There is just ONE step you can take TODAY that will almost certainly guarantee the successful implementation of an EHR in your IDD service business. This way is to the fastest and broadest rollout possible. Read our blog to find out what it is!
GROWING A STRONG DIRECT CARE WORKFORCE
The high turnover rate of direct care staff (DCS) among companies providing care in the community is a huge problem that doesn’t appear to be going away. Every owner/administrator knows they cannot provide services without direct care staff but very few companies have successfully managed to retain large numbers of these essential team members. In fact, a research paper by the PHI Institute (formerly known as the “Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute”) shows that turnover of DCS can range between 40-166% of staff numbers each year! This all during a period when the need for DCS is expected to explode over the next decade.
Believe it or not, on average it can cost more than a whopping $2,200 for each direct care employee that has to be replaced! The US Bureau of Labor Statistics paints an even worse picture – using its 25% rule-of-thumb applied to estimates of the annual wages of direct-care workers suggests a total cost of turnover per employee in the range of $4,200 to $5,200. This due to direct costs such as termination paperwork/time, advertising, overtime for other staff while you’re trying to find replacements, interview time, decreased productivity during on-boarding and training etc. Indirect costs eg loss of a well-trained staff and all the knowledge they possess, increased number of errors new staff might make, over-stretching other staff etc also takes a toll.
The PHI’s white paper on “Growing A Strong Direct Care Workforce” is vital reading for any provider committed to retaining good DCS. Here we have summarized the high points for you.
Your Direct Care Staff are the KEY!!
Invest the time and effort into hiring right!
9 Strategies for Success
- Recruit and Hire the Right Staff – Take the time to hire well. It may seem like hiring any old pair of hands is better than being short staff on the direct care side but this doesn’t pay off in the mid to long term. Remember to hire for character and train for skill. One of the most important questions to ask in a direct care interview is: “Tell me about a meaningful relationship you’ve had with an older person or a person with a disability, and how that relationship has impacted you.” Caregiving skills can be taught, but a caring nature is essential.
- Strengthen Entry-Level Training – Areas of training that should be focused on include developing cultural and linguistic proficiencies, problem solving skills and core competencies. Examples of core competencies are: client rights, ethics, and confidentiality; assistance with activities of daily living; clinical skills and infection control practices; safety and emergency protocols; and self-care. If provided in-house, training can also be adapted to include competencies related to the specific needs of your organization’s clients.
- Provide Employment Supports – Despite their commitment, direct care workers may face significant obstacles to remaining in their jobs, such as challenges with childcare, transportation, housing, immigration, or health care. Employers can bolster retention rates by supporting workers in managing these issues. This may simply including finding local authorities that can hep and pointing staff to the relevant government body that may be able to help.
- Promote Peer Support – mentors can help with orientation, training, advise and increasing new hire confidence. Remember that the peer mentors need to be trained sos they may mentor optimally.
- Ensure Effective Supervision – Person-centered “coaching” style of supervision focuses on supporting workers’ growth while also setting high standards for performance and accountability. It involves core communication skills that are essential to good supervision, including active listening, self-management and self-reflection, as well as clear, non-judgmental communication. Supervisors can significantly reduce disciplinary actions, boost worker satisfaction, and reduce turnover with this approach as well as improve relationships and care quality. It’s important to note that a coaching style of supervision focuses on supporting workers’ growth while also setting high standards for performance and accountability.
- Develop Advancement Opportunities – As with all employees, DCS need opportunities to learn and grow in their jobs; otherwise, they will start looking elsewhere for new challenges. By offering specialty training and advancement opportunities, you can maximize a worker’s contribution, reward their dedication, and improve retention in the long run. Advanced roles that DCS can work towards include senior aides, peer mentors and assistant trainers.
- Invite Participation – Employees who have meaningful stay are more likely to stay. Engaging employees in making decisions about their daily work is an important way to boost job satisfaction, performance, and commitment. It also capitalizes on their insider knowledge and insight eg as part of cross-functional teams.
- Recognize and Reward Staff – 80% of employees report that recognition is an important driver.
Recognize staff for specific actions or outcomes, not just for being a “great worker.”
Implement formal recognition programs that can be monitored and improved as needed.Encourage peer-to-peer recognition.
Share employee recognition widely. - Measure Progress – A successful recruitment and retention plan begins and ends with good data. Reviewing data at regular intervals makes it possible to monitor progress, adjust your course as needed, and celebrate your achievements. Here are three examples of how to evaluate your efforts:
- Establish recruitment targets, such as the percentage of candidates who call back after an information session, complete the on-boarding process, and/or pass the 90-day probationary period. Focus your energy on areas where outcomes fall short of expectations.
- Seek feedback directly from your staff—including new and experienced workers, as well as those who are leaving—about their hiring, on-boarding, and employment experiences. These insights can be collected through individual interviews, which can generate rich, in-depth details; focus groups, which give a wider set of perspectives; and/or surveys, which capture input from the broadest range of employees. As well as generating useful input, directly interviewing or surveying staff helps them feel more valued and engaged in the organization, which is also a retention strategy
- Compare retention rates, turnover, employee and client satisfaction or other quality indicators before and after your organization implements a new retention strategy. Measure the impact, for example, of adding enhanced employment supports, implementing a peer mentorship program, delivering new specialty training modules, or creating an advanced role.
No matter how hard you work keeping up with the increasingly complex regulatory demands in long term care cannot be efficiently achieved with archaic paper charts or rudimentary Excel sheet or Access-based desktop-bound documentation. The value proposition of an EHR or practice management software system is undeniable! They are cheaper than adding new personnel and never need benefits, sick time or rest! Implementing Focused EHR is much easier than you think and we’ll guide you every step of the way! Let your software do the heavy lifting for you – that’s what it’s designed to do! Automation helps you work smarter and is the most efficient and affordable answer! Call FOCUSED SOFTWARE TODAY!
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Pictures
Mohamed Hasan at Pixabay
