Showcasing RWJBarnabas Health's Training Academy in Ambulatory Practices

Showcasing RWJBarnabas Health's Training Academy in Ambulatory Practices

RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group has 3,500 providers providing over 2 million ambulatory visits in 360 practice locations throughout New Jersey.? With over 40% of NJ providers working in a RWJBH facility, there are thousands of ambulatory staff that need an organized, coordinated, and effective onboarding program to ensure success in caring for our patients. Recognizing that everyone is busy in providing day-to-day staffing and frontline care, the Medical Group developed an operating plan that focused on realistic achievement of key goals in support of becoming a high performing medical group through accomplishment of key performance indicators in the areas of financial stewardship, quality, safety, clinical effectiveness, employee and patient engagement, access, and growth. Several of those goals included developing new staffing models to address consistent staff vacancies, offering career growth, developing and implementing a standard team-based care training program, and creating a unified and coordinated float pool to effectively address staff vacancies. ?With these goals in mind, Medical Group leadership in collaboration with front line staff co-created an innovative and cost-effective hands-on training program.? The program is branded as a "training academy" and has resulted in decreased turnover and increased professional fulfillment for both the newly hired staff and trainers. The development of a “hands on” training program has enhanced learning confidence, increased employee engagement, and developed a career path for advancement.? Creation of regional training academies has offered a consistent and standardized approach while using current employees as trainers.? In addition, the Medical Group has partnered with a local community college and a state-funded grant program, to support community members/current low wage-earning employees to gain skills, pursue applicable certifications and advance in pay, skills and their careers, advance into new Medical Group higher-paying positions. On March 26, 2024, in Chicago at ACHE's Congress on Healthcare Leadership, I will be co-presenting with RWJBarnabas Health Medical Groups Chief Human Resources Officer - Mary Cataudella -- to share the diverse and innovative approaches the Medical Group has undertaken to create a sustainable and highly effective training academy that can be customized in one's own healthcare setting to achieve outstanding outcomes towards improving employee engagement and reducing employee turnover. The outcomes have become a win-win for all stakeholders that ultimately has benefited patients in receiving outstanding high quality, safe care/service delivered with compassion.