As physical therapy owners, our clinics are an essential component of the healthcare system with programs designed to help patients reach their potential, but our quality of care is only as effective as the skills and knowledge of our staff.
That’s why our clinics must have effective onboarding, training and retention programs to ensure each staff member is prepared to deliver high-quality care.
Across our decades of ownership, leadership and coaching, we have found that the most impactful way to manage these programs is through the use of a learning management system (LMS). Let’s explore the WHY and the benefits of using an LMS for physical therapy clinics.
5 Benefits of a Learning Management System for Physical Therapy
Onboarding Physical Therapy Staff
The onboarding process is critical for any new hire, and it sets the tone for their entire employment period. With an LMS, physical therapy clinics can create a standardized onboarding program that ensures all new hires receive the same information and training. This can include videos, interactive modules and quizzes to assess learning. By using an LMS, physical therapy clinics can make sure that new hires are well-prepared for their job and can begin contributing to the clinic’s mission from day one.
Training Physical Therapy Employees
As with any profession, continuing education is essential for physical therapists and other staff members to maintain and improve their skills. An LMS can be used to provide ongoing training and education opportunities. Clinics can create customized training programs that are specific to their practice and the needs of their staff. For example, if a clinic is seeing an increase in patients with a particular condition, they can create a training module that focuses on that condition. The LMS can also provide tracking and reporting, so clinic administrators can ensure staff members are completing required training.
Retaining Private Practice Staff
We all know that retention of our staff members is critical for the success of the organization. One way to retain staff is by providing opportunities for career growth and development. With an LMS, physical therapy clinics can offer a range of professional development opportunities, such as courses and certifications. This can motivate staff members to stay with the clinic and continue to grow and develop their skills. It can also lead to a more knowledgeable and skilled staff, which can ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes.
Finding Cost-Effective Solution
An LMS can be a cost-effective way to manage onboarding, training and retention programs. Traditional training methods can be expensive, especially when you factor in travel costs, lodging and materials (and doing it all over again if the new hire churns from disengagement and you’re back to the drawing board). With an LMS, physical therapy clinics can create and deliver engaging training modules to staff members, often just paying once for the complete training program. This can significantly reduce training costs, while also providing greater flexibility for staff members who prefer to learn at their own pace.
Improving Overall Business Performance
By providing quality training and education opportunities, physical therapy clinics can improve the overall performance of their staff and patient outcomes. Staff members who are well-trained and have access to ongoing education opportunities are more confident in their abilities, which can lead to improved patient satisfaction. It can also lead to increased efficiency and productivity, as staff members are better equipped to handle the demands of their job. With an LMS, clinics can monitor the performance of their staff, identify areas of improvement and provide targeted training to improve performance.
Leverage an Existing LMS for Your Physical Therapy Practice
Years ago, we introduced MEG Academy as a comprehensive online training platform designed specifically for physical therapy clinics to train and grow their staff. Today, it has helped hundreds of clinics utilize a powerful, effective way to develop and retain their personnel by providing consistent, comprehensive education and professional development opportunities.
MEG Academy’s built-in Learning Management System makes personnel management easy and efficient. Let’s review a few ways this is possible:
Key Features of MEG Academy as Your Own LMS
Customized Learning Paths
MEG Academy’s LMS provides clinics with the ability to create customized learning paths for their staff. This means that each staff member can have a unique training program that is tailored to their individual needs and skill level. Clinics can create modules that are specific to their practice and their staff’s needs. This ensures that each staff member receives the training they need to excel in their role.
Automated Tracking and Reporting
MEG Academy’s LMS provides automated tracking and reporting for staff members’ training progress. Clinics can track staff members’ progress and completion of training modules in real-time. This allows clinic administrators to easily monitor staff members’ progress and ensure they are completing their training as scheduled. The automated reporting system also provides a record of staff members’ training completion, which can be useful for compliance purposes.
Efficient Personnel Management
MEG Academy’s LMS streamlines personnel management for physical therapy clinics. It allows clinic administrators to manage their staff’s training and development from a centralized platform. Staff members can access the platform from any location, making it convenient for them to complete their training modules. Clinics can easily create, manage, and deliver training modules to their staff members, making the process more efficient and effective.
Comprehensive Collection of Training Programs
MEG Academy covers all aspects of your physical therapy private practice, whether you’re in the start-up process or scaling and expanding. Each course takes a deep dive into the key areas of private practice success that will help you optimize your environment, company structure, personnel and systems of operation. Plus, MEG Academy features robust Certification Programs that enhance the onboarding and professional development process by promoting the soft skills and role-specific responsibilities that instill consistency and efficiency among staff and creates a comprehensive, standardized personnel experience.
Add a Learning Management System to Your PT Practice
It’s no secret that your physical therapy clinic can greatly benefit from the use of an LMS to manage onboarding, training and retention programs for their staff. Rather than start from scratch and invest the time and money necessary to build a winning system, join one! MEG Academy’s LMS will provide PT-specific onboarding, ongoing training and education opportunities with a cost-effective delivery of training that is guaranteed to improve staff performance.
Ready to give your staff the tools they need to provide high-quality care to your patients? Let’s talk! Get started right away with a free practice assessment with our MEG coaches.
