6.5 Ways Healthcare Recruiters Cut Your Costs

Every business is challenged with providing the best customer service, especially during busier times of the year. In the health care industry, it’s particularly important to excel in this area because providing the best patient care is not just a goal -- it’s your number one priority. If you hire extra employees to cover the busiest times of the year and the times when people typically take time off, you’ll have a surplus of employees during the times with less workload and fewer vacation requests. Plus, the costs of hiring extra employees to cover your staffing needs truly add up.

Working with a temporary medical staffing firm is the answer to your staffing dilemmas. Here are 6.5 ways a temporary staffing agency helps your medical facility save time and money.

1.    Flexibility

Hiring enough people to cover spans of heavy workload or popular vacation times leaves you with too many employees during the rest of the year. Temporary staffing agencies provide you with the flexibility to hire employees only when you need them, which is much more cost-effective staffing solution.

2.   Onboarding

Hiring new employees is an expensive and time-consuming process that requires recruiting, testing and screening of all candidates for the position. Working with a medical staffing firm saves you time and money because all employees have been evaluated by qualified and experienced professionals.

3.   Overtime

During busy periods, one option you have is requiring each full-time employee to work overtime. However, overtime work is expensive and, most importantly, it puts strain on your employees. Straining your employees, especially health care professionals, is never a good idea -- it compromises performance, motivation, health and loyalty to your medical facility. Hiring a temporary employee circumvents this issue by not only lowering your costs, but also creating a healthier work environment.

4.   Training

Temporary staffing firms not only connect you with experienced health care professionals, but they also provide custom designed training for these temporary employees. This ensures that every staff member has the proper training and skills required by your medical facility before starting work.

5.   Payroll

Hiring temporary employees does not have to be a headache for your HR department! Your temporary staffing firm handles all aspects of payroll processing for your hires.

6.   Hiring

Hiring a new employee is an expensive process and comes with risks. If the new employee does not work out, the significant amount of time and money that was put into hiring and training is wasted. When you work with a temporary staffing firm, you have the opportunity to request a replacement for any employee who is not living up to your expectations. If you hire a temporary worker and you find that you need a permanent employee, your staffing firm can connect you with temp to hire candidates that work well with your medical facility’s culture, environment and work ethic. 

6.5.   Indirect Expenses

In addition to the aforementioned direct costs you save, working with a health care staffing firm also cuts indirect expenses like orientations and non-productive trends.

Hiring temporary health care professionals through health care recruiters not only reduces the workload for your full-time employees, but it also saves you money. This extra time and money can then be used to enhance equipment, staff incentives and, most importantly, patient care.

& Running On Fruitful Fuel, Not Futile Fumes

As a manager or administrator of a healthcare facility, you are expected to provide the best possible personalized care and attention for each patient that walks through your doors. And how do you make that possible? By hiring the best possible healthcare professionals to staff your facility.

But it doesn’t stop there. 

To ensure top-notch care for your patients, you have to ensure that your staff is running at top-notch performance. However, due to the onerous demands of medical jobs -- late hours, exposure to sicknesses and extended time working on foot (and often on-the-run) -- healthcare professionals are known for running on less-than-fruitful fumes.

A run-down healthcare professional -- not to mention one who has to take time off for sickness -- cannot possibly provide the quality care that your patients expect and deserve from your facility. So to ensure your staff isn’t running on futile fumes, fortify your workplace with the following fruitful fuels:   

SHUN THE SHRUG

From doctors and nurses to technicians and assistants, healthcare professionals deal with trauma and despair every day. Yes, they were trained for this line of work. And no, they don’t expect their jobs to be rewarding 24/7. But simply “shrugging it off” can’t always be the answer. Letting emotional troubles build up never ends well – for the worker ignoring the pain and for each patient he or she care for.

Encourage your team to set aside some time each day to address any grief they’re carrying around. This may mean internally acknowledging the issue for a few moments alone in a quiet room. Or perhaps he or she could talk it out with a coworker, family member, friend or a counselor your facility has onsite. Whatever the employee decides to do is up to him or her -- it’s your job to encourage facility-wide break from the “shrug it off” routine.

SUSTAIN THE BODY

Your employees know better than anyone the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet and getting enough sleep. But, as we all know, what we say is often quite different from what we do. Plus, the nonstop nature of healthcare jobs often hinders wholesome habits, like sitting down for lunch and getting an adequate amount of sleep.

So this isn’t about lecturing your staff to eat well and get enough sleep so they have the energy to properly care for patients. It’s about making nutritious options available to them on a grab-and-go basis. Look into teaming up with nutrition experts to evaluate your cafeteria’s food options and recommend healthier alternatives if need be – meals that not only provide needed nutrients, but also keep your staff fueled throughout the day. 

Invest in healthier and more robust vending machines -- a pack of Chips Ahoy cookies isn’t going to cut it for the next hectic shift. Encourage your staff to keep healthy snacks in the lounge and fuel their bodies throughout the day. However, it’s also important that they not rely on food as a “pick-me-up,” which often leads to overeating and lethargy. Nightshift employees in particular should make it a point to find other ways to boost energy, like properly hydrating and taking walks outside whenever possible. 

And while there’s only so much you can do to ensure sustainable sleeping habits, reiterate the fact that your facility’s patients deserve a well-rested care provider. Shifting the weight of the issue onto the care of the patient may be more effective when it comes to the selfless disposition of those with careers in healthcare.

SHOW APPRECIATION

While the first two tips were about your staff taking care of their mental, emotional and physical needs, this is something you can do for your staff to ensure healthy spirits.

It may seem a bit juvenile, but it’s human nature to crave acknowledgment for achievement and special events once in a while. Consider establishing an employee recognition program that not only highlights personal accomplishments, but also takes into account company milestones. This way, recognition takes a collaborative approach, enhancing both the morale of individual employees and the spirit of the team as a whole.

And never underestimate the power of a simple “thank you” or “job well done.” It only takes a moment and a few words to show that you appreciate your staff, and that you value the individual efforts and unique talents that each employee brings to the team.

Of course, sick days are not 100% preventable. And that’s where a quality medical staffing agency comes in. Refer to our previous blog post on how to choose the right healthcare recruiters for your specific facility. 

And in the meantime, make it a point to keep your healthcare professionals running on fruitful fuel, not futile fumes! Want more information, or intersted in partnering with QCO? Click the button below.

And Get Your Position Filled With The Best Professional Possible

If you’re looking to hire a medical professional, you want to do it right the first time around. Your facility’s patients expect and deserve the best care possible, so that means that every member of your medical staff must have both the hard and soft skills that this quality care requires.

Whether you need someone temporarily to fill a gap in staffing or you’re looking for a temp to hire to supplement your existing staff, there are certain things you need to do to ensure that this professional has the skills your facility’s patients need.  

1. OUTLINE YOUR NEEDS

Before you start the search, you have to know what you’re searching for. Outline your ideal medical professional -- the one with the expert medical skills, the passion for compassion and the best fit with your team and facility’s culture. Write down the job skills, experience, and hard and soft skills that make up this candidate. That perfect medical professional you’ve outlined is out there, and doesn’t just exist on paper!

2. GET THE WORD OUT

Brainstorm the how and where facets of your recruiting strategy. How will you get the word out about your employment opportunity? What locations and forums will you target to increase your chances of finding that perfect candidate?

Put yourself in your perfect candidate’s shoes. Where do they hang out? Where would they look for job listings? Internet cafes, community centers and fitness facilities usually have bulletin boards that get a fair amount of traffic, so take advantage of them. And it’s crucial to post the opportunity online -- on job boards, special interest groups and established network groups. Attend industry employment events, get referrals and even ask friends and family who may know someone for the job.

3. SET UP A SYSTEM

Be organized! You’ll be glad you took a few extra steps to set up a system, especially if an influx of resumes comes in. Use a database to catalog and rank each resume as soon as you read it. This way, you avoid forgetting important details, or even worse, confusing two resumes and following up with the wrong candidate.

4. PICK YOUR INTERVIEW TEAM

Who will be involved in the interviewing process? This is a very time-consuming job, so make sure those who express interest are truly willing to commit. You know your team! Only consider the most patient and dedicated members to help you with recruitment.

Also, brainstorm with this team the types of questions you’ll ask. Make sure to get a sense of each candidate’s personality as well as his or her medical expertise and experience. Will there be any test or project that the candidates have to complete? This is a highly recommended part of the interviewing process because it allows you to observe the candidates’ skills and work ethics in a live setting instead of just on paper.

4.5 EVALUATE TIME & RESOURCES: SHOULD YOU OUTSOURCE?

How much time and resources were needed to keep the search internal? If the cost of recruiting and hiring cut into your medical facility’s profitability or productivity, consider outsourcing to a medical staffing agency. Not only will you save time and resources, but you’ll also tap into the expertise of healthcare recruiters.

Remember, medical staffing is a healthcare recruiter’s job -- and in most cases, it’s best to leave it up to the experts if you want the job done right. Your patients deserve that, and they’ll be appreciative of the expedient, quality care that temporary staffing agencies provide.

To Keep Your Facility Fully Charged, No Matter What

Summer has definitely arrived, which means that many members of your facility’s healthcare staff are likely thinking about vacation time. And they deserve it! A week off to sit in the sand and breathe in some salt air is just what your nurses, direct care workers and other healthcare professionals need to refresh and recharge.

But is your facility prepared for these upcoming vacation months? When it comes to making sure your facility is running with a fully charged lineup of healthcare professionals at all times, you have to think ahead.

And then there are the sick days, which obviously can’t be coordinated or planned. You may not be able to prevent three key staff members from getting sick at the same time, but you can be prepared so it doesn’t turn into an emergency situation. While emergencies happen and on-the-spot staffing solutions are always available, it’s always best to be proactive about your medical staffing plan.

Being proactive means having a plan in place to prepare for both short-term and long-term staffing needs and for both sick days and vacation time. This entails creating monthly staffing calendars that outline and correlate employees’ schedules ahead of time. By taking key holiday periods, projected busy periods and upcoming staff vacations into consideration, you can prepare for the unexpected to the best of your ability.

But you don’t have to do all this proactive planning alone! We’re not ones to brag, but Quality Care Options is made up of professional healthcare recruiters who are industry-leading experts at helping you be proactive about your medical staffing. If you want to learn more, check out QCO’s Staff Ahead™ Proactive Staffing Program! And don’t worry -- we’re completely willing and able to handle those last-minute emergencies too!

So make it a point to set some time aside and map out a staffing plan. Get your staff involved -- they’ll likely have insight and ideas that can help you plan as accurately as possible.

And, as always, if you need help with your medical staffing needs -- from planning and recruiting to performance improvement and competency management -- contact us at QCO. We’re on call for your facility, 24/7. Click the button below for contact information. 

To Keep Your Facility Running, 24/7

Welcome to the Quality Care Options Blog! This is your all-in-one portal for advice and information on topics related to maintaining your healthcare facility -- from streamlining your procedures and enhancing efficiency, to working with healthcare recruiters and making medical staffing seamless and hassle-free.

We’re going to kick off this blog with an issue that healthcare facility managers and administrators should be quite familiar with: working with temporary staffing agencies. You work in an industry that is expected to provide around-the-clock care. But, as you know, even the best nurses, technicians and direct care workers get sick from time to time. And they of all people deserve some vacation time once in a while, too.

So to provide the continuous level of care that your patients expect and deserve, you must partner with a medical staffing agency. And you likely already knew that. But do know how to choose the firm that's best for your unique facility and its patients?

Not all staffing agencies are the same, and without careful consideration you may choose one that doesn’t work well with your facility.  Here are the things to consider to ensure you have the right medical staffing agency on hand the next time an emergency “temp to hire” situation comes around:

Take the website seriously.
While the on-the-job trial period that most temp employment agencies offer is the best indicator of quality, your first impression should come from the company’s website. This is a good way to weed out the agencies that aren’t up to par before trying them out.

Look at the agency’s mission statements, staff qualification processes and areas of expertise. This will help you determine whether or not the agency has the fully credentialed personnel and support resources necessary to provide your facility’s patients with the most qualified nurses, technicians and caregivers.

Take screening seriously.
After the agency’s website passes your first impression test, set up a phone or in-person meeting to learn more about their screening and credentialing processes. How the agency qualifies the healthcare professionals it provides directly impacts your patients’ care. So this should be, without a doubt, a guiding principle in your selection process.

And while you’re asking in-depth questions or reading materials about the agency’s screening processes, keep eyes and ears open for additional quality care verifications. This includes Joint Commission certification, a thorough and continuous process that includes yearly evaluations and performance reviews. This ensures that the agency is in compliance with the Joint Commission’s premium standards, which are updated regularly to reflect the rapid advances in healthcare and medicine.

Take reviews seriously.
Third party opinions are essential if you want the unbiased truth. Follow up with the people quoted on the agency’s testimonial page to get a more thorough -- and possibly more truthful -- analysis. But don’t just rely on the testimonial section of the agency’s website. Ask your trusted colleagues about their own experiences with the healthcare staffing firms that you’re considering.

And don’t forget about the power of the Internet! Search for what’s being said about each medical staffing agency online -- honest opinions and comments from managers and administrators of healthcare facilities like yours. There are plenty of healthcare-related blogs and opinion forums out there that can tell you what goes on beyond the mission statement and “About Us” sections of an agency’s website.

Take “quality over quantity” seriously.
Many healthcare facility administrators and staffing managers make the mistake of spreading their staffing needs across multiple recruiting agencies. On the surface, this seems like a good strategy -- providing more options in emergency situations. But, in reality, the quality and consistency of patient care is going to suffer.

By partnering with a single staffing agency, you establish a strong, dependable working relationship and clear, ongoing communications. And this is what ensures the quality and consistency of patient care -- when the staffing agency is familiar with your facility, it’s able to provide the healthcare professionals that best fit your patients’ needs. Of course, it’s always good to have a backup agency in place, so don’t burn any bridges with the other agencies.

Choosing a medical staffing agency may seem easy, but choosing the most appropriate one for your unique facility takes some time and effort. In the long run, the patients of your facility get the quality and consistency of care that they need and deserve. And that makes the search process more than worth it.