The Challenge
With the volatile labor market and continued bidding war in the market, growing concern of agency spend, and reliance on contract labor, the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Norman Regional Health System (NRHS) conducted research on workforce solutions that would fit the needs of the organization and assist in reaching the overall goal of reducing and eliminating agency, deciding to partner with a company that would implement a Managed Service Provider (MSP) program while utilizing their proprietary technology to streamline the entire procurement process from job requisition to billing/invoicing. NRHS wanted to also take the opportunity to streamline the compliance process and eliminate wasteful processes around onboarding agency/contract labor.
The Approach
Once NRHS conducted their due diligence and selected Trio Workforce Solutions as their MSP partner, Trio hosted a discovery session with the main stakeholders and a step-by-step plan was developed, including a phased approach to eliminating agency all together.
A timeline visual was created to outline the different phases of the onboarding process. This included agency, internal processes for direct hire, adding Trio’s direct hire program, and implementing compliance efficiencies for both agency and per diem staffing. Visual process flow maps were also created to provide a clear overview of the timeline and helped to set expectations for the implementation process.
As part of the business process transformation, internal communication processes were improved and added to ensure seamless collaboration between the hospital and Trio. Weekly calls were scheduled with Trio, nursing leadership, human resources, and recruitment to discuss progress and address any questions or concerns related to per diem, agency, and direct hire staffing. An agenda was created to cover all topics during weekly calls, maximizing efficiency and productivity.
The Results
The CNO and other department leaders no longer had to individually contact agencies or manage communication, confirmation letters, and invoices. In turn, this gave precious time back to the managers, which was a needed success. The standardized bill rates and streamlined procurement process provided consistency and efficiency in staffing, while ensuring compliance requirements were met. As a result, NRHS was able to reduce their reliance on agencies and per diem staffing, moving towards their goal of becoming agency-free.
Efficiency lists were also created for compliance requirements, so all necessary steps were taken to meet compliance standards. This included streamlining the documentation and verification process for agencies and per diem staffing, reducing administrative burdens and potential compliance risks.
Overall, the onboarding process with Trio at NRHS was successful due to thorough preparation, clear communication, and a collaborative approach. Lessons learned from this process were incorporated, leading to improved efficiencies, and streamlined healthcare staffing.
Through Trio’s collaborative approach, NRHS was able to successfully onboard their MSP program within the timeframe established and agreed upon by both parties. By the end of the end of the fourth month post GoLive, NRHS reported nearly $2M in cost savings due to a combination of the initiatives set forth in the onboarding phase of this MSP program.
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