Altru Hospital embraces 'train-the-trainer' strategy for employee development

Everyone knows experience counts. But when you can add up experience in terms of three or more decades, it really counts.

As Dwight Thompson, CFO at Altru Hospital, in Grand Forks, N.D., put it: "I don't managethat much. It's more a matter of letting them go. After all, I've been with some of them for 30 years."

One of the many benefits of that kind of experience, Thompson said, is that his people "have found the path to what they do best," and as a result are more or less self directed.

Of course, despite the experience, processes still need managing. To facilitate that, Altruhas implemented a "train-the-trainer" strategy. For example, to prepare for the impending ICD-10 conversion, Altru has been sending select staff members off site for training. When these employees return, they train others in the department. 

At Altru, Thompson said, each employee is expected to do their job but be flexible enough, if needed, to help out in any part of the department or organization.

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