Page 44 - 2021 MHA Start-up Guide

STAFFING YOUR MOBILE HEALTH VEHICLE

Your staff is your program’s most important asset. Without them, there is no clinical service, no
administrative support, no mission . You should put just as much thought into who you hire as you
do into the design of your vehicle . There are a number of elements to consider when recruiting
and staffing your program:

Budgetary considerations
Your client population and service type should at least partially dictate the staff you hire. But bud-
get will play a large role as well . If you’re looking to sustain, you’ll need to keep costs in check,
and salary will be one of your biggest expenses . Tailor your hiring to the service level . If you’re
screening for asthma, for example, you might consider working with RNs or nurse practitioners
as opposed to physicians . Even for more advanced screenings and treatment, a nurse practi-
tioner or physician’s assistant may be sufficient.

Openness to cross-training
Mobile units only function if each staff member can fill several roles, so hire for willingness to
learn, and cross-train early and often. It will not only create efficiency, but also redundancy, which
will be helpful should a staff member suddenly become unavailable. Look for candidates with
core skills in advanced areas, like billing, and then cross-train them in simpler tasks . For example,
your commercially licensed driver could be trained to perform intake duties or operate certain
equipment. Note that when cross-training drivers, you must be cognizant of state regulations,
which mandate a specific number of “off” hours before a driver can operate a vehicle again.

Credentials
It sounds obvious but make sure that any medical/dental staff you bring on board are licensed
and in good standing within their profession .

By federal law, if your vehicle is over 26,000 pounds, your driver will have to carry a commercial
driver’s license (CDL or Class 1 in Canada), which may mean a higher wage . Given their ability to
work with large vehicles, you may want to consider a CDL driver even if your vehicle is under, but
close to, that threshold . And remember, and provinces may have their own licensing parameters,
which are critical to sort out ahead of time . Your department of transportation is a good place to
start for fact-finding.

The right attitude

Your staff members can expect to work long hours and possibly weekends in confined spaces in
non-ideal locations. Look for self-sufficient, resourceful individuals, ideally with past experience
in community health . Don’t forget cultural competencies, some of which can be trained, but oth-
ers of which should come with the candidate (e .g ., local language abilities) .

Planning for staff needs
Just as your staff serves your local client population, you must also serve your staff. Here are
some steps you can take to make sure your program is operating efficiently and effectively, and
that staff are safe, happy and productive.

42 MOBILE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM STAR T-UP GUIDE