Scenario

The HIM department at LiveWell has an experienced staff, with most employees working in the unit for ten years or more. The group of ladies has great camaraderie. Each person knows their work assignment and knows how to cover for others in the group while they are sick or on vacation. The ladies lunch together and rotate a monthly dinner at their homes. The department has enjoyed a strong team atmosphere and regularly meets productivity and unit goals.

Last year, Betty, who had been in the HIM unit for 18 years, was suddenly diagnosed with advanced cancer and, despite an aggressive treatment plan, died only seven months after her diagnosis. The HIM director, LaMueta, posted Betty's job and hired a floor technician from the housekeeping department into Betty's entry-level position. The floor tech, Baron, is a 24-year-old male who is an openly gay man. Baron is super excited about the promotion and the opportunity to work in HIM. Baron is enrolled in a medical coding and billing program and is eager to prove himself in the HIM department. This new position fits nicely into his professional goal of being an inpatient coder one day at LiveWell.

Sylvia, who has 15 years of HIM experience, has been asked to train Baron, and after three weeks of training, Baron is hardly even able to log into the EHR. The notes he has taken from his training are a mish-mash of old methodologies not used in the HIM department for over five years and current EHR functions that are not Baron's job responsibility. Each day, the HIM director, LaMueta, witnesses Baron going to lunch alone, fumbling around his training manual, and going back and forth between Sylvia's desk and his own. It is clear he is struggling with his HIM position.

After meeting with Baron and Sylvia individually, it has become apparent to LaMueta that Sylvia is sabotaging Baron's training and, in doing so, has completely prevented his success in the HIM department.

Prepare a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) for Sylvia by completing the seven steps below of a PIP for your employee. Additional parts may complement the PIP for completeness and this specific scenario related to diversity and inclusion.

PIP Process Steps

1. Define the problem. Determine if the problem is a performance problem and/or a behavior problem.
2. Determine the performance expectation needed for the HIM department.
3. Define the duties or behaviors where improvement is required.
4. Establish the priorities of improvement. For example:
5. What are the possible consequences of the behaviors?
6. What example does the lack of inclusion and acceptance set for the HIM department?
7. How do they relate when compared with expectations and standards?
8. Identify the standards upon which performance will be measured for the behaviors and lack of effort by Sylvia.
9. Establish short-range and long-range goals and timetables for accomplishing change in the performance/behavior with the employee.
10. Develop an action plan.
11. What will the manager do to help the employee accomplish the goals within the desired time frame?
12. What will the employee do to facilitate the improvement of behavior and effort?