HWL Insights

In the complex world of healthcare, where patient care is paramount, the retention of skilled nurses is a critical challenge that institutions constantly face. Amidst rising operational costs and the evolving demands of healthcare delivery, labor management emerges as a pivotal strategy not only for cost control but also as a fundamental lever for enhancing nurse retention and, ultimately, patient care quality. This blog delves into the transformative power of effective labor management strategies in the healthcare sector, offering insights into how organizations can navigate these challenges to foster a more sustainable, efficient, and caring environment.

Let’s be real - travel nursing is awesome, BUT it requires a LOT of coordination to achieve the maximum benefits of top pay and flexibility. What if you could achieve most of the benefits of travel nursing with the job security of a staff nursing position? Have you considered joining an Internal Resource Pool (IRP) aka Local Insourced Flex Teams (LIFT)?

Contingent workers have become a mainstay in the healthcare space, particularly travel nurses. With inflation affecting supply chains in nearly every sector, skill gaps ever widening, and a seemingly-endless talent shortage, it's no wonder facilities are increasingly reliant on travel staff. However, travel nurses come at a premium cost, so overreliance on them can hemorrhage dollars. They also change the way talent management strategies are implemented.

Healthcare companies have been finding creative ways to minimize skill gaps through qualified talent for decades now. Staffing shortages were exacerbated throughout the pandemic, with some recovery happening in recent years. Most organizations became dependent on contingent labor in some form or another, for good reason — since 2020, nearly one in five healthcare workers left their jobs and recent surveys suggest that 47% of U.S. healthcare workers plan on leaving their positions by 2025.

One of the most significant challenges that hospitals have faced for years is the shortage of skilled workers. This, in turn, has made recruiting extremely competitive — if hospitals are all vying for the same candidates in the same labor pool, whoever offers the most will win. So, it's no wonder the industry average time to fill positions is 49 days.

Tracy Kettler is a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience in healthcare workforce solutions, operations and strategic business relationships. As the Vice President, Account Management at Nomad Health, she successfully led the expansion of the account management team, developed training programs, and improved supplier rankings. Tracy's career highlights include leadership roles at AMN Healthcare and RightSourcing Inc., where she managed large client portfolios and implemented successful programs. With a degree and progressive experience, Tracy has been recognized by leadership, peers, and clients for her deep understanding of workforce solutions in healthcare. Her expertise spans all facets of implementation, client services and delivery for many industry-leading healthcare systems.

Managed service providers (MSP) have quickly become a mainstay in the U.S. healthcare space, with around 71% of all healthcare organizations utilizing them in some capacity. The benefits that an MSP provides have proven numerous, ranging from streamlining talent acquisition to decreasing procurement costs and beyond.

Healthcare recruitment strategies have shifted dramatically over the past few years, with a heavier emphasis on retaining key talent. This has manifested in a number of ways — relying on contingent staff to fill gaps and give full-time staff a break, implementing measures to improve work-life balance, and more. Since these changes have been driven by external factors such as new technologies, demographic shifts, and more, it has been up to each individual healthcare organization to decide how to invest in creative ways to attract talent. 

Lee Health is among the most extensive not-for-profit public health systems in the United States, with over 950 primary and specialty care physicians and advanced practitioners serving patients across Southwest Florida in more than 100 practice locations.

HWL is proud to announce Reed Parsons as the Senior Director of Sales Enablement, the latest team member to join our organization. Reed brings a wealth of experience and strategic leadership to his role, marked by a remarkable career in the dynamic field of sales and enablement. Throughout his journey, Reed has consistently made impactful contributions, showcasing his ability to drive organizational success through innovative approaches and meticulous execution.

The healthcare recruitment landscape has changed drastically over the last decade; even more so in the last few years. With talent shortages, particularly in specialized practices, as well as an aging population, increasing demand for health services, and an ever-increasing skill gap, it comes as minimal surprise that the vast majority of healthcare facilities— around 84% — have used contingent labor/locum tenens at some point in the past year.

Locum tenens, also short-handedly referred to as locums, are physicians that temporarily fill staffing gaps whenever necessary. Conceived in the 1970s, locums originally filled staffing gaps in rural communities that didn't have great access to healthcare; but today, locums have become a mainstay in the healthcare space, utilized by all. 

HWL Works is a holistic approach to healthcare staffing management that considers  all of your business's goals, pain points, and everything in between. From a state-of-the-art vendor management system (VMS) platform, managed service program (MSP), and locums management services to helping you create an internal agency and source talent directly, our suite of workforce solutions helps you attain organizational imperatives.

Experts estimate that over 80% of businesses utilize a vendor management system (VMS) in some capacity, while only 71% of healthcare facilities use it. However, given the fact that around 90% of healthcare facilities utilize contingent labor, which has seen vast increases in reliance over the last few years, it may come as a surprise that more systems don't take advantage of a VMS. 

The cost associated with premium contingent labor, like travel nurses, is always higher than salaried permanent nursing positions and coronavirus (COVID-19) exacerbated  an already-significant situation by creating an environment in which these critical resources are in even higher demand. Recent estimates state

Every day, healthcare workers strive to provide the best possible care for patients. However, a growing crisis threatens their well-being and the quality of patient care. Recent research by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work reveals startling statistics: 73% of hospital workers who left their jobs cited understaffing as the primary reason, and a staggering 87% reported high levels of burnout.

The healthcare industry's staffing woes have been ongoing for decades, despite being exacerbated over the past few years. In 2017, the majority of the nursing workforce was at retirement age, with similar trends observed among physicians. Coupled with burnout and increased strain that became all too common during the pandemic, organizations big and small started to shift their hiring practices. More emphasis was put on contingent labor, which, while convenient, tends to be more expensive.

It is our absolute pleasure to introduce you to our newest team member, Melissa Evans, who joins us as the newest Vice President of Business Development. With an impressive track record in the industry and a wealth of experience, Melissa brings a fresh perspective and boundless enthusiasm to our team.

For better or worse, the world of locum tenens staffing is changing more rapidly than ever before.  

Utilizing multiple locum agencies with individual contacts for each specialty can easily become overwhelming and impossible to manage. Due in part to a lack of advancement and modernization in locum tenens staffing over the last decade, many organizations are now seeking new ways to streamline the process.