Invariably, new clients ask why I include an extensive orientation program into the systems I design for them. Often they are confused as to why I put so much time into it and don’t understand why they should pay for something that seems so obvious. Orientation is much more than just familiarizing a new employee with the tasks you expect him or her to perform. It is a tremendous opportunity to build staff loyalty, promote your public image, and help your business grow.
As the saying goes, you never have a second chance to make a first impression. Your orientation should start with who you are, the philosophy that drives your organization, and the belief that the people you have just hired are like gold to you. In years past when I was running my own agencies, orientation was always a special day. We created employee-specific handbooks for all new hires and made sure their name was on it. For added flair, we placed a red rose on each book. Continue reading “A Strong Orientation Program Lets Home Care Agencies Know Where They Stand” »
It is one thing to attract good employees, it is quite another to keep them. Research indicates employees who feel their work is appreciated, are considered important by their boss, and that their work makes a difference in the lives of those they serve, tend to have higher rates of job loyalty. While money is important, research also suggests that as long as the factors above are met, employees will stay even if the company pays a little less than the competition.
So how do you create reasons for staying? First and foremost is ongoing recognition for a job well done. If you have a strong customer satisfaction program in place, this will make staff recognition easy to identify. If you don’t have a program in place, consider building one. However, regardless of how you determine how well your staff is doing, taking the time to recognize their stellar efforts is a powerful retention tool. Don’t wait to recognize your staff until they leave or retire. Codify the process over time and make it ongoing. Continue reading “Good Retention Strategies Bump Up Home Care Agency Staff Loyalty” »
How quickly our world of home care and hospice is changing. There is now a free download coming from Medscape Mobile for individuals with Blackberries, iphones and Androids that includes drug reference and interaction checker, disease condition references, and daily medical news and CME/CE. What a great resource available for Home Health and Hospice nurses and therapists in the field! Imagine being able to do a drug interaction assessment in the home at the time of the home care visit, or to look up the latest treatment for a disease or condition. With these kinds of resources available to home care staff, the quality and timeliness of documentation and care should improve. Score another one for Home Health and Hospice agencies!
Today, more than ever, home health agencies must diversify if they are to survive. It makes no difference whether you are Private Pay or a Medicare-certified home health agency, diversification will build the strong fiscal foundation you need to weather this current and any upcoming economic storms.
For Private Pay agencies, this means investigating new opportunities that might exist within your marketplace and offering unique services that that will immediately and directly appeal to customers in your community. For Home Health and Hospice agencies, diversification means expanding your horizons and seriously considering the benefits of starting up a Private Pay agency or a Durable Medical Equipment agency, or both. Continue reading “Diversifying Services: A Matter of Survival for Home Health” »
