What are the skills that require to goes into the making of a great hospital? People might reason that a high-storied building, top-notch infrastructure, world-class equipment are what make a hospital a haven of healing. These parameters are certainly important but the main factor that makes a hospital a beacon of hope for thousands is the team that runs it. A hospital is just an empty shell, an ordinary building without its team…the assortment of dedicated, talented and efficient people who take care of a patient’s needs right from the appointment booking to the follow-up. This team will include everyone from a parking attendant to the chief of surgery.

There is a sizeable lacuna of skilled and dedicated professionals in the medical segment because this highly specialized arena requires people who have something more than their qualifications…namely extraordinary commitment. Recruiting the right candidate is one of the toughest challenges that hospitals have to face in today’s times.  

If you are planning to start your own healthcare organization, then manpower recruitment will be a formidable challenge for you. It is an uphill task to find someone who is ready to go the extra mile to meet your standards of excellence…someone who shares your vision of uncompromised patient welfare.

5 traits to look for while recruiting your hospital’s workforce

1. Qualifications and capability

Healthcare is a super-speciality sphere. It requires a lot of expertise and efficiency to deliver top-notch patient care. You must ensure that your team members have the proper qualifications and accreditations to do their job. They must be efficient and capable to play their roles effortlessly. You must screen each candidate well and ask for references from previous employers and cross-check them too. Experience is an added advantage that can give seasoned candidates an edge over freshers because in the medical field there is a ton of hands-on learning that can be attained only with experience.

The medical staff like the physicians, attendants, nurses, ward boys and the technicians must be well-versed at their jobs. They must be willing to strictly adhere to the SOP at each stage so that there are no lapses. A small gap in efficiency can cascade into a huge crisis. It can have a grave impact on the wellbeing of patients. In unfortunate situations, a tiny error can lead to loss of lives too.  It can also negatively affect your organization’s reputation and brand image. Hence, screening for capability and efficiency are of surmount importance in hospital recruitment.

The same applies to the non-technical support staff too. Every employee who your patient talks to virtually or physically meets in the hospital is the face of your brand. They must perform their tasks efficiently so that the overall patient experience is enhanced.  

2. Emotional quotient

While recruiting, ensure that the candidate has a high emotional quotient along with the necessary intellectual capability. Attitude is equally important as aptitude. People who are ill are usually under a lot of stress. They should be handled with patience and understanding so that they are made comfortable. He or she should be able to connect with your clients and their family members. He/ she should be able to dispel the patients’ fears and soothe them with kind words, understanding smiles, and compassionate body language. They should be able to listen to concerns, answer questions and quell doubts without irritation or confusion. They should be friendly, co-operative and compassionate towards the patients. They must be empathetic to the suffering of the patients and be able to provide them with emotional support to overcome their pain, face a frightening situation, undergo a lengthy recovery period or fight against a devastating disease.

3. Ability to work under stress

Medical professionals have to tackle many emergency situations. They have to be able to deal with crises with fortitude and not buckle or break under high pressure. While recruiting, ensure that your candidate has the ability to withstand stress and can make split-second decisions in critical times. They should also demonstrate conflict management and leadership skills in far-from-ideal conditions.

4. Ability to work as a team member

Numerous professionals at many levels have to work in tandem to orchestrate a patient’s well-being and recovery. It is exactly like a live orchestra performance. A  single wrong note can ruin the entire rendition. Every member of the team has to work in a synchronized and synergistic manner across departments and across hierarchy levels. While recruiting, make sure that the selected candidate is a team player, who will be willing to adjust and compromise. Sometimes, the members have to wear different hats in different circumstances and hence flexibility and the ability to multitask is also a priority.

5. Respect for patient’s dignity and privacy

Healthcare involves a lot of sensitive information transfer. While recruiting, you should ensure that your candidate has a healthy respect for protecting the client’s privacy and will not share confidential data by mistake. This is extremely important as it can lead to legal complications for your organization

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One sentence can sum up the qualification required while recruiting in healthcare…” Caring with competence, commitment and compassion”. Healthcare recruitment needs proper planning and involves tons of time and efforts. If you feel lost in this maze of difficulty, avail of the services of a specialized Healthcare consultancy firm to conduct this exercise efficiently. If you need any help in this regard, contact Hospertz, we have a panel of experts with the experience to support you in this endeavour.

Blog has been written by Dr. Vishal Jadhav, a veteran in the field of hospital consultancy with a rich experience of more than 20 years and founder of the Healthcare Consultancy Firm, Hospertz.

Dr. Vishal Jadhav, Director

hospertz@gmail.com
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