By AAMI
AAMI has taken the next step in its ongoing assessment of the healthcare technology management (HTM) field, producing a comprehensive report on HTM employee retention.
In 2022, AAMI surveyed HTM professionals and reported back on their concerns and various employee retention issues. This timely survey coincided with ongoing job market turbulence and the fact that a large proportion of HTM professionals are expected to age out of the workforce in the coming decades.
Then, in 2023, AAMI staff produced an in-depth report assessing the primary concerns of the HTM workforce, with a focus on factors that threaten employee retention. This report was built on the free text comments from participants in the 2022 survey. The report identifies what issues are top of mind for HTM staff and makes clear recommendations related to employee retention. The primary issue areas addressed in the free text survey comments include pay and benefits, communication, leadership, and advancement and training.
1. Employee benefits
The survey indicated that pay and benefits are vital to HTM staff retention. Employees are not only concerned with monetary compensation, but also their ability to take advantage of other benefits like vacation days and paid time off. “Once structure, job descriptions, and promotion paths are developed, HTM leaders should work with their HR departments to ensure equitable salaries for the defined positions,” the report reads.
2. Communication
Communication is vital to employee retention and wellbeing. It is important for leadership and management to set expectations, maintain consistency, and to listen and engage with employees in a transparent fashion. The report provides a list of 10 essential characteristics that employers should consider. This includes suggestions for setting expectations and goals.
3. Leadership
Culture is key, and management needs to provide employees with a voice. Issues such as quality and safety concerns, what procedures work well, ideas for improvement, and ideas related to staff recognition are outlined in detail for management in the report. AAMI’s report finds that establishing an employee advisory committee is one way to effectively collect this information.
4. Advancement and training
A robust training regimen is a must-have for employers interested in improving employee retention. As medical devices become more common and complex, HTM will continue to evolve rapidly. Every organization needs continuous training and a succession plan. The report finds that “HTM leaders must be creative and flexible when determining the training needed and finding where opportunities exist for their team, including AAMI, OEM courses, third-party providers, formal education, online training, or on-site apprenticeship programs.”
Managers and employers looking to learn more can download the report at AAMI’s HTM resources page. Access is free for AAMI members.
Next Steps
What’s next for AAMI’s ongoing assessment of the HTM workforce? AAMI recently initiated a survey related to how HTM professionals interact with home healthcare. Does your department make house calls or work in patients’ homes? Either way, we want to know! The survey can be found here.
If you have questions about the HTM workforce survey results, the methodology, or accessing the full report, please contact AAMI staff at htm@aami.org.
AAMI Publishes Leadership Development Guide for HTM Professionals
As the healthcare technology management (HTM) field faces record staffing shortages and an ever-increasing demand for new skills and specializations, promoting a department’s best and brightest remains one of the most effective ways to ensure a health system or service provider is ready for tomorrow. That’s why AAMI is pleased to announce the publication of a practical guide for HTM professionals who are interested in advancing their careers into leadership roles and for supervisors looking to develop the next generation of leaders.
The Leadership Development Guide: A Resource for Healthcare Technology Management Professionals provides comprehensive tips, best practices, and exercises for HTM staff seeking professional advancement and supervisors seeking to train employees for leadership roles.
The document was produced by the AAMI’s Technology Management Council (TMC). Danielle McGeary, AAMI vice president of HTM said, “This guide was created to give HTM professionals a roadmap for career advancement. It provides guidance for those looking to move into leadership roles.”
The guide features various sections, including:
- Getting Started – A step-by-step guide to creating your own career plan .
- Toolkit – A career progressions graphic and leadership progression grid for HTM professionals, alongside planning worksheets on advancement and corporate structure.
- Career Planning Opportunities – Sources on development opportunities for each of the skill and knowledge domains on the HTM leadership progression grid. These include leadership, equipment expertise, financial management, and much more.
- Communicating Your Plans – A ‘how to’ for working with your HR department and organizational leadership, including meeting guidelines and sample agendas for communicating your career goals and plans.
- Interviewing for Leadership Positions – Tips and techniques for senior level interviewing, including key dos and don’ts.
- FAQs – Answers to the most frequently asked questions about career planning, taking on leadership roles, continuing education, and more!
In short, the new Leadership Development Guide is an excellent resource for HTM professionals looking to move into the next stage of their career and for professionals who are uncertain but would like more information. AAMI’s new guide has you covered and can set you up for success.
The document is free for AAMI members but can be purchased a la carte in the AAMI store. Questions? Reach out to htm@aami.org.