Grady Health System (GHS) employs 3,000 physicians representing over 80 medical specialties and is recognized as having some of the nation's top physicians. In Atlanta, Georgia, Grady Health combines the best medical care with leading-edge technology and world-class facilities. Its Level I Trauma Center is one of the busiest in the region.
After the pandemic stretched the financial resources of hospitals thin nationwide, Grady Health System (GHS), among other hospitals, needed immediate relief from the suffocating expenses associated with hiring contingent workers. Moreover, nurse burnout was high after two years of intense working conditions and back-to-back shifts. An already low supply of workers became even more scarce, dramatically increasing the demand for contingent labor. In addition, the market-driven demand had yet to stabilize from the pandemic, and traditional agencies pushed higher rates to attract contingent workers. As a result, GHS was under heavy pressure to reduce costs and find creative and sustainable ways to save money for the hospital. Lastly, the health system needed more visibility into what the hospital was paying their contingent workers versus what the bill rates the hospital received were. To gain insight outside of the feedback they received from the agencies, it would require greater transparency to create sustainable solutions for their organization’s contingent workforce.
HWL and Grady had already established a relationship while working with the Georgia Department of Health (GHS) through the planning and implementing of four major vaccination sites during the Pandemic. The government contract between DPH and HWL ended when GHS decided to maintain a contractual relationship. Grady recognized HWL as a trusted and results-driven organization, and their partnership made sense.
GHS, with the help of HWL’s highly experienced Workforce Team, built and executed a Grady-branded private label, Grady Works. Claudia Jayne, HWL Workforce Management Director, explained the impact of the private label for Grady Health, “Grady needed the advantage of using branded agency marketing on multiple platforms to attract nurses to their hospital. Through working with HWL and Wanderly, Grady was able to increase market visibility.” The opportunity to implement an alternative to the traditional staffing solution allowed Grady to acquire the data needed to attract contingent workers to fill the staffing gaps in their hospital. Not only did the private label act to fill contingent labor positions, but it provided valuable insight into the staff rate and bill rate so that Grady would have the leverage to market their positions better and at a competitive rate to bring in nurses they needed.
Sabrina Broadnax, Vice President of Human Resources for Grady Health System, described the situation before and after the implementation of Grady Works, “To meet the high demand for clinical staff during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, our hospital developed a reliance on travel nurses. However, we needed more direct insight into the market rates for contingent staff and struggled to source quality candidates at competitive rates. That is until Grady Works was created. Thanks to this solution, we now understand the market rates and can drive competition for top candidates. As a result, our organization has saved money and improved our approach to staffing contingent labor.”
Grady Works is marketed through Wanderly and other social media marketing funnels to become a known brand alongside other vendors. GHS has saved an average of 21% on their contingent labor costs through the newfound visibility into rates. The cost savings can be attributed to the direct insight into contingent pay and bill rates through HWL's innovative technology and the ability of GHS to set more sustainable rates for their organization. The average fill rate among contingent workers is 78%.
Grady's location in beautiful Atlanta has also been another draw for travelers. The area is known for its sports teams, bars, restaurants, and impressive sites like the Centennial Olympic Park. With the location appeal and competitive rates, Grady Health System could direct source their contingent workers rather than relying heavily on outside agencies. This setup provides a sustainable solution for Grady's contingent labor needs while also continuing to bring in the quality workers required to deliver quality patient care that meets and exceeds that of other nearby facilities.
HWL is an expert in workforce solutions, including direct sourcing contingent staff. Contact a representative today to learn more about HWL’s proprietary technology and how we can help your organization save money.
Featured on Becker's Healthcare: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/strategy/how-grady-health-system-transformed-contingent-labor-management-with-grady-works-saving-millions-on-agency-spending.html