Open Forum

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you! 

Hi Quiere,

We have a committee for supportive personnel, Assistive Personnel Career Advancement Team (APCAT). The team has a site on our SharePoint with information on the CMA and CST clinical ladders, information on meetings (webex links, minutes, etc.). This has been really successful at bolstering engagement. 

We also have a Petal award (like the Daisy Award) that is for support staff, and an entity-wide employee engagement committee that meets monthly to discuss various ways to engage staff. 

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you! 

I love this! Are you the best point of contact to connect with? I would love to learn more about how APCAT got started (any charters?), recruitment initiatives, success stories that came from this committee, etc. Also I am very interested in the CMA clinical ladder. Looking forward to your response, thank you!

Hi Quiere,

We have a committee for supportive personnel, Assistive Personnel Career Advancement Team (APCAT). The team has a site on our SharePoint with information on the CMA and CST clinical ladders, information on meetings (webex links, minutes, etc.). This has been really successful at bolstering engagement. 

We also have a Petal award (like the Daisy Award) that is for support staff, and an entity-wide employee engagement committee that meets monthly to discuss various ways to engage staff. 

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you! 

Hi I feel that strengthening our support staff is so valuable, improves their satisfaction, improved patient care, and frees up the time for the other staff.

In fact, a Medical Assistant and I are presenting "Medical Assistants and the Healthcare Support Staff: Strengthening the foundation of patient care success through Professional Development".  At our hospital, we employ over 130 MA + support staff and offer a monthly MA Forum where they can discuss topics relevant to them and meet all the other MAs in the clinic.  Unfortunately, we do not have a clinical ladder because at our hospital it would mean tied to a financial progression, which we do not currently offer.  Instead, we offer trainings and free CEs to them as well.  See this resource which we are basing our presentation on: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://edhub.ama-assn.org/steps-forward/module/2702558?resultClick=1&bypassSolrId=J_2702558__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!jRoTq9-4wum-HS_S_i8rXucuj9vk7NX39ddNqWq1KBfFqiAiUjFKQlHY6E7fwShBMZPFXLKknu_HkA$

I love this! Are you the best point of contact to connect with? I would love to learn more about how APCAT got started (any charters?), recruitment initiatives, success stories that came from this committee, etc. Also I am very interested in the CMA clinical ladder. Looking forward to your response, thank you!

Hi Quiere,

We have a committee for supportive personnel, Assistive Personnel Career Advancement Team (APCAT). The team has a site on our SharePoint with information on the CMA and CST clinical ladders, information on meetings (webex links, minutes, etc.). This has been really successful at bolstering engagement. 

We also have a Petal award (like the Daisy Award) that is for support staff, and an entity-wide employee engagement committee that meets monthly to discuss various ways to engage staff. 

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you! 

Thanks for sharing this resource, it is wonderful! Also, I love to hear that you all have developed a monthly forum for your MAs. How are the monthly topics determined? Are your meetings in-person or virtual? How did you recruit or build interest amongst MAs in attending? 

Hi I feel that strengthening our support staff is so valuable, improves their satisfaction, improved patient care, and frees up the time for the other staff.

In fact, a Medical Assistant and I are presenting "Medical Assistants and the Healthcare Support Staff: Strengthening the foundation of patient care success through Professional Development".  At our hospital, we employ over 130 MA + support staff and offer a monthly MA Forum where they can discuss topics relevant to them and meet all the other MAs in the clinic.  Unfortunately, we do not have a clinical ladder because at our hospital it would mean tied to a financial progression, which we do not currently offer.  Instead, we offer trainings and free CEs to them as well.  See this resource which we are basing our presentation on: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://edhub.ama-assn.org/steps-forward/module/2702558?resultClick=1&bypassSolrId=J_2702558__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!jRoTq9-4wum-HS_S_i8rXucuj9vk7NX39ddNqWq1KBfFqiAiUjFKQlHY6E7fwShBMZPFXLKknu_HkA$

I love this! Are you the best point of contact to connect with? I would love to learn more about how APCAT got started (any charters?), recruitment initiatives, success stories that came from this committee, etc. Also I am very interested in the CMA clinical ladder. Looking forward to your response, thank you!

Hi Quiere,

We have a committee for supportive personnel, Assistive Personnel Career Advancement Team (APCAT). The team has a site on our SharePoint with information on the CMA and CST clinical ladders, information on meetings (webex links, minutes, etc.). This has been really successful at bolstering engagement. 

We also have a Petal award (like the Daisy Award) that is for support staff, and an entity-wide employee engagement committee that meets monthly to discuss various ways to engage staff. 

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you! 

Before the pandemic we hosted in-person but now we have better attendance via virtual at 8-9 in the morning.  One of our MAs created a survey with topics for the monthly meetings:

https://forms.office.com/r/zKXtrqHzx0

Thanks for sharing this resource, it is wonderful! Also, I love to hear that you all have developed a monthly forum for your MAs. How are the monthly topics determined? Are your meetings in-person or virtual? How did you recruit or build interest amongst MAs in attending? 

Hi I feel that strengthening our support staff is so valuable, improves their satisfaction, improved patient care, and frees up the time for the other staff.

In fact, a Medical Assistant and I are presenting "Medical Assistants and the Healthcare Support Staff: Strengthening the foundation of patient care success through Professional Development".  At our hospital, we employ over 130 MA + support staff and offer a monthly MA Forum where they can discuss topics relevant to them and meet all the other MAs in the clinic.  Unfortunately, we do not have a clinical ladder because at our hospital it would mean tied to a financial progression, which we do not currently offer.  Instead, we offer trainings and free CEs to them as well.  See this resource which we are basing our presentation on: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://edhub.ama-assn.org/steps-forward/module/2702558?resultClick=1&bypassSolrId=J_2702558__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!jRoTq9-4wum-HS_S_i8rXucuj9vk7NX39ddNqWq1KBfFqiAiUjFKQlHY6E7fwShBMZPFXLKknu_HkA$

I love this! Are you the best point of contact to connect with? I would love to learn more about how APCAT got started (any charters?), recruitment initiatives, success stories that came from this committee, etc. Also I am very interested in the CMA clinical ladder. Looking forward to your response, thank you!

Hi Quiere,

We have a committee for supportive personnel, Assistive Personnel Career Advancement Team (APCAT). The team has a site on our SharePoint with information on the CMA and CST clinical ladders, information on meetings (webex links, minutes, etc.). This has been really successful at bolstering engagement. 

We also have a Petal award (like the Daisy Award) that is for support staff, and an entity-wide employee engagement committee that meets monthly to discuss various ways to engage staff. 

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you! 

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you! 

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?  Gundersen Health System has 375 MAs that work in our system. We have an MA newsletter that goes out bi -monthly and an engaged MA Practice committee.  We have intake forms for issues.  We have an MA website under the nursing site link.  

2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?  We have had a Medical Assistant Practice Committee since 2008.  We have an application process, a Charter/bylaws and meet 8 times per year and MAs are under the Dept of Nursing structure.  

3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?  We host multiple contact hours throughout the year so MAs can maintain certification which is required at our organizations.  We coordinate these with American Association of Medical Assistants.  <o:p></o:p>

Good afternoon,

At my current organization, we have a committee specifically developed for LPNs and various committees/councils that are either RN-driven or interdisciplinary in nature. As we continue to assess how to increase engagement amongst ambulatory clinical staff, one idea that we are looking into, specifically for our medical assistants, is the development of a committee/council since they have such a unique role. What are ambulatory settings in other organizations doing currently?

1. How is everyone currently keeping their clinical staff engaged, especially medical assistants?
2. Has anyone developed a committee or a council specifically for medical assistants? If so, how did you get started and what was the outcome/result (increased engagement, retention, etc.)?
3. Any additional points of consideration that we should think about? Documents to share?

Looking forward to everyone's responses, thank you!