Healthcare Staffing Tactics: How to Find Top EHR Candidates

Today’s human resource professionals in medical facilities are facing a crisis in healthcare staffing. There simply aren’t enough adequately trained and certified professionals to fill the positions they need to run their businesses and help patients. One of the biggest vacancies right now is electronic health record (EHR) positions.

‌EHRs are at the backbone of many healthcare businesses, yet it takes a combination of education and experience to make the right candidates. Not only must EHR professionals be comfortable with information technology but they also need the skills to work well with nurses and other healthcare workers.

Most human resources (HR) executives look for Electronic Health Records professionals who are:

• Certified professional coders, certified coding associates, and/or registered health information technicians

• Experienced in a professional setting — as interns or as professionals

• High school graduates or have earned certification or a bachelor’s degree in health information technology

• Skilled in interpreting medical documents

• Detail-oriented individuals

• Able to make ethical decisions with integrity

• Able to work well in a team in an often stressful, fast-paced setting.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the need for EHR professionals will grow 9% over the next decade, with around 34,300 openings already projected each year.‌

Read on to learn what HR executives can do when there just aren’t enough professionals to do the job.

Start Looking Within Your Organization

The first place you should announce any job opening is within your company to see if anyone who’s already a valuable member of your team is interested. Still, training can be a problem since your senior staff members may not have the necessary time or skills to help.

‌That’s where online training through a reputable school like MedCerts can help. Your employees can get ahead in their careers by completing certification training online, while simultaneously helping you fill those difficult positions.

MedCerts trains candidates specifically for the work you need them to do, and it’s possible to specialize the lessons to focus on methods used in your company. This is an ideal opportunity to provide added incentives for growth within your team.

Create an Apprenticeship Program

Another way to find qualified EHR candidates is to partner with a school that’s already training and helping students gain the exact certifications you require. With an apprenticeship program, students are grateful for the opportunities for hands-on learning, and you can feel confident they’re a good fit for the team.

MedCerts works closely with its students to see what work environment is best for them and helps match them with the right professional settings for their personality. Best of all, MedCerts is a registered apprenticeship intermediary with the U.S. Department of Labor. That means you won’t have extra paperwork to fill out.

‌Get Creative to Fill EHR Jobs

These methods are much more effective than simply posting a job description online and waiting for the perfect applicant to show up. Every HR professional knows the feeling of being overwhelmed with applications from people who simply aren’t qualified. It’s more cost-effective and efficient to embrace new hiring methods – including finding internal talent or working with a training organization to build your talent pipeline.

By partnering with MedCerts through internal training initiatives and apprenticeship programs, you’ll overcome the shortage in healthcare staffing and fill positions with top candidates fast.