Human resource development (HRD) programs are important for hospitals to ensure an efficient and motivated workforce. HRD in hospitals includes training programs for medical staff to update their skills as well as service and behavioral training for frontline staff. Training should not only focus on medical aspects but also soft skills and customer service. Leadership programs and internal team-building activities can further develop staff. Hospitals should also provide rewards and incentives to motivate staff and gather feedback to improve HRD programs.

1. Application of HRD in
Hospitals

2. A Brief Introduction
• Hospitals are an integral part of society
• Hospital staff should perform their duties in a coordinated and pre
planned manner
• Proper medical services do not reach people due to various
reasons like lack of medical equipment, drugs and training.
• One of the major issues is lack of manpower especially required in
emergency situations.

3. • There is no shortage in hospital training programs for doctors. They
are already skilled enough.
• It is the second level staff in hospitals i.e., nurses, compounders,
paramedics, receptionists, cleaning staff and other people which
require proper training programs to be carried out.
Before moving on further we must take a look at the aim and
objective of Human Resource Development.

4. A short note on HRD
‘ Human Resource Development is a framework
comprising of a series of organising activities relating to
developing individual skills, knowledge and ability in the
interest of the organisational goal achievement along
with the individual.’

5. HRD deals with the all-round development of an employee within an
organization, his career development, training, counseling,
updating him with the latest technology and develop his skills which
would prove beneficial to both the employee and the organization in
achieving the organization goals.
An HRD program is a sequence of well-defined steps :
1. Assessing the HRD needs
2. Selecting lesson plans and preparing training methods
3. Implementing HRD program
4. Evaluation of utility of the training programs

6. Current Scenario
 There is only one doctor per 1,700 citizens in India; the World
Health Organization stipulates a minimum ratio of 1:1,000
 There are 387 medical colleges in the country—181 in
government and 206 in private sector. India produces 30,000
doctors, 18,000 specialists, 54,000 nurses and 36,000
pharmacists annually.
 India would need about four lakh more by 2020 to maintain the
required ratio of one doctor per 1,000 people.

7. Situation in Rural India:
 Hospitals and health centers in small towns are comparatively
small and cater to small population
 In addition to the shortage of service providers, the system is
plagued by poor involvement and participation of those who are
employed.
 Nurses in rural areas are often less qualified than their urban
counterparts and lack a proper recognized degree such as BSN.
Moreover they lack a proper protocol to handle emergency
situations.
 Lack of dedicated cleaning personnel.

8. Situation in Rural India (continued) :
 Lack of employee orientation programs.
 Lack of employee monitoring system.
 Lack of proper reward system.
Situation in Public Sector Hospitals:
 Public hospitals are the major providers of health care in India.
 Some of the major problems in the public sector hospitals today
are inadequate training and inappropriate selection of government
employees.

9. Situation in Public Sector Hospitals:
 Low hygiene standard
 Lack general working ethics and co-ordination between employees
at different levels.
 Issues of salary scale, career path, continuing education/training
and pension system.
Situation in Private Sector Hospitals:
 The situation in private situation is generally much better than that
of public sector hospitals.

10. Situation in Private Sector Hospitals (continued):
 Large hospitals such as Apollo and Fortis already have a
dedicated HRD department.
 Medical staffs are well trained and cleanliness is a top priority.
 Job satisfaction is much better.
 However the cost of treatment is significantly higher.

11. Need to Develop HRD in Hospitals
 In many countries the health sector workforce is dissatisfied,
underpaid, poorly motivated and skeptical of decision makers’ ability
to solve the problems facing the health sector.
 Thus, a comprehensive HRD system is essential for ensuring an
efficient and motivated workforce capable of contributing to the
ultimate success of the reforms in hospitals.
 HRD planning, personnel policy, performance management, training
are some of the aspects of HRD that are relevant in any hospital,
regardless of its size, purpose, and degree of complexity, and
whether it is public or private.

12. Ways to Develop HRD Programs in Hospitals
Training Programs :
Training can be largely divided into two segments.
 The continual medical training given to doctors, nurses and
paramedics.
 Service and behavioral training given to the front-office staff,
telephone operators as well as nurses.
While the former ensures that services are as per the quality standards
set, the latter is essential for the positive mindset of the employees who
will deliver the service.

13. Training program for Nurses:
The Training Program for Nurses should not only focus on medical
aspects but also on hospitality.

14. Training For Improving Soft Skills:
 Soft skills play a vital role in hospitals to assuage emotionally
distraught people who come to the hospital and expect empathy and
attention. If the staff is not well trained to handle the customer
tactfully, it can backfire on the image of the hospital.
 Some of the soft skills training programs may include self-awareness,
confidence-building, interpersonal skills, team spirit, corporate
communication, behavioral management and leadership.
General Training Programs:

15. Leadership programmes
To hone the behavioral skills of its employees, hospitals should initiate
leadership programmes for its doctors and also the staff.
 The environment in which health care professionals practice is one in
which conflict and the need for negotiation abounds. The ability to
foster agreements and manage conflict within and between
workgroups can strengthen relationships, transform ideas into
initiatives.
 In order to develop as managers and senior leaders, individuals must
know how their peers, subordinates, and supervisors perceive them.

16.  Such Training programmes help in identifying personal strengths
and weaknesses and create a developmental plan to guide their
future in the organization.
Internal Team-building :
Training programmes are also effective platforms for internal team
building. When employees from different departments of a hospital
come together by dint of a training initiative, it gives them an
opportunity to understand each other better.

17. Technical Training :
The technical workfront of training and development in a hospital
includes aspects like evaluation of patients by technicians from ECG,
Echo, TMT, X-Ray, and also anaesthesia technicians, physician
assistants, cath lab technicians and nursing care professionals.
Training to handle disaster situations:
 Hospitals are amongst the most vulnerable places in case of any
natural disaster because it houses patients who may not be able to
escape.
 Disaster management techniques must be imparted to every member
of hospital to mitigate the effects of disaster at various level.
 Such a training program is provided by NDMA.

18. Training for cleaning staff
A hospital generates medical wastes which may be harmful if not
properly disposed. As a result their training programmes include:
 How to handle bio-hazard, used syringes and other medical wastes.
 Separation of waste into recyclable and non-recyclable
components.
 learning how to operate hospital oriented cleaning machines.
 Maintain a log of cleaning activities done.

19. Role Of Rewards And Bonus In Hrd
 Rewards and bonuses play important role in HRD as they can
prove to be a motivating factor
 The hospital staff can be rewarded periodically for their excellent
work which would further encourage them to work harder
 Monthly rewards such as 'Employee of the month' in different
departments and Merit pay system can also be introduced.

20. Feedback from Staff Members
 Regular feedback from hospital staff should be taken to know
their views and opinions about the working environment and
HRD programs being conducted in the hospital.
 This data can be used to analyze the problems faced by the
employees and undertake appropriate actions to help structure
the programs in a better way.