Benjamin Franklin was famously quoted as saying: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” More than 2 centuries later, that sentiment rings true at Austin Retina Associates in Texas. With their investment in training and education, they have discovered these efforts have yielded great benefits, including the Holy Grail so often sought by ophthalmic practices—staff retention.
Invest Heavily in a Training Program
Stephanie Collins, chief executive officer, says that new hires are put through a “robust training program that sets them up for success.” She says the emphasis is on leadership development, knowledge, and skill. This is facilitated by 2, full-time “education coordinators.” Having dedicated trainers is a big differentiator as most practices tack these responsibilities on to a team member’s other roles.
Character Traits Over Experience
Another way that Austin Retina stands apart, says Ms. Collins, is that the practice will hire based on character—not experience or skill. After all, the practice can teach the skills, she observes.
“But we can’t teach soft skills like collaboration, growth mindset, and willingness to learn. Our interview process is focused on identifying these types of behaviors.”
Ms. Collins says that finding individuals who are willing to be trained is more important than experience. This approach led Braelyn Mouton, now an ophthalmic technician at Austin Retina, to apply for a job.
“When I was job searching, a lot of dental front desk reception jobs were popping up, but all required prior dental experience,” she says. “I applied at Austin Retina because they were willing to train me even though I did not have prior eyecare experience. The training was a lot of information, and it was very fast paced, but there was never a time when I didn’t feel supported or comfortable.”
Brian Perez, also an ophthalmic technician with the practice, is another prime example. He came to Austin Retina with a customer service and sales background—something that he says has translated into helping him feel comfortable talking with patients and “putting them at ease.”
“I was initially nervous about not having any prior experience in the field, but the education team was very passionate and dedicated to helping me from the start,” he says. “They don’t just throw you out there—they make sure you’re ready and even when you are, they’re still there supporting you.”
A Three-Pronged Approach
Training starts with classroom style learning, which consists of an overview of what the retina is, what diseases are being treated, and the types of treatments are offered for each disease. It then transitions into hands-on observation in the clinic, followed by assisted personal practice.
Education coordinator Sarah Benavides says this includes mock patient screenings before setting a tech up with their first patient. And when the new hire moves on to those first patients, the program also includes lots of shadow time with veteran techs.
“Our focus on training gives our techs confidence, but first and foremost they have to buy in to what we’re doing,” Ms. Benavides continues. “That’s why we make sure they fully understand the purpose behind all of this education, which is that we are all here for a purpose—saving sight.”
Ongoing Cultivation
Sarah Chick, also an education coordinator at the practice, says that the training does not just abruptly end, either.
“We do not just abandon our techs once they have completed the program,” she explains. “We continue to be available for questions, review their charts for another 10 weeks to provide feedback for any documentation errors, and find ways to help them build efficiencies. We also re-test skills at 90 days on everything that they should be proficient in. There is no punishment for wrong answers. We just want to see where strengths are and what areas still need focus.” And the training doesn’t stop just because a tech has become “experienced.” Skill-refresher workshops are common.
The Proof is in the Pudding
Ms. Collins attributes the practice’s low turnover rate to their focus on education and support.
“People feel valued here and they know they have an opportunity to build a long-term career,” she says. “Our goal is to provide the training they need to be successful but at the end of the day, we also want to make sure they feel taken care of as an individual.”
Jose Agustin Martinez, MD, says that every practice wants to find ways to retain their staff. He feels strongly that Austin Retina’s low turnover rate is attributed to staff feeling supported. That benefits everyone, including the doctors.
“From a doctor’s perspective, I get to go to work every day and know I am working with a highly competent staff,” he says. “I see how that translates into improvements. If my clinic is in a bottleneck, I have a group of people who are all willing to step in and help—something that comes from cross-training. Whether it’s patient flow, insurance concerns, or other operational details, these are big headaches in health care, and in many ways, we are insulated from a lot of that simply because our staff is so well-trained in dealing with it. That minimizes disruptions to patient care.”
Patients See the Difference
Dr. Martinez says patients take notice. “A highlight of my day is when patients spontaneously talk about what a well-run clinic we are,” he says. “That comes back to the fact that our staff exudes competence because they have been trained properly.”
Patients are also more satisfied and compliant because they are well educated about their conditions. This makes a huge difference, says Ms. Benavides, adding that patients who truly understand what’s going on are more likely to return for their follow-up visits.
“We never leave patients to go home and Google their condition because that just leaves them more confused and often scared,” she continues. “We make sure they understand what’s going on before they leave here. The last thing we want is to lose a patient because we didn’t appropriately educate or support them during their visit.”
They Went “Lean”
While the training and education has led Austin Retina to run like a well-oiled machine, Ms. Collins says it wasn’t always this way. In 2013, the practice implemented a “Lean Initiative” that Ms. Collins says, “flipped the whole organization on its head” with more focus on training front-line staff members, including reception and techs.
“We have always been focused on patient experience but one of our biggest problems was patient wait time,” she says. “At the time, the wait was around 2.5 hours, and we knew we needed to improve that. The answer was more engagement with our front-line staff—allowing them to make more operational decisions after being trained to do so.” The result was a wait time reduced by approximately 50%.
Prior to implementing their Lean Initiative, Dr. Martinez says the training was “clumsy and quick.” He says they’ve learned from those mistakes.
“Training must be integral to your operations—it can’t be an afterthought,” he urges. “Turnover is always going to be part of growth, but it can’t be an excuse for failing to put the time into training. Busy practices may be worried about investing in people they think they could lose, but it’s the other way around. The more you invest in people, the greater chance that they’ll stay.”
Ms. Collins says that she is frequently asked for advice on implementing successful education and she says her best tip is to “start small.”
“Try it out on a small scale and see what you learn,” she says. “Look at areas that need improvement. If you’re struggling with scribes, start there with some changes and evaluate what was effective. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments and to let the program evolve. Anyone can do this. If you start small, it feels a lot more achievable. And you’ll see it can make a tremendous impact.” OP