Healthcare

Design thinking. It’s a popular buzzword in HR and operations circles these days. But while you might associate “design” with creative fields or Silicon Valley startups, there’s a new movement to use design thinking in healthcare organizations.

A job candidate’s journey with a company from application to hire (or not hire) is no longer just a process, it’s an experience. As a job seeker travels through the different recruitment phases—sourcing, interviewing, screening, hiring and onboarding—they naturally develop their own perception or opinion of your company. Whether it’s a positive or negative experience, it can have a lasting impact on your employer brand.

While the healthcare industry has made substantial progress in patient safety over the past 20 years, there is still much work to be done in this vital facet of medical care.

With the combination of an aging workforce and a growing demand for services, the ongoing search for talent will continue to rank among the top human resources concerns for healthcare organizations through 2019 and beyond. 

While the talent shortage alone would be enough to test HR departments for the next several years, ongoing digital transformation and the incorporation of emerging artificial intelligence and automated tools — particularly in the recruiting space — are forcing further adaptation.

Healthcare is rapidly changing. Amid the industry’s ongoing turbulence, physician and staff engagement are suffering. Burnout and turnover rates can be especially high, and can have particularly high costs, with dissatisfaction contributing to poor performance and preventable medical errors.

Healthcare organizations have one mission—to provide quality care to patients. And nurses are integral to accomplishing that mission.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting many industries, and healthcare is no exception. But when it comes to data, AI and analytics, what’s on the horizon for the healthcare industry? How can healthcare organizations get better at using technology to empower their organizations for success? What are the latest advancements?

Healthcare is the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy, employing over 18 million workers. Healthcare workers face a wide range of hazards on the job, including sharps injuries, harmful exposures to chemicals and hazardous drugs, back injuries, violence, and stress. Drug use and abuse in the workplace not only puts the employees and patients at risk, it leaves the employers vulnerable to negligence claims and costs.  A strong and defensible drug and alcohol testing program and policy, including a robust random testing program, helps protect employers and their bottom line. 

Despite the old adage “curiosity killed the cat,” curiosity has proven to be one of the most important qualities for an employee in the workplace. In fact, according to a recent study in the Harvard Business Review, curious people were credited with bringing new ideas into teams and organizations and viewed curiosity as a catalyst for job satisfaction, motivation, innovation, and high performance. 

As we kick off the New Year, here’s a look back at the most popular posts from the previous year. 2018 was a year with a heightened focus on compliance for employers as FCRA litigation ensues while the healthcare industry faces the ongoing challenges of a rapidly changing sector. Background check compliance, drug testing, workplace appreciation, and the Death Master File Search are all topics that were most popular among our readers in the past year.