Hospital Workforce Management: Balancing Staff and Patient Needs

Though staffing challenges are common in many different industries, healthcare facilities face unique needs throughout the current staffing crisis. Managing a healthcare facility means balancing the needs of the staff and the patients to help reduce burnout, prevent potential issues, and ensure patients get the help they need. Some of the ways to help balance both staff and patient needs include the following. 

Forecast Staffing Needs and Adjustments

The staffing needs for healthcare facilities, especially hospitals, can fluctuate significantly throughout the year. Part of hospital workforce management is predicting and preparing for these needs to avoid staffing shortages. Working with a staffing agency can make it easier to predict when additional staff is needed, as well as ensure the staff is ready for any increase in demand. Hospitals will be able to take advantage of the assistance offered by the staffing agency to hire new staff when needed to prevent burnout, overworked staff, and a drop in patient care quality when the hospital is busier than usual. 

Support Overall Wellness for Staff

Healthcare facilities and hospitals will want to prevent burnout in their staff to help prevent staffing shortages. If the staff is doing too much during their shift, working too many hours in a week, or otherwise doing too much work, they can start to feel burnout and may quit their job or look for somewhere else to work. By improving staffing ratios, adding temporary solutions when someone needs to take a leave of absence, and supporting the health and well-being of staff members, healthcare facilities can help prevent burnout or a staffing shortage. 

Use Temporary Staff to Fill Gaps

Hospitals will want to make sure they take advantage of temporary staffing options, like locum tenens, to make sure they are always fully staffed. If there is expected to be a temporary increase in demand for assistance, hospitals can hire extra help to get through that period. If anyone needs to take a leave of absence, locum tenens can be used to cover them to avoid having a shortage of staff while someone is gone. Temporary staffing can also help if someone leaves their position to ensure it is covered until a permanent employee is found. 

Use Telehealth to Provide Additional Coverage

Leveraging new technology can help hospitals and other healthcare facilities ensure they are providing the best care to patients while avoiding overwhelming the staff when demand increases. Patients can take advantage of telehealth visits to avoid having to visit the hospital if they have questions about their care, need help determining if a hospital visit is necessary, or to get help renewing prescriptions. While this doesn’t eliminate in-person visits, it can help reduce the number of patients who need to schedule an in-person visit to help reduce the workload of the staff, especially during a shortage. 

If your healthcare facility is in need of staffing assistance, learning how to balance staff and patient needs is vital. Look into the resources available to help with staff management today, such as working with a staffing agency, to make it easier to ensure patients can receive the care they need and staff receive the help to prevent burnout and other concerns. With the right help, it’s possible to make managing the staff easier and ensure all patients receive the right care whenever they visit the facility.