Healthcare facilities have faced staffing shortages for a few years now due to the pandemic and numerous other factors. It is increasingly important for facilities to ensure they are doing as much as possible to minimize the impact of shortages and to prevent them where possible. There are a few techniques that facilities can use to help make sure they are fully staffed at all times.
Have a Way to Get Help When Needed
Some shortages are caused by staff taking time off they might need. The shortage can be avoided by having temporary workers available, whether for short-term or long-term placements. A key part of managing your healthcare staffing involves paying attention to when employees may need to take time off – whether that’s a week for their vacation or a few months to welcome a new baby – and ensuring temporary coverage is available. Healthcare staffing agencies are able to help with this.
Prepare for Increasing Demand
There is a change in the age structure of the world today, with there being more seniors than ever before. They’re able to live longer, healthier lives, but they do require more medical care. This is leading to an increase in demand for healthcare services, along with more people being proactive about their health and more people seeking care when they need it. Preparing for the increasing demand may involve adjusting schedules, hiring more people, or similar solutions.
Work on Employee Retention
It is important to help keep employees happy so they stay with the facility longer. Employee burnout can lead to higher turnover rates, which can exasperate staff shortages and lead to more burnout for other employees. Offering more vacation time to take a break, better schedule options, more help when needed, higher pay, and more can all help increase employee retention and ensure the staff is happy with their job.
Work on Schedule Optimization
Optimizing the schedule can help ensure there are enough staff when more people are needed and minimize the amount of staff on hand when the facility is slower. It is important for managers to look into ways to optimize the schedule regularly so they don’t end up with too many people on hand when it’s not needed and too few people when the facility is extremely busy. By optimizing the schedule, there will always be enough help without worrying about there being too many people.
Take Advantage of Telehealth Solutions
Telehealth solutions may be possible for many facilities to help cut down on in-person visits and the staff needed to see patients without sacrificing patient care. Patients can still receive the same care they would for an in-person visit, but they won’t have to visit the facility for help. This benefits everyone, as it enables the facility to operate normally with a smaller staff without having to sacrifice the care the patients receive when they need medical care. It is important to look into the different options to find the right one for the facility.
Use these as a starting point to work on minimizing staff shortages in the workplace and help to ensure all patients are able to receive the care they need and deserve. By working continuously on minimizing shortages, it is possible to see a change and start to see an improvement in the staff available at any time at the facility.
