Austin Retina’s Leadership Development Program Enhances Patient Care and Customer Service
Along with the specialized retinal care that we offer, delivering an unparalleled patient and employee experience is our top priority. We understand the value and importance of each team member and one way we are showing that commitment is by equipping our front line staff and managers with leadership skills to help them better serve our patients and each other.
Through the development and introduction of the Leadership Development Program (LDP) in 2021, more than 50 employees were educated, empowered, and inspired to be better leaders and coworkers – and therefore better caretakers to our patients. Dr. Jose Agustin Martinez has been instrumental in making it accessible to all of our employees, as he truly believes everyone has the capability within to become a strong leader.
What is Austin Retina’s LDP?
Building on our existing customer service training, our LDP addresses the soft skills (effective listening, giving feedback, and making requests) which are essential to creating a positive and cohesive team environment. Embracing and then actively putting these skills to use in our clinics every day ultimately creates a positive experience for Austin Retina patients as well.
The goals of the LDP are to:
- Provide value to our staff in a way that will make them more successful throughout their professional careers and personal relationships.
- Provide value to our patients by improving the emotional intelligence and professionalism of all our team members ultimately helping us to function in a more respectful and friendly manner.
At Austin Retina, we thoroughly embrace the servant-leader model of leadership and believe it is the key to our continued success,” says LDP champion and board-certified retina specialist, Dr. Jose Agustin Martinez. “We want all our staff to embrace and own their role as leaders in delivering excellence to our patients.”
Key Highlights of the LDP
Some of the important lessons/themes that we impart on participants in this program include:
● Everyone brings value to the team, and knowing how to work with everyone can create a productive balance.
● Learning how to effectively deal with different personality types (both on a team and in terms of patients) is a powerful tool.
● Taking risks is the gateway to success, even if you initially fail. What you learn to do because of a failure is what will eventually help you succeed.
● Being empathetic and truly trying to understand where someone else is coming from will help you see the positive in all situations.
● Emphasizing self-care in order to be your best self for your co-workers and our patients.
The LDP uses a combination of training methods such as role-play, videos, games, suggested readings, and regular meetings with a mentor to ensure employees’ success.
Our Commitment to Patient Care
At Austin Retina Associates, we are endlessly committed to the journey of delivering excellence in retina care while treating everyone with respect and dignity. We work tirelessly to achieve this mission by embracing our core values of courtesy, diligence, integrity, and teamwork. Our pursuit of excellence in serving you never ends, and we welcome patient input at any time so that we may continue to best meet your needs.
As always, we are grateful for those who entrust us at Austin Retina with their retina care.
To schedule an appointment with one of our retinal specialists, please call 800-252-8259 or request an appointment online.
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