ShiftWise client St. John Providence Health System realized they had to make changes to their contingent staffing program in order to achieve better results system-wide.
Nini Guindi Coury, Director of Worklife Services drove much of that change and will be presenting SJPHS’s experience in implementing a new way of thinking in an upcoming AHA Signature Learning Series event on August 1 at 10:00 am pacific. Registration for the event is now open.
What: AHA Signature Learning Series Event: Creating a Contingent Workforce Plan for Efficiency & ROI
When:
Thursday, August 1
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Eastern
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Central
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Pacific
We recently did a Q & A with Coury about the FlexChoice program SJPHS built to manage their contingent staffing.
SW: When did SJPHS first make the determination that its contingent staffing practices needed an overhaul?
Nini Coury: It was about 2006. It was clear that the old way of doing things wasn’t going to be a long-term solution we could live with. We had become too dependent on outside agency staff.
SW: What specifically led to the need for change?
Nini Coury: There were a number of factors, really, most of which I’m sure others will recognize right away. Rising agency costs without any controls on usage, high turnover and vacancy and a workforce that was large and spread out without the visibility you’d need to manage it are just a few.
SW: I’m sure many can identify with these issues, but how did you actually approach bringing about change in the organization? Was it hard to get buy-in?
Nini Coury: We basically put together a project plan, identified solution options, set our targets. We were very careful to make sure we had the right people on the team and made great efforts to keep stakeholders looped in. Above all, we communicated frequently about the changes, both in writing and in meeting format.
SW: What were some key aspects that you identified as necessary to bring about change?
Nini Coury: We had to stop thinking about our resources as we traditionally had and we needed a shift in thinking to a new and creative way to manage. We identified key areas that could make FlexChoice successful such as a streamlined staffing process, having flexibility system-wide and utilizing VMS technology through ShiftWise.
SW: Were the results you expected achieved? What kind of outcomes were met?
Nini Coury: The results definitely speak for themselves. Speaking strictly about the finances of the program, we’ve achieved the return on investment we hoped for. In fact, we far exceeded our first year’s target which was a 25% reduction. We’ve also increased nursing support at the bedside which positively impacts the patient care experience as well as staff satisfaction. We had some unexpected outcomes as well — many of the nurses that joined us moved into full-time or part-time positions after having worked contingent for awhile.
To learn more about the FlexChoice program and how SJPHS achieved desired outcomes, please join St. John Providence Health System, the American Hospital Association and ShiftWise for its upcoming webinar.