Providing high-quality healthcare that results in positive patient outcomes requires an enterprise-wide effort, which includes more than just doctors and nurses. In the U.S., there are nearly 9.8 million employees in the healthcare industry, of which 5.3 million (54%) are support staff such as medical assistants, cooks, administrative assistants, customer service representatives, and janitors. Although these employees have limited contact with patients, they play an essential role in patient care delivery and ensuring positive outcomes.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the healthcare sector will grow 13% from 2021 to 2031, resulting in approximately two million new jobs. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports show there will be a worldwide net shortage of 15 million health workers, and many of the vacancies will be in the U.S.
Hiring top-quality candidates with the necessary skills to perform their jobs efficiently is imperative to ensure an organization runs smoothly. As a result, there is enormous pressure on HR professionals in the healthcare sector to maximize hiring efficiency because having a top-quality staff will lead to a positive experience for patients and improve healthcare outcomes.
As a result, healthcare institutions and medical practices are adding skills-testing solutions to their hiring process. When they implement an industry-leading assessment solution like the eSkill Talent Assessment PlatformTM, their HR teams can instantly screen hundreds or even thousands of applicants and identify the best candidates for a job. Since many healthcare support jobs require computer proficiency, the Basic Computer Skills Test is one of the most popular assessments.
Identify Quality Candidates with Basic Computer Skills Tests
Using basic computer skills tests as part of your hiring and screening helps identify which candidates have the essential skills required for each job role. Computer skills tests assess clerical aptitudes such as typing and word processing and general computer knowledge such as familiarity with various Internet browsers and operating systems.
With the eSkill Talent Assessment PlatformTM, you can access a comprehensive assessment library with hundreds of validated skills tests. Your HR team can use the pre-prepared tests and add or delete questions as needed or build custom assessments by selecting questions from multiple skills tests.
For example, if you are hiring medical transcriptionists, you can use the Medical Transcription Skills Test and add questions from the Medical Terminology, HIPAA—Health Insurance Coverage, and basic computer skills tests. This flexibility gives you ultimate control over the skills-testing process.
While you are reviewing scores, you can learn more about candidates by checking to see which questions they answered correctly and incorrectly. This can give you better insight into applicants and help you identify candidates with lower overall scores who could be successful if provided with training to address minor knowledge gaps.
Various computer skills tests are available for specific healthcare jobs. For example, you can assess employees’ knowledge of different healthcare software programs or evaluate an applicant’s medical transcription, billing, or insurance coding abilities.
Skills Tests as an Employee Development Tool
Once you bring a new hire on board, assessments such as basic computer skills tests continue to provide value. There is no such thing as a perfect hire, and pre-employment assessment results are your best resource for identifying skills and knowledge gaps. Once you know where gaps exist, you can customize onboarding by focusing training on deficient areas and skipping areas where the new hire is already proficient.
Another practical use for skills tests in a healthcare environment is to ensure that staff members’ knowledge of the latest policies and regulations is current. Organizations can create assessments that test staff on corporate policies related to customer service, medical billing, patient privacy, and other areas. Assessment results help you identify employees who need additional training, and you do not need to bother with those whose knowledge is up to date.
As a case in point, Kaiser Permanente of Georgia needed an easy way to test employees annually on 10 front-end registration policies and Patient Financial Services and Member Services tasks. Once they implemented the eSkill Talent Assessment PlatformTM, they could complete annual competency testing efficiently. They also expanded skills testing to their hiring process and hired over 70% of the candidates that passed the assessment.
Skills tests can also be used to ensure compliance with federal laws that pertain to healthcare delivery and administration. A good example is HIPAA regulations, which clearly define how patient information can be used. With skills testing, you can build a test using your own questions to ensure employees understand their legal responsibilities and the consequences of non-compliance.
Do you want to learn how basic computer skills tests help you identify top candidates for your healthcare support positions? Contact us to request a demo.