Certainly one of the toughest jobs in healthcare management is conducting employee performance appraisals. It is generally not the favorite activity of managers or staff level employees, but it is very important. Annual appraisals can result in improved staff performance, better quality of patient care, and enhanced efficiency of operations. It can also boost employee morale. On the other hand, appraisals can provoke anxiety, animosity, and lack of respect among staff and managers if not done correctly. We certainly want to do a good job in this area of managing our healthcare facilities. 



For this discussion, let us put you in the department director chair, nursing director, lab director, radiology director, respiratory therapy director, or whichever hat fits best. As director, how will you go about creating an employee performance appraisal process for your department? What kinds of things would you do during the year to be ready for annual appraisals? How will you conduct and document the appraisal session itself?