Hiring a new practitioner is a complex process for many healthcare entities. For a physician or nurse signing on as a new provider, adjusting to a new workplace can also be difficult. A clear onboarding process can make the transition easier for everyone.
Although onboarding processes vary from one organization to another, every provider should have a clear idea of what steps need to be followed; after all, healthcare best practices don’t happen by accident. A checklist can help onboarding go more smoothly, and a streamlined onboarding process benefits the entire practice.
Why You Need a Physician and Nurse Onboarding Guide
A physician onboarding plan isn’t just nice to have, it’s a necessity. Some practices and practitioners may reason that their time is better spent on their area of expertise rather than learning about business processes. However, when onboarding is done right, it can lead to improved outcomes for everyone.
The same holds true for other parts of provider onboarding. Onboarding best practices include creating online portals so new physicians can supply as much documentation as possible prior to their first day of work. In the following Physician Onboarding Plan (which can also serve as a Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) Plan), many elements can easily be uploaded to an online portal, leaving the provider and staff more time to focus on other practical aspects of onboarding.
Benefits of a Successful Onboarding Process
- Retention. Taking the time to ensure a smooth onboarding in your practice sets the expectation that you care about staff being comfortable in their new environment. That, in turn, creates loyalty, which translates into better retention rates, saving money in the long run by reducing staff turnover.
- Efficiency. Organizations of all sizes and makeups benefit from an established, consistent workflow. When everyone top-to-bottom follows the same procedures as outlined in your healthcare onboarding plan, new staff members will better understand the day-to-day processes more quickly.
- Collaboration. When your new medical staff begins forming relationships early during the onboarding process, trust is established faster, especially when all staff members have received the same training and understand how to best work together.
- Morale. In medical practice, there’s always more to learn. A culture that prioritizes training and cooperation encourages career growth and job satisfaction.
- Patient satisfaction. If employees feel they are making an important contribution to the practice and enjoy working together, patients will notice.
During the interviews, a prospective practitioner may get a feel for an organization and its culture. But once the practitioner has signed a contract, every interaction from that point forward signals how the practitioner will be treated as a member of the practice.
A practitioner dissatisfied with the onboarding process is more likely to leave within the first year. This could negatively impact your practice’s culture, patient interaction, communication, and ultimately, your bottom line. Therefore, a credentialing and onboarding plan for all new practitioners can make a significant difference.
Physician Onboarding Guide
Materials:
- Office materials, including prescription pads and stationery
- Equipment such as medical supplies, lab coats, name tags, office space
- Technology like a computer and equipment, software, email address, phone
Administration:
- Contracts
- Bylaws, rules, and procedures
- Hospital and office tours
- Office schedule, on-call schedule
- Meetings with practice manager
- Front desk tour
- HIPAA, OSHA, etc.
- Administration procedures
- Mission, vision, values, other organizational goals
- Role expectations
- Mentorship opportunities
Marketing:
- Business cards
- Appointment cards
- Signage
- Website updates such as photo, bio, video
- Local media public relations
- Social media campaign
- Print mail campaign
- Events to welcome new practitioner
- Speaking engagements
- Referring physician introductions
- Updated phone greetings
- Updated print and digital advertising
- Advertising tasks such as photoshoots, print ads, billboards, digital campaign management
- Membership in national and state health care organizations
Human Resources:
- Offer acceptance letter
- Confidentiality agreement
- Immunizations
- Tax forms
- Employee handbook
- Cell phone, keys, access badge, codes
- Benefits selection and enrollment
- Parking space
- Contact lists
- Direct deposit
Staff Integration:
- Logins and training for phone, email, software, systems, computer
- Introductions to staff
- Coding, procedures, and billing
- Observation of all areas of the practice and specialty
- Meetings with the board, leadership, committees, etc.
This list is not an exhaustive one. Your credentialing and onboarding healthcare plan may differ according to the needs and services of your practice, the type of practitioner you hire, and individual state laws.
Credentialing and Onboarding for Physicians and Nurses
Credentialing and privileging a new practitioner can take months. For a new physician, credentialing includes obtaining the following documentation:
- State license
- Board qualification/certification status
- Surgical logs
- Documentation of hospital privileges
- 10-year insurance claims report
- Updated curriculum vitae
- ACLS/BLS certification
- DEA certificate
- Immunization records
- School diploma
- Professional reference(s)
- Residency diploma
- Driver’s license
- Social Security card
For Physician Assistants and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, documentation is similar, but with some key differences. Credentialing is legally required if the practitioner will be performing direct patient care. It can include:
- State license
- Updated curriculum vitae
- Immunization records
- Diploma and transcripts
- Professional references
- Driver’s license
- Social Security card
- Focused Professional Practice Evaluation
- An Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation
As part of healthcare onboarding best practices, most healthcare organizations begin the process of credentialing and privileging months before the new physician or nurse practitioner begins to practice. An organized process and a third-party solutions provider like Verisys can speed this process along. If most of the paperwork required for credentialing takes place online and in advance, delays or other issues can be resolved quickly, leaving more time for the rest of the onboarding process.
The same holds true for other parts of provider onboarding. Onboarding best practices include creating online portals so new physicians can supply as much documentation as possible prior to their first day of work. In the following Physician Onboarding Plan (which can also serve as a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner Plan), many elements can easily be uploaded to an online portal, leaving the provider and staff more time to focus on other practical aspects of onboarding.
New physicians and nurse practitioners will appreciate your attention to detail and your efforts to welcome them to the practice, which will be reflected in their level of service.
Verisys Saves You Time and Money
Healthcare onboarding can be a long and complicated process due to regulatory requirements, but it’s a worthwhile investment for your providers, your practice, and your patients. Verisys can save you time and money by making your healthcare onboarding process much more efficient. With our data and technology, we can do the work behind the scenes to help you follow best practices in provider credentialing and onboarding. Contact Verisys today to learn how we can expedite these processes for you.
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Written by Verisys Verisys transforms provider data, workforce data, and relationship management. Healthcare, life science, and background screening organizations rely on our comprehensive solutions to discover their true potential. Visit verisys.com to learn how we turn problems into power.
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