. “Robust LMS reporting is very important,” Cooper explained. “At the end of the day, if you can't report on training, that training has no value.” Demoing an LMS will help you determine if the system’s reporting and analytics feature is sufficient for your company’s needs.
“What is the total cost of LMS ownership?” - Understanding the total cost of eLearning system ownership can prevent your organization from experiencing a financial nightmare. “It’s critical that you understand what the total cost of LMS ownership will be over the period of time that you will use the platform,” stressed Cooper. “Keep in mind that vendors may not always declare all of the costs upfront. They may not tell you that they charge per user, for example.” The best LMS for your company will include everything for one flat rate.
“What level of customer support do you provide?” - As you go about launching an LMS for healthcare training, you will require customer support from your provider. The highest level of customer support an LMS provider can offer is a dedicated support team for each client. TOPYX LMS takes this approach. Every TOPYX client is assigned a dedicated customer support team from day one. As long as the client uses TOPYX, their team is right there to help them. The support team answers the client’s questions and ensures LMS implementation happens without issue. The team also trains customers in LMS usage. Don’t settle for less than this level of customer support from an LMS provider.

Is it Time to Try a New Healthcare LMS?

If you are not totally satisfied with the results your current LMS for healthcare training is delivering, it may be time to try something new. TOPYX LMS:

Offers robust reporting
Provides dedicated customer support teams
Promotes compliance
Organizes certifications
Maintains records of training
Trains patients as well as staff

Also, there are no hidden charges with TOPYX, a flat-fee LMS. A free LMS demo will help you decide if TOPYX is the best LMS for your organization.

TOPYX helped Convey Health Solutions speed onboarding, automate compliance training, and create a company culture of learning. Download the Convey Case Study to learn more.

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