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Communication Is Key to Hiring the Right Caregivers for Private Duty Agencies

Analysis  |  By Jasmyne Ray  
   December 20, 2022

Having conversations about a caregiver's capabilities and boundaries early on can save agencies time and money down the road.

With a decade of experience in the private duty sector, Aishling Dalton-Kelly knows the importance of good and effective communication between agency owners and potential caregivers during the hiring process. Having sold the agency she owned earlier this year, she reflects on the importance of understanding the capabilities of potential employees, as well as their limits.

"We have a saying in Ireland that says you shouldn't put a square peg in a round hole," Kelly told HealthLeaders. "We have to stop trying to have caregivers fit what we need. We have to ask them what they like and what they don't like, what they're willing to do and what they're not, because that plays a huge role in servicing the needs of the customer."

During the interview process, good communication with the potential caregiver can help figure out who the candidate is and the person's skill sets. This sets the tone for matching caregivers with clients who will best be served with these skills. 

"Many caregivers will come, and they'll send in their resume, references, but more than that, each agency should have a check list of the skills that they know their clients are looking for," Kelly explained. "Having that check list of skills that the agency knows they're going to require at some stage is vital."

Considering other factors about the potential caregivers' homelife like children and childcare is paramount and can help agencies avoid staffing issues in the future, Kelly said.

"There's a lot of things that have to come in to play because its being driven by the workforce of today and the post-pandemic scenarios that we're faced with," Kelly said.

In addition, "the interviewer needs to be asking, 'Are you prepared to drive within a 15–20 mile radius and if [the candidate] says no, that's something that needs to be listened to. Ultimately if you're stuck and somebody doesn't show up [for a client], that caregiver you think is going to drive because they're a new hire already told you no."

"The success of any good business is through communication, and when you have bad communication, we all know what happens; it's a road to disaster," Kelly said. "We need to understand our people and our people need to understand us."

“We need to understand our people and our people need to understand us.”

Jasmyne Ray is the revenue cycle editor at HealthLeaders. 


KEY TAKEAWAYS

It's important that agencies understand the capabilities of potential employees, as well as their limits.

Match caregivers' skills with clients' needs for the best care. 


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