Strategies for Drawing and Retaining Health Information Technology Professionals
In the dynamic and competitive landscape of healthcare IT, leading organizations like Baptist Health, Corewell Health, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta are taking innovative steps to attract and retain top talent. Moving beyond competitive salaries and traditional benefits, these organizations are focusing on a holistic approach that emphasizes flexibility, growth, well-being, and technology.
One key strategy is offering flexible and remote work options. By adopting hybrid or remote work models, these organizations help alleviate burnout and meet employee expectations for work-life balance. Studies show that 43% of healthcare employees see remote work as a key factor in reducing stress, which supports retention[1].
Another approach is innovative recruitment pathways. These organizations engage in "earn-and-learn" educational programs and create partnerships with educational institutions to develop a talent pipeline tailored to healthcare IT needs. This proactive outreach builds a sustainable recruitment channel beyond standard hiring practices[1][3].
Career advancement and professional development are also crucial. Providing clear career pathways and ongoing training opportunities encourages IT staff to grow within the organization, increasing loyalty and reducing turnover[1]. Upskilling and cross-training are emphasized to help employees adapt to evolving workforce demands[3].
Technology that reduces administrative burden is another important factor. Implementing tools such as AI-driven solutions and automation helps decrease time spent on mundane tasks, allowing IT employees to focus on high-impact, engaging work, thus improving job satisfaction and retention[1][3].
Personalized wellness programs are also vital. Customizable wellness initiatives that address the diverse needs of a multigenerational workforce improve overall well-being, which correlates strongly with higher retention rates. These programs often include mental health support and flexible scheduling[5].
Strategic workforce planning is another essential component. Using predictive hiring and real-time workforce data enables organizations to better balance staffing needs and reduce turnover by being proactive rather than reactive[3].
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta conducts employee satisfaction surveys yearly, and sometimes twice a year, to gather feedback and improve employee engagement. They have also launched the IT Shared Leadership program, where IT staffers not in management volunteer to talk about workplace issues and provide advice to leadership. As a result, their IT employee retention rate reached an impressive 92.7% in 2022[6].
Corewell Health and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta have implemented permanent hybrid work options for eligible IT employees. Corewell Health holds an annual two-day digital services summit, where its IT staff can network, attend career development sessions, and learn from each other. They also offer training and supports attendance to conferences for its IT employees when it benefits their jobs[2].
Baptist Health has consolidated multiple electronic health records into a single Epic implementation and built a mobile app to better engage patients. They have also standardized on Dell Azure Stack hyperconverged infrastructure equipment, Pure Storage hardware, and Arista networking equipment. Aaron Miri, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Baptist Health, has reduced monthly IT employee turnover from percentages in the 20s to single digits since joining the health system nearly two years ago[4].
As the market for IT employees remains competitive, to attract top talent, healthcare organizations must move quickly through the interview process, be decisive, offer job flexibility, and provide career growth opportunities. These strategic approaches demonstrate that leading healthcare organizations treat workforce investment strategically, focusing on flexibility, growth, well-being, and technology to create an attractive and sustainable environment for IT professionals. This holistic approach is critical to navigating the intense competition and burnout challenges prevalent in healthcare IT today[1][3][5].
[1] Healthcare IT News, "Why healthcare IT retention is so important and how to improve it," 2021. [2] Becker's Health IT & CIO Review, "10 ways hospitals are attracting and retaining IT talent," 2021. [3] Healthcare IT Today, "Strategies for Attracting and Retaining IT Talent in Healthcare Organizations," 2021. [4] Healthcare IT News, "Baptist Health's Aaron Miri on reducing IT turnover," 2021. [5] Becker's Health IT & CIO Review, "10 ways hospitals are improving employee well-being," 2021. [6] Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, "2022 IT Employee Retention Rate," 2022.
- In the realm of science and technology, these healthcare organizations emphasize the integration of data and cloud computing, fostering innovative steps for attracting talent in cybersecurity and business.
- To stay competitive in health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise, these organizations implement personalized wellness programs that cater to a multigenerational workforce, improves overall well-being, and increases retention rates.
- For career advancement and professional development, these leading healthcare IT organizations offer clear career pathways, training opportunities, and upskilling programs that nurture the growth of IT staff within the organization, thereby increasing loyalty and reducing turnover.
- To maintain a competitive edge in finance, these organizations adopt technology such as AI-driven solutions and automation that decreases administrative burden, allowing IT employees to focus on high-impact, engaging work, thus improving job satisfaction and retention.
