Working in a Healthcare Office: How to Build Rapport

As a full-time working professional, you could spend more time with your coworkers than you do with your own family. That’s why getting along with your colleagues is so important! It will make your job more enjoyable and will also help you work as part of a team. This is especially important in a healthcare office, where you need to collaborate to provide your patients with the best care possible.

Importance of Teamwork in Healthcare

Teamwork is the process of working together to achieve a common goal. In the healthcare setting, the team members include doctors, nurses, technicians, medical assistants, receptionists, billing and coding specialists, and more. All of these professionals work together to improve patient health. It’s a pretty awesome responsibility!

Did you know that more than 70 percent of medical errors are caused by team members not being able to work together. And that’s often attributed to a lack of communication. If you don’t communicate well, you won’t know what others are doing or thinking. You’re not a mind reader, are you? But when team members talk to each other, you have a clear idea of everyone’s responsibilities and where they fit into the healthcare team.

How to Build Rapport

• Welcome New Employees

If you’ve ever started a new job, you know how scary it can be. Support new employees to help them feel welcome and provide them with a positive first impression of their new workplace. Show them the ropes and make them feel part of the team from the start. Invite them to join you for lunch or coffee and let them know that you are always available if they have any questions.

• Be Respectful

From new receptionists to experienced doctors, every team member plays an important role in a medical office setting. Regardless of your position, you should treat all of your coworkers with respect and expect it in return. Every team member has a voice and their opinions and ideas have value; this approach creates a positive working environment.

• Celebrate Accomplishments

Another way you can build rapport with your coworkers is to recognize their good work and accomplishments. Praise your coworkers for a job well done. It will help them feel appreciated and motivate them to work harder. They may even return the favor.

• Find Common Interests

You can strengthen relationships with colleagues by bonding over mutual interests or finding common ground. Sports teams, television shows, outdoor activities, or even talking about children, can all make for pleasant, bonding conversations. Remembering that work isn’t your whole life can bring you closer, foster mutual respect and make it easier for you to work together.

• Spend Time Together Outside of Work

Sometimes it’s hard to get to know people at work. You’re all very busy and acting professionally—which is a good thing. But sometimes, you just want to cut loose. Do it outside of work. Plan an occasional outing to get to know your coworkers away from the medical facility. You could grab dinner or lunch, go to a game or on a hike. You may even want to do volunteer work together. Getting to know who someone is outside of the office can help you better understand who they are in the office.

Hopefully, when you visit your own doctor you see examples of great medical office rapport. You can tell when things run smoothly and the staff seems to actually like one another. From the receptionist who checks you in, to the medical assistant who takes your vitals, to the doctor who performs the checkup, and even the people behind the scenes who make sure you are properly billed, everyone plays an important role.

Have you ever considered a career in the medical field? There are lots of options—and Charter College can help. Whether you want to be a Medical Assistant, Medical Office Administrator, Pharmacy Technician, or Dental Assistant, we have programs to get you started. Fill out the form to learn more now.