A quality auditor (QA) has a vital role in the success of a healthcare practice, whether traditional or complementary medicine. They are the quality specialists the healthcare practice turns to for procedural oversight and approval, compliance, and improving existing systems. A quality auditor acts as an advisor on all processes and procedures that the practice is obligated to put in place to ensure long-term success as a business.
Hiring a quality auditor is never a bad decision, but you want to ensure it’s the best decision. Training an employee who is familiar with the healthcare sector to be a QA will add a unique and tailored role that fits the needs of the practice. They will easily spot the flaws and weaknesses in your systems or processes and communicate and collaborate more effectively to find the right solutions.
Auditors who are specific to the healthcare industry will be able to identify the gaps in performance and processes and measure them against quality standards. From there, they will be able to provide recommendations accordingly and provide thorough follow-through.
Tip: Hiring a quality auditor is a great move. Hiring a quality auditor familiar with the healthcare sector is even better.
It’s advisable to have a member of your team who is a certified quality auditor, or at the very least, someone who possesses the same skills. In the wake of COVID-19, you must ensure your practice abides with changing standards and regulations.
The arrival of coronavirus in Australia came with a myriad of new rules that needed to be implemented quickly, but effectively. Healthcare practices which had an existing member of staff with the capabilities to ensure these procedures were done correctly were automatically better off than practices that needed to bring in an outside consultant. Many practices with an existing quality competency were able to sign-off new safety strategies without having to wait for third party approval.
Obviously we are now back to ‘normal’. However, the point stands that one of the best ways to give your business the upper hand is upskilling an internal member of staff with the right qualification in quality auditing. Nominate an existing member of staff or ask for a volunteer and offer to fund their qualification. You will be providing them with the skills required to do the job for your business, without having to go through the rigmarole of finding a new, trustworthy employee to hire.
Tip: It may be more useful to invest in training an existing staff member to run your quality audits.
Anyone running a busy healthcare practice knows the pressure the job entails. You are responsible for many people on a daily basis, often during stressful and unpleasant times in their lives. The temptations to let compliance slip or delay decisions relating to quality can have dire consequences for your practice. The last thing you want is for your practice to face issues with non-compliance.
One way to safeguard your practice from compliance and quality issues is to invest in training your staff each year with a Diploma of Quality Auditing (BSB50920). They will learn valuable information and gain crucial skills through units like:
By investing in your staff, you will add a vital skillset to your business. You’ll ensure that your compliance checks are correct and completed as a priority, rather than a task that can drop down the list of things to do.
Tip: Further education, like a Diploma of Quality Auditing (BSB50920), is a smart investment for any practice.
Running a healthcare practice is a time-consuming and stressful job to undertake on a normal day, without the added stress of ensuring all your practices and processes are compliant and meet the required standards.
There are several things that you can do to ensure your practice stays on the right track. Choose to hire an in-house quality auditor or invest in your existing staff and offer them further education opportunities – both options are essential steps you can do to support your practice with better compliance and procedures.
Quality auditing for healthcare practices has never been more critical. Healthcare practices, more than other businesses, have an obligation to their staff and clients to stay safe and vigilant. Regular quality audits by a qualified quality auditor is a logical way to ensure your doors remain open to the community your serve.
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