WorkKeys for HealthCare Is Just What the Doctor Ordered

“We expect hospitals and other health-related organizations to use the system for hiring and employee development. But WorkKeys for HealthCare also will be a valuable tool in education, where it can be used to evaluate curricula for nursing and health technician programs,” said Scott Wyatt, ACT’s vice president of workforce business development and marketing.

Like all the WorkKeys^® exams, the WorkKeys for HealthCare exams are developed to identify whether a test-taker has the foundational skills needed to successfully complete intensive, job-specific training. Like our traditional WorkKeys system, WorkKeys for HealthCare uses job analysis, skills assessment, and skill training to boost employees’ skills and help executives make informed, data-driven hiring decisions. All of the components of the system work together and can be adapted for specific needs of clients in healthcare fields.

Why Measure Foundational Skills for the Healthcare Industry?

Each exam in the WorkKeys for HealthCare battery measures skills a healthcare professional uses at work every day.  More . . .

ACT promoted WorkKeys for HealthCare through a marketing and media launch, including print advertising, e-mail and direct mail campaigns, news releases, and published stories in such media as T+D and Employment and Training Reporter magazines. In addition, the product was exhibited at several high-profile national conferences, including the annual conferences of the Society for Human Resource Management, the American Society for Training and Development, and the American Society of Healthcare Human Resource Administrators.

The launch generated a lot of enthusiasm in the healthcare industry. One hospital in South Carolina, for example, plans to complete 14 job profiles and 1,000 assessments in the first year of use.

Another institution, the Owensboro Medical Health System in Kentucky, has used WorkKeys for a long time and seen great results. OMHS implemented WorkKeys in a skill-enhancement system for professional staff (registered nurses, surgical technicians, and physical therapists) and skilled employees (including maintenance and food services positions). Offering stipends to employees who completed the program, the hospital reports it has reduced turnover by 32 percent and increased employee skill levels substantially.

“We have had a lot of positive feedback from our employees,” said Annette Schaefer, educational development coordinator. “They have become excited about learning and about their own possibilities for advancement through learning.”

WorkKeys for HealthCare is the first offering in a planned series of ACT’s Workforce Readiness Systems—ACT-created products and services designed for specific industries. Systems are in development for the information technology, retail, and hospitality industries.

“This system solves some of the problems that keep healthcare executives awake at night—notably high turnover and skills gaps among entry-level professional employees,” said Michael Eisenstein, president and chief operating officer of ACT’s Workforce Development Division. “WorkKeys for HealthCare marks an evolution in a program that has worked for many companies across the nation to increase employee retention and productivity, and produce a healthier bottom line.”