HWL Insights

The primary concern for organizations globally lies in the realm of workforce challenges, and this is evident across various sectors. Nowhere are these challenges more pronounced than in healthcare, with continuous shortages of providers of all types.

A leading healthcare system headquartered in the Southeast, with a network of hospitals and a variety of ancillary health services, was facing a decision to continue with the status quo or insource control of their human capital and workforce solutions.

Internal resource pools (IRP), also referred to as float pools, are a fairly recent development in the healthcare space that were designed by helping organizations become more flexible and efficient in meeting their staffing needs. Different departments work at different paces and have varying needs based on fluctuating patient volume and other external factors. IRPs are a centralized database of part-time, full-time, and contracted staff who are pre-approved to work in various departments and can fill demand on short notice.

In the complex world of healthcare staffing, staying ahead requires a deep understanding of the industry. The Staffing Industry Analysts’ (SIA) 2024 Workforce Solutions Buyer Survey, focusing on the United States, sheds light on how organizations manage their flexible workforce, their supplier strategies, and what they prioritize for the future.

Healthcare organizations of all types of focus on addressing their staffing challenges in many ways, and one area that is of growing focus is physician and provider internal resource pools (IRP), often more generally referred to as “float pools”.

The healthcare industry stands at a pivotal moment in its evolution, particularly in how it approaches staffing. Traditional models, while stable, often lack the flexibility to meet the dynamic demands of modern healthcare environments. Enter the concept of internal gig pools—a revolutionary staffing model that combines the adaptability of gig work with the structure of traditional employment. This model is transforming healthcare staffing, presenting a future where adaptability, efficiency, and employee satisfaction converge. 

The gig economy, characterized by its flexible freelance work arrangements, has seen a meteoric rise across various sectors, fundamentally altering traditional employment models. In healthcare, this shift offers a novel lens through which staffing strategies can be reevaluated and optimized. The adaptation to gig economy principles within healthcare staffing is not just timely; it’s proving to be a synergistic match that brings with it a host of benefits aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, employee satisfaction, and patient care.

Mental health is a vital component to any workforce, but especially in high-stress environments such as ones found in the healthcare industry. Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and so much emphasis is placed on retaining key talent, we put together some data on the state of stress in healthcare, the toll it can take on a workforce, and what organizations can do to better support their employees' wellbeing.

The advent of the gig economy has revolutionized the way organizations think about work, offering flexibility and autonomy that traditional employment often lacks. This shift has permeated various industries, with healthcare being no exception. The unique demands and stresses inherent in healthcare make the sector ripe for the benefits the gig economy can offer. Adapting gig economy principles to healthcare staffing strategies presents a forward-thinking approach to addressing some of the most persistent challenges in healthcare delivery and workforce management.

In the healthcare sector, retaining skilled nurses is as crucial as attracting them. While competitive pay and benefits are essential, they are no longer the sole factors keeping nurses loyal. In the contemporary healthcare environment, strong company branding has emerged as a pivotal retention tool that transcends traditional incentives. This blog delves into how effective company branding can lead to higher nurse retention rates, fostering a sense of pride, belonging, and alignment with the organization's values and mission.

Introducing Paula Holbrook, Senior Vice President of Financial Operations and Accounting at HWL. With over 15 years of leadership experience, Paula is a transformational leader renowned for her expertise in driving continuous improvement and optimizing critical business processes.

Sourcing talent in the healthcare industry has proven to be a tricky endeavor for facilities big and small. Between talent shortages, an aging baby boomer generation increasing demand for health services, and a large portion of the workforce reaching retirement age, recruiters have had their work cut out for them for quite some time. In fact, an estimated 900,000 registered nurses intend to leave their positions by 2027 due to burnout, stress, and retirement.

In the competitive healthcare landscape, attracting and retaining top talent goes beyond offering competitive salaries and benefits. The strength and appeal of your company's brand play a crucial role in drawing in the right candidates and fostering long-term loyalty among existing staff. This blog explores how effective company branding can be a powerful tool for employee retention and attraction, turning your brand into a magnet for talent and a catalyst for loyalty. 

Over the last several months, much has been discussed about the state of staffing, how certain segments are contracting significantly, and the overall shifting landscape. The one major area of expansion though is the physician and provider space. From the latest by SIA, we are seeing continued locum tenens growth with 27% in 2022, 12% in 2023, and a projected incremental growth in 2024 of an additional 7%.

In today's fast-paced healthcare environment, agility is not just a buzzword—it's a critical strategy for success. The ability of healthcare organizations to quickly adapt to changes, whether in patient care demands, technological advancements, or unexpected crises, hinges practical the agility of their workforce. An agile workforce is characterized by flexibility, resilience, and a proactive approach to change. This blog explores effective strategies for creating an agile workforce in healthcare, ensuring organizations can meet the evolving needs of their patients and the industry at large.

In an era where the healthcare industry faces unprecedented challenges in staffing and retention, the power of a strong brand has emerged as a transformative tool in attracting and retaining top nursing talent. Healthcare Workforce Logistics (HWL) is leading this charge with its innovative approach to healthcare staffing: a private-label internal agency that leverages company branding to create a more agile and responsive workforce. This blog explores how private label internal agency is revolutionizing healthcare staffing, turning brand power into a strategic asset in the battle for nurse recruitment and retention.

Healthcare as a whole has seen staffing challenges for decades now, with nursing staff taking the brunt of it. This has proven to be majorly concerning, since nursing turnover rates directly impact patient outcomes. Turnover contagion and burnout among staff results in thinly spread resources across the facility, decreasing quality of care and increasing the likelihood of mistakes.

In the competitive and fast-paced world of healthcare, retaining skilled nursing staff goes beyond competitive salaries and benefits. One of the most effective strategies to foster a loyal and engaged nursing team is through the empowerment of education and professional development. As healthcare organizations strive to minimize turnover and enhance patient care, they increasingly recognize professional development as not just a perk but a necessity. This blog explores how professional development opportunities are becoming a game-changer in nurse retention strategies.

In the ever-demanding world of healthcare, the battle against nurse turnover is continuous. While numerous factors contribute to nurse retention, one often overlooked aspect is the power of strategic shift scheduling. It's more than just organizing work hours; it's about creating an environment where nurses feel valued, understood, and balanced. This blog explores how innovative shift scheduling strategies can significantly reduce nurse turnover, fostering a more stable, satisfied, and efficient workforce.

HWL executives, Jeff Niles, Executive Vice President, and Tommy Binner, Vice President, hosted the Becker’s Healthcare Webinar, How Hospitals Can Get an Upper Hand on Contract Staffing, that discusses the distinctions between vendor-neutral Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and master agency MSPs, highlighting the advantages of partnering with a non-agency staffing provider. The HWL leaders were joined by Maxine Briggs, CFO, Samaritan Health, and Meghan Fay-McCaffrey, Network Director Physician Services, UVMHN Medical Group, as they explained how the vendor-neutral MSP model has impacted their organizations for the better.