As healthcare reform provisions continue to roll out, it is critical for healthcare leaders and staff to be educated on regulations and compliance in areas such as HIPAA and quality. To facilitate this process, SwedishAmerican Health System in Rockford, Ill., moved its training system to an online, centralized program. Toni Thompson, director of organizational development for SwedishAmerican Health System, explains how a centralized training program helps improve efficiency in the organization.
Time is more than money in healthcare — it's patients
One of the key drivers for SwedishAmerican's shift to an electronic training system seven years ago was the time it took to pull workers out of their shifts to train them in in-person sessions. This process not only disrupted employees' workflow, but it also cut short their time with patients. "We want to have all of our caregivers as close to the bedside for as long as possible in a given workday so we can provide the highest level of quality care," Ms. Thompson says.
Now, employees can log in to an online training program to complete training courses when it is convenient for them within a given time period. The platform, called SwedishAmerican Corporate University (SilkRoad's GreenLight learning management system), allows employees to pause courses at any time and come back to complete the course when they have time. While employees can complete the training courses on any computer, the hospital also provides learning labs with computers where employees can take the courses without distractions.
Standards improve efficiency and quality
One of the benefits of an online, centralized training program is that the courses are standardized for employees. Content specialists create PowerPoint presentations for courses that are the same for employees in a given group. The program can also provide additional training for certain groups of employees, such as new staff members. Before, the course content varied slightly depending on the individual instructor. Just as standard clinical practices improve quality and efficiency, standard training courses ensure everyone has the same information and complies with regulations.
In addition, the online training program allows employees to access the course information at any time, enabling staff to brush up on regulations when needed.
Decentralized training for specialties
While the main training for all employees is centralized and standard for all employees, additional training for specific departments is decentralized to allow departments to tailor content to their specialty. For example, intensive care unit nurses need different training on certain competencies than orthopedic nurses. "It used to be much more centralized, but we learned we needed to give more specialized departments autonomy to develop and launch their own courses because they know the audience best," Ms. Thompson says. Individual departments' online courses complement in-person training related to the departments' specific function. This format not only ensures specialists receive the additional training they need, but it also increases buy-in for training, according to Ms. Thompson. Having a centralized training platform for all employees and a decentralized system for specialties makes compliance training more efficient and effective, she says.
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Time is more than money in healthcare — it's patientsOne of the key drivers for SwedishAmerican's shift to an electronic training system seven years ago was the time it took to pull workers out of their shifts to train them in in-person sessions. This process not only disrupted employees' workflow, but it also cut short their time with patients. "We want to have all of our caregivers as close to the bedside for as long as possible in a given workday so we can provide the highest level of quality care," Ms. Thompson says.
Now, employees can log in to an online training program to complete training courses when it is convenient for them within a given time period. The platform, called SwedishAmerican Corporate University (SilkRoad's GreenLight learning management system), allows employees to pause courses at any time and come back to complete the course when they have time. While employees can complete the training courses on any computer, the hospital also provides learning labs with computers where employees can take the courses without distractions.
Standards improve efficiency and quality
One of the benefits of an online, centralized training program is that the courses are standardized for employees. Content specialists create PowerPoint presentations for courses that are the same for employees in a given group. The program can also provide additional training for certain groups of employees, such as new staff members. Before, the course content varied slightly depending on the individual instructor. Just as standard clinical practices improve quality and efficiency, standard training courses ensure everyone has the same information and complies with regulations.
In addition, the online training program allows employees to access the course information at any time, enabling staff to brush up on regulations when needed.
Decentralized training for specialties
While the main training for all employees is centralized and standard for all employees, additional training for specific departments is decentralized to allow departments to tailor content to their specialty. For example, intensive care unit nurses need different training on certain competencies than orthopedic nurses. "It used to be much more centralized, but we learned we needed to give more specialized departments autonomy to develop and launch their own courses because they know the audience best," Ms. Thompson says. Individual departments' online courses complement in-person training related to the departments' specific function. This format not only ensures specialists receive the additional training they need, but it also increases buy-in for training, according to Ms. Thompson. Having a centralized training platform for all employees and a decentralized system for specialties makes compliance training more efficient and effective, she says.
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