Sponsored by Agiliti
By Meghan Schellhammer
Healthcare staffing shortages may no longer be front page news, but healthcare technology management (HTM) leaders know the labor crunch hasn’t faded. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. HTM leaders need to find ways to fight burnout and turnover right now – to retain the talent they have today.
How can you improve satisfaction, engagement and retention of HTM staff? Here are a few strategies:
Embrace New Technology Opportunities
New HTM techs have different expectations when it comes to seeking out their employer – with a heavier emphasis on culture, teamwork and advancement. However, let’s not overlook one of the biggest drivers of why biomeds become biomeds and stay in the field – the opportunity to work on innovative technologies.
The pace of technology development is only accelerating, and hospitals increasingly have more sophisticated technology entering their doors (ex. cybersecurity, robotics). Providing your HTM team with opportunities to get training on these new technologies – from the capital planning process, to how to service them, to how they can impact outcomes in your facility – can have a big impact on your team engagement.
Align HTM with the Rest of the Hospital
Nobody wants to feel like they’re working on an island. Yet HTM staff commonly feel a one-way connection to the rest of the hospital. They are regularly on the receiving end of urgent demands but lack visibility into how their work fits into clinical care delivery and broader hospital operations.
Establishing meaningful connections between departments such as clinical and supply chain teams allow opportunities for mutual understanding – from where surging demands originate and the reasons why, to how their work supports patient care improvements and cost reduction goals.
Support Clear Career Paths
HTM professionals face a unique challenge. Half say their employers provide little opportunity for advancement, and organizations are cutting resources needed to pursue it. To bridge this gap and show that careers in HTM can have real growth opportunities, hospitals should reinforce to HTM staff that their career has the potential to grow.
For example, BMET staff should see how they can progress into a role as an imaging engineer, and they should understand the resources available to them to support this career development – from internal training and mentoring to financial support for certifications and potential tuition reimbursement.
Have Flexible Labor Options to Support Your HTM Team
HTM teams are being asked to do more with less – maintain more equipment and service more complex and critical technologies. But the reality is that typical HTM teams spend a lot of time maintaining low-value, low-revenue equipment. One study estimated that HTM teams spend nearly half their time on non-value-added work like searching for equipment, assessing assets that aren’t actually broken or dealing with vendor management.
This work can be frustrating and lead to burnout.
Utilizing on-demand, supplemental HTM labor can help address the issue. Have external partners identified who can step in and support you in a pinch. They can take on the high-volume, lower-value work of managing and maintaining equipment like beds or infusion pumps. They can also help you catch up on PMs and recalls. By having trusted partners available, you free up time for your BMETs to focus on higher-value tasks like working on more revenue-generating equipment.
Making the Job Better Today Makes It More Appealing in the Long Run
By applying these strategies, you are positioning your hospital to attract and retain the top HTM talent needed to drive the future of healthcare delivery.
Meghan Schellhammer is the vice president of clinical engineering service solutions at Agiliti.
