Like many hospitals and health systems, Northwell Health – New York's largest health system and private employer – was challenged by ongoing staff shortages, high labor costs and reliance on contract agency labor across its 22 hospitals.

To help tackle these issues, Northwell Health successfully implemented an internal resource pool called FlexStaff to fill temporary positions using internal staffing resources whenever possible.

THE PROBLEM

However, a challenge was the lack of an integrated system that could provide a complete picture of all temporary labor utilization for both the FlexStaff internal resource pool and contract staffing agency resources. Reliance on disparate systems and manual processes led to inefficiencies and increased administrative burdens that made it difficult to manage labor costs effectively.

"Northwell's leadership was interested in integrating the internal resource pool alongside the management of temporary contract staffing agency labor on a single, unified workforce platform to streamline the sourcing and deployment of all temporary resources in one seamless workflow," said Carolyn Doyle, system vice president at Northwell Health and CEO of Northwell Health FlexStaff.

"We also needed centralized management tools that would provide visibility across the entire temporary workforce, allowing Northwell to utilize the most cost-effective resources and efficiently manage credentialing and performance tracking," she added.

PROPOSAL

Vendor Prolucent proposed a comprehensive flexible workforce platform with a vendor-neutral managed service provider and modern vendor management system that would transform Northwell's temporary staffing model across the enterprise.

"A standout feature was the company's vendor-neutrality for the fulfillment of contract agency staff," Doyle explained. "Unlike other vendor solutions tied to one specific staffing agency, Prolucent's platform would allow us to source talent from a wide range of agencies, ensuring we received the best rates and most transparent pricing.

"In addition, the platform would integrate seamlessly with FlexStaff, ensuring Northwell could implement a unified system to manage our entire flexible workforce more efficiently," she continued.

The proposal emphasized streamlined candidate sourcing, deployment, and compliance and credentialing management through a centralized system. Automated workflows would ensure Northwell prioritized its internal FlexStaff resources first, turning to external staffing agencies as necessary. Advanced analytics and reporting tools promised real-time visibility into workforce data trends, enabling Northwell to make informed, data-driven decisions.

MEETING THE CHALLENGE

Implementing Prolucent's flexible workforce platform was a collaborative effort across various teams at Northwell Health.

"Our HRIT team along with FlexStaff management were key users of the technology," Doyle noted. "The platform was integrated with FlexStaff's proprietary web application to ensure a smooth data flow and automate several labor management processes.

"Integration with the existing solution helped shorten the implementation time using a simplified data transfer process," she continued. "Close collaboration between technology teams ensured a successful implementation."

Users can manage everything from sourcing and credentialing candidates to onboarding and compliance management. Using the centralized platform, users have real-time visibility into all open positions across the health system, which helps them make quicker and more informed staffing decisions.

The automated workflows ensured internal FlexStaff resources were always prioritized before looking at external options.

"The advanced analytics and reporting tools were game changers," Doyle said. "Our teams could now monitor workforce data trends, hiring competition and compensation data in real time to optimize staffing strategies. The platform also streamlined invoicing and payment processes, reducing administrative tasks and enhancing efficiency."

RESULTS

The vendor provided the technology and tools Northwell needed for end-to-end order and staff pool management, fulfillment, compliance, invoicing and reporting to enable the management of all flexible labor on one unified platform.

"We have been able to significantly streamline Northwell Health's approach to managing temporary staffing resources," Doyle reported. "For the first time, the health system now has a consolidated enterprise-wide platform to view and manage all open temporary positions to help maximize efficiency and labor cost savings.

"Additionally, the automated credentialing and compliance processes have ensured that all healthcare professionals meet required standards, reducing the risk of non-compliance and enhancing the quality of care," she continued. "We also can better manage risks associated with agency relationships by monitoring agency performance and adherence to compliance requirements."

The platform's advanced analytics and reporting capabilities have given Northwell real-time insights into workforce trends, utilization rates, fill rates, time-to-fill, quality of candidates, customer satisfaction and labor costs.

"With standardized dashboards and automated reports, we can now make more informed staffing decisions quickly," she said. "This data-driven approach has not only helped us manage labor costs more effectively but has also enhanced our resource allocation strategies."

ADVICE FOR OTHERS

"When evaluating flexible workforce platform technology, selecting a system that offers a vendor-neutral MSP should be a priority so healthcare organizations can source external talent from a diverse pool of staffing agencies for competitive rates and transparent pricing," Doyle advised. "Vendor neutrality will also avoid reliance on a single staffing agency and provide more flexibility and diversity to adapt to changing labor market conditions.

"Also, opt for a platform with robust analytics and reporting capabilities," she concluded. "Real-time data insights are invaluable for making data-driven decisions, monitoring workforce trends and optimizing labor costs. Standardized dashboards and automated reporting can transform your approach to workforce management, making it more strategic and proactive."

Follow Bill's HIT coverage on LinkedIn: Bill Siwicki
Email him: bsiwicki@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.