The U.S. is currently experiencing widespread staffing shortages across almost every industry. According to recent reports, more than 4 million Americans quit their jobs in the first part of 2021, and in September 2021, more than 4.4 million quit during one month alone. Often referred to as “The Great Resignation,” the dwindling candidate talent pool has even impacted healthcare, with nursing homes, home health agencies, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and clinics across the country feeling the effects.
Why Are We Seeing Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
There are a variety of reasons organizations in almost every medical vertical are experiencing healthcare staffing shortages. Many shortages stem from Covid-related resignations, including from employees becoming sick themselves, dealing with family illnesses, or quitting because of the stress the pandemic caused.
Pandemic illness and compassion fatigue aren’t the only reasons healthcare professionals are leaving their places of employment. According to Business Insider, medical employees also report their desire for better working conditions as the reason for seeking employment opportunities in other places for higher pay, more time off, and better benefits. Additionally, many professionals are leaving the healthcare industry entirely. As a result, the record number of resignations has prompted a candidate-driven market where applicants can take their time before committing to their next opportunity.
How Can Virtual Staffing Help Your Organization?
Virtual staffing has become a prevalent solution for healthcare organizations struggling to maintain personnel levels amid the significant staffing shortages. Medical facilities choose virtual staffing for a wide range of reasons. One of the biggest reasons virtual staffing has gained momentum since the pandemic is that most employees prefer to work virtually. According to Forbes, 91% of employees prefer working from home, and employers report that flexible work arrangements can actually lead to better employee retention.
Another reason to consider virtual hospital staffing and healthcare staffing includes saving money on hiring and onboarding costs. The administrative process of hiring virtually is often more straightforward and streamlined, allowing the new hire to start working sooner – even the very first day after they are hired.
Virtual Staffing Delivers Significant Cost Savings
Aside from the money your organization can save during the hiring and onboarding processes, virtual staffing cuts costs overall. A competent virtual medical coding team can boost productivity, reduce the number of coding denials and eliminate the burden of management from the organization. The team can also backfill positions lost to turnover and save you the time and stress of having to fill those spots yourself, as well as keep the workload from building up and creating a backlog.
Contact Pena4 Today to Learn More About Virtual Staffing for Your Healthcare Facility
Pena4 specializes in virtual staffing solutions that help healthcare organizations navigate through the current employee shortages. Contact Pena4 today to learn more.
Also, be sure to download our Cost Savings Calculator!
This free online tool is simple to use. Just enter your information and the state and job title. The calculator determines how much your organization can save by hiring virtually – good information to have in this competitive market. Consider looking at virtual staffing for many of your job openings, and see how much impact that can have on your company’s bottom line.
