Hospitals and health systems are preparing for COVID-19 workforce challenges that vary based on organization size, location and number of cases handled. To overcome these challenges, organizations should focus on whether they're before a surge of patients, during a surge of patients or after a surge, according to a new report from KPMG, a global network of advisory firms.
Nine tips from the report:
Before a surge of patients
- Develop a workforce plan that can handle lower-than-expected patient volumes and much higher volumes
- Train clinical staff for new roles related to the coronavirus
- Train nonclinical workers for clinical support roles, such as managing crisis call centers
During a surge
- Deploy new workers into positions related to the coronavirus
- Implement guidelines to support new work arrangements and staffing needs
- Address potential employee attrition and burnout
After a surge
- Update workforce plans based on supply and demand
- Work to improve recruiting, onboarding and other workforce services
- Update human resources programs and policies to better attract and retain workers
Read the full report here.
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