HSI Healthcare Selection Inventory

Hire for Fit

Most Healthcare organizations hire based on experience and technical skills rather than fit. Studies show that 70% of new-hire turnover is a result of poor fit, NOT technical ability.

Good selection decisions focus on fit as well as technical skills. The HSI reveals the fit of each applicant, along with follow-up interview questions to probe potentially problematic behaviors.

Improve Customer Service

Healthcare organizations across the country want to hire applicants who provide a high level of customer service and share their values.

The HSI incorporates a "Service Excellence Index" that identifies customer-focused applicants. It ensures the new-hires will support and embrace your Healthcare organization's Service Values.

The "Service Excellence Index" is available for five Job Families: Nursing, Patient Care, Technical/Professional, Administrative/Clerical and Entry-level Service.

Behavioral-based Interviews

Healthcare organizations want to provide Hiring Managers with a structured, behavioral-based interview process.

The HSI automatically generates a structured, behavioral-based interview guide along with custom-written follow-up interview questions to probe potential problematic behaviors, for each of the nine Healthcare competencies (e.g. customer focus, compassion, teamwork, work ethic, etc).

The structured interview guides are available for five Job Families: Nursing, Patient Care, Technical/Professional, Administrative/Clerical and Entry-Level Service.

Improve Retention

Improving Retention Rates of new hires is an initiative shared by Healthcare organizations throughout the country.

The HSI provides a “Retention Index” which evaluates an applicant’s commitment to the organization.

Results alert you to high-risk applicants in advance of your selection decision.

Feedback Report

The HSI utilizes a "multiple assessment" approach that includes personality, a realistic job preview and interview components.

The personality component determines applicant’s "fit" for nine Healthcare competencies (e.g. Work Ethic, Customer Focus, Compassion, Teamwork, etc.).

The realistic job preview component determines an applicant’s willingness to perform common healthcare related tasks (e.g. work on call, work holidays, etc.).

The interview component provides a customizable, structured, specific to each of the five job families. In addition we provide specific follow up questions to probe questionable behaviors.

e( � m �� �� y 20% without adversely effecting service or quality of care. The physicians on the hospital staff were opposed to the project and believed that reducing staff would compromise patient care. Through regular monthly meetings with each department of the medical staff and individual conversations with the department chairs I was able to effectively demonstrate that the reductions would be in non-patient care areas and that we would be able to adjust to fewer staff in these areas through improved technology, systems and procedures.

Sample response from a chief operating officer of an ambulatory care organization:

One of our specialty services consistently lost money due to low volume and high operating costs. We identified a business partner who could help increase the number of patients by adding new physicians to our group and gaining entrance into additional insurance networks. Our physicians were resistant, as they did not want a new group joining the center that they had initially started and expanded. Individual and group meetings with our physicians and the proposed business partner and the creation of an advisory board composed of our physicians helped to facilitate their buy-in.

Although the focus of interview questions for different disciplines and management levels differs to some extent, there are common threads. The ability to effectively problem solve and communicate with different constituencies (staff members, physicians, other managers and individuals outside the organization) are required at all levels and in all disciplines. Interviewers will pose questions that are behavioral in nature, such as those above to ascertain a candidate's experience and capabilities. Responses to these questions are a good indication of how a candidate will perform when faced with the challenges of a health care management job

The importance of customer service

Health care organizations are increasingly concerned about their managers' customer service skills. The ability to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction is considered a requirement for the success of the organization. Interviewers, therefore, focus on this with questions such as, "How do you deal with a dissatisfied customer, and what steps have you taken to ensure high levels of customer service?" In all aspects of customer service communication is central, so skills in this area are needed. It is strongly recommended that prior to the interview you prepare a set of questions to ask the interviewer. Examples of these are:

• Have there been any recent changes in the organization that effect this department position?
• Who are the major competitors and what has the organization done to become more competitive?
• Is there a strategic plan and how is it developed?
• What are the greatest challenges facing the organization today?
• What are the major projects currently being worked on and what are the plans for the future?
• How is morale and what has been done to increase employee satisfaction?
• How has the company responded to recent regulatory changes?

The interactive nature of the interview process may lead to additional questions. For example, if during the course of the conversation, the shortage of nurses or other personnel arises, a good follow up question is, "What is the organizations' plan for recruitment and retention and how effective has it been?" Similarly, if recently cited quality issues come up, a question related to the organization's performance improvement program and the involvement of management and staff in quality improvement initiatives would be appropriate. As with responses, questions should be direct and to the point.

In today's environment, health care managers are required to have a broad knowledge base and diverse skill set. Financial management, quality improvement, human resources, strategic planning, physician relations, marketing, community relations, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction are all areas in which a health care manger needs to have at least a working knowledge and preferably some level of expertise. The vast majority of healthcare management positions are involved in these areas to some extent. In an interview, the broader and deeper the candidates knowledge and experience in these areas, the stronger the applicant appears. While candidates for entry level positions will have less experience to draw from, knowledge and understanding of issues and developments in these areas will make a positive impression. Individuals seeking middle management and executive level positions are well served by a background and experience in which there was involvement in as many of these disciplines as possible.

In summary, successful interviewing leading to health care management job offers is dependent upon good preparation, and presenting yourself and your talents and skills effectively. If you do this well, you'll leave the interviewer with a positive impression of you as a potential asset and good fit for the organization.