Remote work has allowed many businesses to hire from farther outside their geographic area. But most clinicians have to work on-site. When hiring clinical professionals for these vital roles, your facility has much to gain by looking in their own backyard.
Keeping caregiving local gives healthcare organizations broad networks of per diem talent they can access at a moment’s notice:
- when there’s a spike in patient volume
- when you need coverage for an epidemic or natural disaster
- when you need a cost-effective solution to shortages
Hiring local clinical professionals who have diverse facility and specialty experience supports your organization’s reputation for caring about its community. Here’s a breakdown of 5 clinical and operational benefits of tapping into your local talent pool.
1) Securing coverage on short notice
Hospitals must maintain the right number of clinicians with the right qualifications to meet patients’ needs 24/7. Any number of factors can throw staffing ratios off balance, such as the closure of a nearby facility, full time staff needing emergency time off, or the flu season.
By building up a network of qualified, local healthcare professionals, you’ll be prepared in times of crisis. Because they’re local to your hospital, they’re more likely to understand your patient population and feel motivated to serve that community.
2) Fostering community connections
Your facility recognizes the significance of forming strong community bonds. By drawing from your local community when hiring and contracting per diem talent, you’re fostering connections between your organization, your clinicians, and your patients.
Keeping caregiving local adds a layer of trust and authenticity to the patient experience, as local clinicians can develop bonds with patients. And when a local hospital recruits from nearby, patients notice.
3) Lifting up your local community
Many hospitals, especially those in urban areas, are addressing their communities’ economic needs by hiring local talent. University of Chicago Medicine partners with churches and community organizations and holds local job fairs to increase local hiring. Because good jobs are tied to good health, improving employment opportunities creates healthier communities.
By partnering with local nonprofits dedicated to workforce training and employment matching, your organization can meet professionals where they are and give them an opportunity to advance their careers.
4) Impacting social determinants of health
Medical experts understand social determinants of health are the greatest predictors of people’s health and well-being. Those who are unemployed report higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress-related illnesses such as high blood pressure, stroke, and arthritis than employed individuals. Unemployment also makes it harder to access medical care due to lack of access to health insurance.
By hiring local clinical professionals, your organization can promote economic stability. Providing opportunities for career development and advancement can help reduce wage inequalities. As these individuals move up the career ladder, they are in a position to take better care of their families, thus improving the health and well-being of the next generation.
5) Providing opportunities to per diem professionals
Whether they’re supplementing a full-time job or working solely per diem, a growing number of high-quality professionals choose CareRev to discover and book local shifts. From RNs and CNAs to surgical and radiological technologists, CareRev professionals want the flexibility to work when and where they want.
By tapping into this network, your organization can gain access to fully vetted clinical professionals who want to make a difference in their local communities. CareRev takes care of the recruiting, interviewing, credentialing, and payroll. Your facility’s staffing managers simply post open shifts and welcome their per diem professionals when they arrive to work.
In today’s healthcare environment, it’s crucial for clinicians to meet patients where they are by studying the full picture of patients’ health today and developing a roadmap for tomorrow. Locally based clinical professionals have the experience and perspective to do just that while understanding the needs of your patient population.
It’s also crucial for hospitals and health systems to embrace on-demand work and provide professionals with the flexibility they are demanding. Your facility can reduce its reliance on travel contracts and long-term staffing commitments while improving employee retention and patient satisfaction rates.
