Improve the consistency of your team training–and see a payback in doctor efficiency, client trust and more.
Today onboarding new team members involves more than filling out paperwork. Consistent training and mentoring can be a game changer for your business.
James DeLano, DVM, developed the Organized Onboarding® mentoring program more than seven years ago at his California practice, Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center. With his daughter Ramsey DeLano, he developed the online platform Organized Onboarding in 2021 and launched GrowABetterDVM.com this past January. We asked him how practices can implement this carefully curated learning management system in their own businesses—and what benefits it provides.
Q: What is a learning management system?
A: A Learning Management System (LMS) is a cloud-based platform for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting and delivery of training. A good LMS allows you to design, store and embed online digital training content for your staff to access as new hires or experienced staff taking on a new role.
Q: How does it keep you organized?
A: All your training documents, reference materials, videos and workflows stored around the practice are managed in one place. Updating one document populates across all courses. The training content is sequenced to topic-specific or position-based courses that are organized into learning paths. Training is either self-paced or sequenced over time keeping your team on track.
Q: How does Organized Onboarding’s LMS work for a practice?
A: At my practice, Organized Onboarding brought a level of organization that was lacking in our approach to onboarding and training. Before, training checklists, policies and procedures were all over the practice; now, all training materials are stored in one place. Managers are able to track the detailed progress of staff members.
Q: What results do you see when it comes to training lay staff?
A: Staff who joined the team yesterday are trained the same way as staff who joined six weeks ago. Training is consistent and focused, as trainers and trainees are able to see the path forward. When new policies or training needs arise, training can be quickly designed and assigned to all necessary staff with efficient methods to check completion and comprehension.
Q: What results do you see when it comes to mentoring new associate DVMs following the Organized Onboarding program?
A: Since 2013, Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center has onboarded 11 new DVMs using the Organized Onboarding DVM Mentoring Program. On average, the new DVMs produce 46% more revenue, with ACTs that are 20% greater than the nine DVMs hired prior to 2013. Retention has been greater as we walk the talk of mentoring. The team approach has improved the staff culture of welcoming new hires to our community.
Q: Can practices modify the Organized Onboarding LMS?
A: Yes. The training courses and content that comprise the Lay Staff courses can be thought of as a well-designed template complete with topic-specific training checklists, assessments and documentation of protocols and policies. Training leads are able to update any of the content in our pre-made courses or use our materials and a practice’s materials as building blocks for a new course. The DVM Mentoring Program is designed around medicine, surgery, communications and systems, and operations and flow. Mentors and mentees are prepared for their meetings with agendas, role-plays and additional mentor topics spread out over the first several months. This content is flexible as well.
Q: How do I make Organized Onboarding successful in my own practice?
A: Our practice has a champion of the LMS and training in general. Identify your own training champion to take the content and customize it to fit your training needs for each staff position. New hires engage with the platform on day one of joining the team. This becomes their “go-to” on what is next up for training. Staff and associate DVMs have clear goals of what they need to accomplish to master their positions.
Q: What does it cost?
A: The Organized Onboarding pricing model is designed by a practice owner for practice owners. Outside of a $25 monthly platform fee, the practice pays for “active” seats on a monthly basis. If a staff member logs in during a month, there is a fee for the seat. If they do not, there is no fee. Onboarding a DVM costs $99/month and comes with up to five seats for mentors and the mentee. Lay staff costs are $9.99/month. For more information, contact your PSIvet Practice Consultant or visit OrganizedOnboarding.com.
