Public Health Physician Onboarding Checklist

Public Health Physician Onboarding Process

Are you looking for help setting up a staff orientation process so that when your new Public Health Physician 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 Healthcare onboarding experience or just need an onboarding checklist for your new Public Health Physician, you’re in the right place. We’ve put together a sample Public Health Physician onboarding checklist below and have created onboarding templates & resources to help.

Public Health Physician Onboarding Checklist

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

2. Introduction to the Team: The new physician should be introduced to their immediate team members, including colleagues, supervisors, and support staff. This introduction helps foster relationships and promotes collaboration. The team leader or supervisor usually performs this task.

3. Review of Job Responsibilities: A thorough review of the physician’s job responsibilities, including their role in public health initiatives, research, patient care, and administrative duties, should be conducted. This task is typically performed by the supervisor or department head.

4. Training on Electronic Health Records (EHR): As healthcare relies heavily on electronic health records, the new physician should receive training on the company’s EHR system. This training ensures that they can efficiently document patient encounters, access medical records, and utilize other EHR functionalities. The training is usually conducted by the IT department or a designated EHR trainer.

5. Familiarization with Policies and Procedures: The new physician should be provided with a comprehensive overview of the company’s policies and procedures, including those related to patient confidentiality, infection control, quality improvement, and safety protocols. This task is typically performed by the human resources department or a designated compliance officer.

6. Introduction to Public Health Programs: Since public health physicians play a crucial role in designing and implementing public health programs, they should be introduced to ongoing initiatives, community partnerships, and relevant stakeholders. This introduction can be facilitated by the public health department or a designated program manager.

7. Review of Clinical Guidelines and Protocols: Public health physicians often provide clinical care in addition to their public health responsibilities. Therefore, they should receive a review of clinical guidelines, protocols, and best practices to ensure high-quality patient care. This task is typically performed by the medical director or a designated clinical lead.

8. Access to Resources and Tools: The new physician should be provided with access to essential resources and tools, such as medical literature databases, public health databases, research materials, and relevant software applications. The IT department or a designated resource coordinator typically facilitates this task.

9. Introduction to Community Partners: Public health physicians often collaborate with community organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Therefore, they should be introduced to key community partners and provided with opportunities to establish relationships. This introduction can be facilitated by the public health department or a designated community engagement coordinator.

10. Mentorship and Support: To facilitate a smooth transition, the new physician should be assigned a mentor or a senior colleague who can provide guidance, support, and answer any questions they may have. This mentorship program is typically coordinated by the human resources department or a designated mentorship coordinator.

11. Performance Expectations and Evaluation: The new physician should receive clear performance expectations and understand how their performance will be evaluated. This includes discussing key performance indicators, goals, and timelines. The supervisor or department head typically performs this task.

12. Introduction to Research Opportunities: Public health physicians often engage in research activities to contribute to evidence-based practices. Therefore, they should be introduced to ongoing research projects, funding opportunities, and research support services within the company. This introduction can be facilitated by the research department or a designated research coordinator.

13. Compliance Training: Public health physicians must adhere to various legal and ethical standards. Therefore, they should receive training on compliance-related topics, such as HIPAA regulations, research ethics, and conflict of interest policies. The human resources department or a designated compliance officer typically conducts this training.

14. Introduction to Quality Improvement Initiatives: Public health physicians play a vital role in improving healthcare quality and patient outcomes. Therefore, they should be introduced to ongoing quality improvement initiatives, performance improvement tools, and data analysis methods. This introduction can be facilitated by the quality improvement department or a designated quality improvement coordinator.

15. Introduction to Emergency Preparedness: Public health physicians often contribute to emergency preparedness and response efforts. Therefore, they should be introduced to emergency management plans, communication protocols, and their role during emergencies. This introduction can be facilitated by the emergency preparedness department or a designated emergency preparedness coordinator.

16. Introduction to Continuing Education Opportunities: To stay updated with the latest advancements in public health and medicine, the new physician should be informed about continuing education opportunities, conferences, workshops, and professional development resources. This introduction can be facilitated by the medical education department or a designated education coordinator.

17. Introduction to Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Public health physicians often work closely with professionals from various disciplines, such as epidemiologists, nurses, social workers, and policymakers. Therefore, they should be introduced to interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities and encouraged to establish relationships with colleagues from different departments. This introduction can be facilitated by the public health department or a designated interdisciplinary collaboration coordinator.

18. Introduction to Ethical Considerations: Public health physicians face various ethical dilemmas in their practice. Therefore, they should receive training on ethical considerations, such as informed consent, equity, justice, and cultural sensitivity. This training is typically conducted by the medical ethics department or a designated ethics coordinator.

19. Introduction to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Programs: Public health physicians often engage in health promotion and disease prevention activities. Therefore, they should be introduced to ongoing programs, campaigns, and initiatives aimed at improving population health. This introduction can be facilitated by the public health department or a designated health promotion coordinator.

20. Introduction to Data Analysis and Epidemiology: Public health physicians should have a solid understanding of data analysis and epidemiological methods to interpret health data and contribute to evidence-based decision-making. Therefore, they should receive training on data analysis software, statistical methods, and epidemiological principles. This training can be conducted by the epidemiology department or a designated data analysis coordinator

Setting Up Your Employee Onboarding Process

From reading through the items in the example Public Health Physician checklist above, you’ll now have an idea of how you can apply best practices to getting your new Public Health Physician up to speed and working well in your Healthcare 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.