Staffing shortages in healthcare remain a key challenge for leaders and in some cases are even linked to increases in healthcare-associated infections. From an aging workforce to post-pandemic stress and burnout — hospital systems are addressing these issues by working directly with educational institutions to fill talent pipelines, looking at alternative staffing solutions and investing in technology.
Becker's Healthcare recently sat down with Ish Singla, MD, founder and president of Vemsta, to discuss why cost control is crucial in workforce stabilization, maintaining care quality and how managed service providers (MSPs) can help in addressing these challenges effectively.
Editor's note: Answers have been edited for clarity and context.
Question: Many healthcare organizations continue to struggle with a multitude of issues pertaining to the workforce. In your view, what element of the healthcare workforce isn't discussed enough?
Ish Singla, MD: I feel that the typology of healthcare workforce imbalances is not discussed enough. Healthcare workforce imbalances can be categorized into several types. We have shortages in speciality care, particularly in nursing, ORs and intensive care. Then you have the geographical differences; we know. rural areas often face shortages of healthcare workers, and some metropolitan areas might have overstaffed facilities because of their academic affiliations and research funding. Here, there is also an imbalance between curative and preventive care funding.
Imbalances in gender representation lead to women being underrepresented in managerial roles and certain specialties like surgeons, which may impact attention to gender-specific healthcare issues.
Unfortunately, efforts to address these imbalances, including incentives and policy reforms, have seen limited success globally.
Q: What are some tools and strategies health system leaders can leverage to better manage their workforce?
IS: Addressing the healthcare workforce shortage requires strategic planning and innovative solutions. There are a few things leaders need to take into account.
First and foremost, a needs analysis can help analyze patient volume and drill down on how much staff is needed to prevent under or over staffing. To get people into the right place at the right time, a scheduling software can help track staff availability, adjust schedules and ensure adequate coverage.
Both approaches can then help organizations be more data-informed, with staffing and resource allocation decisions guided by performance data, patient outcomes and staff satisfaction.
I also do not want to discount the importance of staff training that can help boost retention rates and staff satisfaction. Here, we should also make it a point to hire diverse staff to meet diversity, equity and inclusion goals and address a broad range of patient needs.
Creating a welcoming and open environment through clear communication, flexible policies that help with work-life balance, and recognition and rewards can help in combating burnout and fostering a culture of loyalty and dedication.
At Vemsta, we leverage AI and automation to optimize hiring. By providing a comprehensive digital tool to manage per diem staffing, permanent staffing, locum physicians, nursing and allied health, we streamline healthcare staffing for long-term success.
Q: When selecting vendor management software to support smarter staffing, what capabilities are essential? What should health system leaders look for?
IS: Choosing the right vendor management system (VMS) is crucial for maximizing your healthcare system's efficiency and recruitment success.
Look for comprehensive analytics and dashboards. A good VMS delivers personalized insights into vendor performance, timelines and critical data.
During the hiring process, the system should be able to engage multiple agencies to swiftly find top talent. That same system should also manage candidates and staffing vendors effortlessly on one platform.
Automation and seamless calendar integration are just as important as the ability to message candidates within the platform to avoid delays. Digital credentialing should be available to onboard candidates faster.
Keeping the system features I mentioned in mind, leaders really need to look into what they need and identify key features necessary to streamline operations. Understand factors like company size, the types of healthcare facilities you serve and the number of employees.
While assessing the new system is important, leaders should also ensure scalability and compatibility. Choose a VMS that can scale with your agency's growth and integrate seamlessly with your existing systems, such as payroll and HR software.
Last but not least, see what's out there and find a vendor that has the capabilities you're looking for. Do your research and read reviews that show industry certifications, their reputation and any other pertinent details.
Q: Is there a specific success story from one of Vemsta's partners that can help readers better understand the power of this technology?
IS: One of our clients was managing staffing across multiple specialties and faced numerous challenges, as recruiters spend excessive time on administrative tasks like calculating rates and uploading candidate profiles. This led to inefficiencies, reduced productivity and payment errors. They struggled with credential verification, manually screening professionals and ensuring compliance with licenses and immunizations.
Disjointed operations and manual processes compounded the shortage of qualified staff, especially in critical departments like the ICU. The client needed to speed up placement, consolidate operations, ensure compliance and reduce costs.
We focused on integrating Vemsta to improve staffing operations across all hospitals, providing real-time updates and seamless management. This enhanced the user experience with real-time data and a user-friendly interface, which improved staff placement processes. Integrating messaging enabled smooth communications across all vendors and hospital staff. And finally, automated credentialing reminders and transparent operations helped with vendor compliance, reducing fraud risks.
After implementation, external audits ran smoothly and payment processes became timely, allowing hospitals to focus on delivering excellent care.
Q: What's next for Vemsta? How will this technology continue to evolve?
IS: The global vendor management software market is poised for rapid growth, projected to rise from USD $4.8 billion in 2022 to USD $10.4 billion by 2033, with a 12.6% annual growth rate. This surge reflects the increasing importance of efficient vendor management in today's business world, driven by advancements in AI, business intelligence, machine learning and data visualization.
AI, automation, predictive analytics and blockchain in particular are transforming vendor management systems.Vemsta employs AI to evaluate potential vendors based on specific criteria, ensuring high-quality selections that align with clients' needs.
We use predictive analytics to optimize vendor relationships, assess performance and pinpoint areas for improvement to enhance service delivery. Through blockchain-enabled contract management we create transparency, integrity and security in contract storage — reducing the risk of disputes.
Incorporating these technologies allows organizations to optimize their vendor management processes and improve overall performance. As a forward-thinking staffing agency, we want to provide clients with a competitive edge in an ever-changing vendor management landscape.