Turn Your Onboarding
into a Retention Machine
If you're scaling a healthcare startup, you already know hiring is hard. But keeping people? Even harder.
The true cost of a bad hire isn’t just about salary. It’s about time lost, culture diluted, burnout accelerated, and momentum stalled.
In this article, we’ll break down how forward-thinking healthcare leaders are redesigning onboarding not just to check a compliance box—but to actively drive retention, loyalty, and productivity.
This isn’t theory. It’s a practical breakdown from Sabrina Runbeck, Co-Founder of PulsePoint Path, and Adam Lewis, CEO of Apploi, who together explore what it really takes to create a workforce that sticks.
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Live Interview
Why Onboarding is a Founder-Level Strategy
Founders can’t afford to hand off hiring and onboarding to HR alone. The way new team members are welcomed, trained, and integrated into your mission will either compound your vision—or dilute it.
"Your job descriptions should speak to purpose, not just qualifications. Your onboarding should answer: 'What does winning look like in 90 days?'" — Sabrina Runbeck
For high-growth companies, onboarding isn’t just orientation—it’s your first culture imprint. It tells your newest team members:
- What you expect
- What success looks like
- How much support they can count on
When done well, this moment becomes the spark that drives loyalty and retention.
From Compliance to Connection
Too many onboarding experiences are stuck in bureaucracy. Licensing forms. Policies. Payroll systems.
"We used to see new hires given packets of paper to fill out and manually upload. It caused delays and early disengagement. That’s where burnout starts." — Adam Lewis
Apploi’s tech-enabled hiring platform solves this by automating license checks, onboarding documents, and even initial schedule matching—allowing clinical staff to focus on care, not paperwork.
But the tech alone isn’t the fix. It’s the mindset behind it:
Retention starts before day one.
When people feel like the organization is ready for them, invested in them, and helping them succeed, they’re far more likely to stay and grow.
5 Ways to Turn Onboarding into a Retention Machine
- Set Clear 30-60-90 Day Milestones
Break down what success looks like. When employees know how they’ll "win," they bring more confidence to the role. - Align Values with Roles
Don’t just check licenses. Check for alignment. Use job descriptions that share what values are expected, and what culture feels like. - Use AI to Simplify the Start
Automation isn’t about replacing humans. It’s about giving humans more space. Pre-populated forms, text message follow-ups, and digital schedule preferences eliminate confusion and friction. - Train Managers on Recognition
Appreciation isn’t just a bonus. It’s a language. When employees feel seen—especially in the first few months—they’re more likely to stay and engage. - Create Career Maps from Day One
Retention skyrockets when people can visualize a future. Don’t wait until year two to talk growth. From CNA to RN, or coordinator to lead, your onboarding should show where this job can take them.
How Burnout Prevention Begins with Better Onboarding
In high-turnover environments, the cost of losing just one nurse or aide can be devastating.
Adam shared how frontline employees are nominated each year for Apploi’s internal caregiver recognition program. Hundreds of submissions tell stories of dedication, care, and emotional labor that often go unnoticed.
"These are the people we should be celebrating. They’re not just filling shifts—they’re the heart of care. Our systems should support them like it." — Adam Lewis
Burnout isn’t always a volume issue. It’s often a mismatch between the environment and the expectation. Onboarding is the first moment to bridge that gap.
Investor Insight: Why Apploi Deserves a Spot in Your Portfolio
If you're tracking healthtech ventures that solve real operational pain points—Apploi stands out.
With Adam Lewis at the helm, Apploi isn’t just streamlining healthcare hiring; it’s reshaping how organizations attract, onboard, and retain talent across 9,000+ facilities. In a sector where staffing gaps drive both cost and care quality risks, their platform delivers measurable ROI.
And if you’re an investor managing a portfolio of healthcare startups, PulsePoint Path can help your companies accelerate with less risk and more strategic alignment:
🚀 Leadership Maximizer
Get your executive team moving in sync—fast. We help align leadership, reduce team friction, and identify strategic hires before they become critical gaps.
🔍 Pathfinder Program
Avoid shiny-object syndrome. Our structured SWOT deep dives reveal what’s working, what’s stalling growth, and where to focus for scale.
💸 Capital Readiness Scorecard
We spotlight risks to your burn rate and help you craft clear, funder-ready narratives for your next raise.
🎯 HealthTech Showdown
Have a rockstar company like Apploi? Nominate them to pitch in front of active investors and enterprise buyers already sourcing solutions in workforce, care delivery, diagnostics, and more.
Let PulsePoint Path help you back founders with operational strength—not just vision.
Related Resources
- ImpactQuotientQuiz.com: Find out how strong your impact foundation really is.
- HealthTechShowdown.com: Apply to pitch your startup in front of active investors and health system decision-makers.
- PulsePointPath.com: Discover how our 5D Integrated System helps founders grow sustainably.
About Sabrina Runbeck
Sabrina Runbeck, MPH, MHS, PA-C helps healthcare technology companies scale sustainably—without burning out their teams or running out of cash.
She is the Co-Founder of PulsePoint Path and works alongside a 12-integrated board of advisors to help founders make strategic decisions that multiply impact and protect capital.
Her signature 5D Integrated System helps companies move beyond one-dimensional problem solving—what they think the issue is—and instead, builds an Empowered Ecosystem across leadership, team dynamics, and systems alignment. This is how founders evolve from early traction to 10x growth.
Sabrina is also a TEDx speaker, former Cardiothoracic Surgery PA, and trusted advisor with over 15 years of experience in public health, neuroscience, and business acceleration.
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After overcoming burnout working in surgery, I went back to my roots in neuroscience and public health. I learned the importance of building key human relationships with my team throughout our organization.
While helping healthcare executives and entrepreneurs to get out of the day-to-day operation of their practice, I realized I needed more visibility and more connections to reach my ideal clients.
Once I set out to be highly visible in the right circles, I was able to leverage my network of strategic partners to convert clients 5x higher than any other marketing channel I had tried previously.
Now I help healthcare change-makers to accelerate their impact and increase profitability by gaining visibility and credibility with the right strategic partners.
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