When soliciting for exceptional healthcare employees, having a team of highly skilled employees goes without saying. We want all of our employees to have the skills needed to perform their job duties exceptionally. But what else is important? Believe it or not, the employees you hire can mean the success or failure of your business. The right employee can help your practice soar to new heights, whereas the wrong employee can lead to a loss of patients and an onslaught of negative reviews. So how does one find and retain an exceptional employee? Here are four qualities doctors need most in their employees.

1. Patient-Centered – The term patient-centered is defined by the Institute of Medicine as providing care that is respectful and responsive to the individual needs of the patient. Every patient is unique, and so too, are their needs. Understanding this is the cornerstone to providing patient-centric care. An exceptional employee will monitor the needs of each patient to ensure they are receiving the care needed. For example, the reception team has the important task of ensuring patients are registered and seen in a timely manner. Nothing can get under a patient’s skin more than a long wait time. Rather than letting patients get frustrated, the exceptional employee is watching patients and looking for clues as to how they are feeling. They may make an announcement that Dr. X is running behind because of an emergency and offer water or coffee. They may also offer an alternative appointment time if a patient is unable to wait. Making the effort to improve the patient experience leads to patient satisfaction and can diminish a potentially harmful situation.
2. Excellent Communicators – The ability to communicate effectively, not only to patients, but also to other members of the team is an integral component of any exceptional employee. This is especially important when explaining medical instructions, surgical procedure details, consent forms, and answering patient questions. Exceptional employees are also able to listen to others and respond appropriately while not being afraid to speak up when something is outside their scope of practice.
3. Adaptable – The ability to adapt to any situation is crucial in a healthcare organization. Emergencies happen and exceptional employees are able to stay on task and ensure patients are properly cared for while avoiding getting swept away in the unfolding events. These employees thrive under pressure and do whatever it takes to get the job done. They are also able to accept and understand the need for change as it relates to running a successful healthcare practice.
4. Attention to Detail – A type-A personality is an exceptional trait to have in healthcare. These employees pay attention to the steps that should be taken and avoid shortcuts. In healthcare, shortcuts can have disastrous consequences. They also demonstrate a high level of care and attention to detail when working with patients and are mindful of the practice’s environment at all times.

While finding an exceptional employee is the first step, keeping them is second. Employee satisfaction means making sure their efforts are acknowledged and rewarded! By ensuring your healthcare organization’s work environment is healthy, not only do your employees and patients benefit, so too do you through medical practice growth.