Hospitals Look to Medical Staffing Agencies to Ease the Doctor Shortage
Partly in thanks to the Affordable Care Act, hospital admissions have improved significantly. However, this, coupled with the baby boomer generation entering retirement, has left a lot of medical facilities short on staff. As such, healthcare staffing is projected to grow roughly 7% this year, and staffing agencies will be used more often to provide medical facilities with high-quality candidates.
Since 2014 the demand for quality healthcare professionals has grown rapidly. Nearly 9 million people became insured in 2014; that, in combination with the improving economy and an aging population, has contributed to the growth in medical care. While this is great for the healthcare industry and our economy, it also means that many medical facilities are understaffed and in urgent need of healthcare workers. However, finding the right healthcare employee can be a tough search. Medical facility managers need to make sure candidates are qualified, well-suited for the job, and are flexible. That’s where medical staffing agencies come in. Over the past several years medical staffing agencies have grown in popularity as a way to fill healthcare roles quickly with high-quality candidates.
Staffing Agencies Save Hospitals Time
Staffing agencies are built around their hiring expertise. When a hospital needs workers, the human resource department is responsible for reaching out to, interviewing, and ultimately hiring candidates. Because the medical field is so diverse, the hiring process demands that HR workers have a diverse depth of knowledge. Many HR workers also have to juggle other office work, which means they may not have the time or expertise needed to dedicate to an intricate hiring process. Staffing agencies provide this service – they know how to find the top candidates and how to assess their skills within the medical field.
…They Also Save Hospitals Money
Hiring a new employee costs any business thousands of dollars. Pre-employment testing, background screening, drug screening, and other processes cost money which hospitals are not often ready to spend. Staffing agencies absorb these costs as the testing is conducted through the agency. Medical facilities also save money on payroll processing and benefits when working with a staffing agency. Therefore, staffing agencies provide tremendous cost benefits to small hospitals that don’t have ample resources for hiring new employees.
Staffing Agencies Focus on Retention
Retention is one of the most important factors when hiring a new employee. Businesses that can retain employees save money and benefit from happier workers. Staffing agencies base their whole hiring process on achieving high retention rates. From personality assessments to follow-ups, staffing agencies make sure candidates are a good fit.
Curious about how Emerald City Staffing can help you? Contact us today.