Psychiatric Secretary Onboarding Checklist

Psychiatric Secretary Onboarding Process

Are you looking for help setting up a staff orientation process so that when your new Psychiatric Secretary starts their role, they can learn about their responsibilities and your company as quickly as possible? Whether you’re keen to use buddy onboarding, want to automate your Administration onboarding experience or just need an onboarding checklist for your new Psychiatric Secretary, you’re in the right place. We’ve put together a sample Psychiatric Secretary onboarding checklist below and have created onboarding templates & resources to help.

Psychiatric Secretary Onboarding Checklist

1. Orientation: The new psychiatric secretary should undergo a comprehensive orientation program to familiarize themselves with the company’s policies, procedures, and culture. This task is typically performed by the human resources department or a designated orientation coordinator.

2. Introduction to the team: The new secretary should be introduced to their immediate team members, including psychiatrists, therapists, and other administrative staff. This introduction helps foster a sense of belonging and facilitates collaboration. The team leader or supervisor usually performs this task.

3. Training on electronic medical records (EMR) system: As a psychiatric secretary, proficiency in using the EMR system is crucial for managing patient records, scheduling appointments, and billing. The IT department or a designated trainer should provide comprehensive training on the EMR system.

4. Familiarization with office equipment: The new secretary should be familiarized with various office equipment, such as printers, scanners, fax machines, and phone systems. This task is typically performed by the office manager or an experienced administrative staff member.

5. Understanding confidentiality and privacy regulations: Given the sensitive nature of psychiatric records, it is essential for the new secretary to understand and adhere to confidentiality and privacy regulations, such as HIPAA. The compliance officer or a designated trainer should provide training on these regulations.

6. Learning appointment scheduling procedures: The new secretary should be trained on the appointment scheduling procedures, including how to manage multiple providers’ schedules, handle cancellations or rescheduling, and prioritize urgent appointments. This training is usually provided by the office manager or an experienced administrative staff member.

7. Billing and insurance procedures: Understanding the billing and insurance procedures is crucial for the psychiatric secretary to accurately process claims, verify insurance coverage, and handle patient billing inquiries. The billing department or a designated trainer should provide training on these procedures.

8. Familiarization with emergency protocols: The new secretary should be familiarized with emergency protocols, such as handling crisis situations, contacting emergency services, and ensuring the safety of patients and staff. The office manager or a designated trainer should provide training on these protocols.

9. Introduction to office policies and procedures: The new secretary should be provided with a comprehensive overview of the office policies and procedures, including dress code, attendance, time-off requests, and communication protocols. The office manager or human resources department typically performs this task.

10. Shadowing experienced psychiatric secretaries: To gain practical insights into the role, the new secretary should have the opportunity to shadow experienced psychiatric secretaries. This allows them to observe and learn from their colleagues’ day-to-day tasks and interactions with patients. The office manager or team leader can facilitate this shadowing experience.

11. Introduction to patient intake process: The new secretary should be trained on the patient intake process, including gathering necessary information, verifying insurance coverage, and ensuring all required forms are completed. This training is typically provided by the office manager or an experienced administrative staff member.

12. Understanding medication management procedures: As a psychiatric secretary, understanding medication management procedures is essential for coordinating prescription refills, communicating with pharmacies, and maintaining accurate medication records. The office manager or a designated trainer should provide training on these procedures.

13. Learning about community resources: The new secretary should be provided with information about local community resources, such as support groups, crisis hotlines, and mental health organizations. This knowledge allows them to provide appropriate referrals and support to patients. The office manager or an experienced administrative staff member can share this information.

14. Introduction to insurance companies and their requirements: The new secretary should be familiarized with different insurance companies and their specific requirements for claims submission, pre-authorization, and documentation. This training is typically provided by the billing department or a designated trainer.

15. Reviewing office safety protocols: The new secretary should review office safety protocols, including fire evacuation procedures, first aid kits’ locations, and reporting any safety hazards. The office manager or a designated trainer should provide this information.

16. Understanding patient rights and advocacy: The new secretary should be trained on patient rights and advocacy, including informed consent, confidentiality, and the importance of respecting patients’ autonomy. The office manager or an experienced administrative staff member can provide this training.

17. Introduction to crisis intervention techniques: Given the nature of psychiatric care, the new secretary should be introduced to crisis intervention techniques, such as de-escalation strategies and communication skills for handling distressed or agitated patients. This training is typically provided by the office manager or an experienced psychiatric staff member.

18. Learning about insurance billing codes: The new secretary should be trained on insurance billing codes, such as CPT and ICD-10 codes, to accurately document and bill for services provided. The billing department or a designated trainer should provide this training.

19. Familiarization with office software and tools: The new secretary should be familiarized with office software and tools, such as Microsoft Office Suite, email systems, and online scheduling platforms. The IT department or a designated trainer should provide this training.

20. Introduction to professional development opportunities: The new secretary should be informed about professional development opportunities, such as conferences, workshops, and online courses, to enhance their skills and knowledge in the field. The office manager or human resources department can provide this information

Setting Up Your Employee Onboarding Process

From reading through the items in the example Psychiatric Secretary checklist above, you’ll now have an idea of how you can apply best practices to getting your new Psychiatric Secretary up to speed and working well in your Administration team. Scroll up to see the link to our onboarding templates & resources or get in touch to discuss getting help setting up your systems and processes in this area.