As turnover rates, limited access and job vacancies continue to plague the healthcare industry, many hospitals and health systems are turning to flexible work strategies to provide physicians with a proper work-life balance, manage costs and improve operating margins.
AMN Healthcare, the largest provider of healthcare interim leadership and executive search services in the U.S., recently put together a report highlighting how healthcare organizations can tackle the ongoing challenges being faced. Here are the three ways:
1. Leverage healthcare staffing technology: Through utilizing staffing technology to simplify tasks and streamline operations, hospitals and health systems can reduce risk of canceled shifts and core staff floating through developing stronger staff schedules. Staffing technology can also help with improving budget and resource planning, along with the reduction of "in-the-moment," last-minute staffing decisions.
AMN suggested providing healthcare workers with input when creating schedules through use of self-scheduling and open shift management tools. During heavier staffing need weeks, shift incentives can also be another helpful way to get staff engaged. Vendor management systems can help healthcare organizations reduce additional time spent hiring, staffing and invoicing through use of automation. VMS is another cost-effective and quality-focused tool that helps ensure strong candidates. Integrated mobile applications can also be used to help healthcare workers search and pick up shifts in an efficient and engaging way.
2. Find the right balance of talent: While many healthcare leaders think they need more staff, AMN said it's important to analyze data, like a staffing plan or VMS information, to determine staffing shortage areas, causes and solutions.
Workforce analysis can help hospitals and health systems pinpoint over-and-under staffing and provide optimal core staff level guidance. It can also provide increased staffing retention, improve work-life balance, and help with savings and strategic realignment. Philadelphia-based Temple Health was able to reduce total labor spending from 23% to 17% through using workforce analysis, the Sept. 5, 2023, report said.
Recruitment process outsourcing can also help hire staff quickly and efficiently, all while reducing cost and ensuring the candidate is a strong fit
3. Implement flexible talent models: Staffing strategies need layers of staff that can flex up and down as needed, the report said. Through use of an internal float pool, organizations can ensure efficient staffing through multiple facilities, leading to reduced staffing cost, improved retention and stronger patient outcomes.
The internal float pool also provides organizations with more nurses to pick from to meet their needs and reduces premium contract staffing needs by ensuring qualified nurse access. Internal agencies are another option to help run nurse recruitment, training and deployment.
Direct sourcing can also be utilized to provide organizations with technology to attract healthcare workers independently.
Gig workers are another way to access flexible nurses and address staffing shortages. Through utilizing technology and mobile apps, nurses can pick up shifts in the healthcare organizations area either temporarily or permanently, the report said.