Per diem healthcare staffing has long been an important tool for facilities of all types to maintain a full staff throughout the year. And as healthcare delivery in America becomes more complex and competitive, the use of per diem workers — i.e., nurses and clinicians who are available on a short-term basis, usually just a matter of days — has gone from a good idea to an industry essential.
And it’s not hard to see why, either. Maintaining consistent staffing is one of the biggest challenges facing healthcare providers, thanks to a number of factors such as:
- Staff absences caused by illness or turnover
- Shifts in patient volume due to changes in health insurance coverage
- Seasonal spikes in utilization during busier-than-expected flu seasons or other unforeseen situations
Any of these factors can cause serious disruptions to a facility’s ability to meet its care obligations. And the last item has become particularly relevant given the global uncertainty over emerging infectious diseases like the new COVID-19 coronavirus, which has raised significant concern over the ability of the country’s healthcare infrastructure to meet what could be a sharp spike in emergency utilization.
Per diem healthcare staffing can help facilities face these and other challenges with considerably more confidence and effectiveness. And precisely because it is such an important part of their supplemental staffing strategy, it’s essential to make sure that your per diem workers come from a trusted and reliable source. To help you do just that, here are a few simple guidelines to follow.
5 Factors to Look for in a Per Diem Healthcare Staffing Partner
1. A nationwide presence. To ensure that the pool of per diem nurses and clinicians you have to choose from is as robust and reliable as possible, it’s a good idea to partner with a staffing solution that has a true nationwide presence. Particularly if your local labor pool is limited, having a network of temp workers that covers all of the U.S. can help ensure that you get exactly the right candidate for the role.
2. The power of flexibility. Because per diem healthcare staffing meets a need that’s not only unpredictable but specific to each facility’s unique situation, the provider you choose should have the power to offer a customized solution that’s flexible enough to meet evolving or last-minute needs.
3. Speed and reliability. More often than not, the need for per diem nurses and clinicians is immediate, so the staffing partner you choose should have the capacity to provide the professionals you need at a moment’s notice. That means not only on-time delivery, but also the dependability of not having to worry about whether your staffing needs can or will be met.
4. Quality assurance. Time is critical when it comes to per diem staffing, so the less onboarding you have to do, the better. Finding a partner who makes the effort to learn the ins and outs of your organization, and who works to provide the most appropriate professionals based on that knowledge, means that your per diem workers arrive at your facility fully licensed, credentialed and ready to work.
5. Around-the-clock support. Healthcare is an around-the-clock job, and staffing requests can — and often do — arise at unexpected hours. Having a partner available to take your calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, is essential to ensuring that you have the help you need to weather any crisis as effectively as possible.
Need Help with Per Diem Healthcare Staffing?
If you’re wondering how to find a per diem healthcare staffing partner who matches all the important criteria outlined above, we have some great news! At CareerStaff, we’re dedicated to providing access to the high-quality healthcare professionals you need to ensure the best possible patient care, from nurses and allied clinicians, to managers and administrative personnel, and much more.
To learn more about how our nationwide network of healthcare professionals can help ensure you have the nurses and clinicians you need to ensure optimum patient care throughout the year, contact us here, email us at info@careerstaff.com, or call us at 972-812-3200. You can also submit a staffing request here.