Despite the time and resources that healthcare facilities put into staffing, openings and turnover continue to rise. For some facilities, traditional methods for contingent staffing might not be enough to meet all their needs. Partnering with a managed services provider (MSP) or adopting a vendor management system (VMS) are ways to improve or augment the use of contingent staffing.
While they cannot fix the supply-and-demand issues with the hiring market, MSP and VMS solutions can help facilities address their staffing needs and manage their workforce. Which is right for the needs of your healthcare system? Determining the right one is the first step to finding more clinicians and getting your hiring initiatives back on track.
The biggest difference is that a VMS is a 100% tech driven solution while an MSP is a combination of technology and human service and support. Here’s how that can apply to your system.
Managed Services Provider (MSP)
MSPs are staffing partners that focus on your recruitment initiatives for external contingent staff. An MSP provides a clearinghouse to hundreds of other staffing agencies, which can give facilities a competitive edge in the hiring market. MSPs can help provide clinicians a better recruiting, hiring, and onboarding experience. Facilities see quality, professional hires with potential for contract extensions.
Consider an MSP if:
- You need an accelerated hiring process. Some MSPs offer an entire clinical team of nurse professionals to accelerate pre-screening and interviews, hiring, and onboarding. With such a process in place from an MSP, you can be certain regulatory and compliance standards are met.
- Your contingent labor management needs organization and structure. An MSP can help reduce the administrative burden surrounding the staffing process. You have one point of contact from an industry-experienced, dedicated account manager who will streamline, optimize, and help maintain standards. You’ll also only receive one invoice.
- You have trouble securing quality clinicians. An MSP can provide access to experienced professionals. They’re screened for clinical fit as well as culture fit for the facility. With interviews and background checks done, and references verified, this pipeline can efficiently match the right clinicians to the right positions.
- You have a complex hiring situation. More complicated situations require more of a strategic partnership between agencies and facilities. This partnership can provide guidance on market trends and insights to help with managing a contingent labor force.
Vendor Management System (VMS)
VMS software is a technology tool that helps streamline staffing by automating steps and managing candidates. If you’re not interested in a staffing partner with an MSP but still need talent acquisition management software, a VMS is an alternative.
Consider a VMS if:
- Your hiring team wants more effective project management. A VMS can help with organization and webspace to keep your growing needs, workforce, and staffing agencies in one place and on track.
- You need improved visibility. A VMS can take the manual tracking labor of detailed reporting off your shoulders. The system can track openings, pricing, billing, contracts, and compliance to create transparency.
- Your hiring plan is simple, or straightforward. If you have a hiring plan and know what you need, the right VMS system can help you track the status and keep everything in line.
- Managing your temporary workforce isn’t demanding. What percentage of time and resources do you spend on your hospital’s contingent workforce? If you feel you are operating recruitment and staffing just fine, your need isn’t vast enough for an MSP. A VMS may be a next-tier solution for you.
Hire Faster and Smarter
MSP or VMS solutions exist to help simplify healthcare staffing. Most facilities turn to MSPs for their time-efficient and compliant-focused advantages. But if you’re managing your staffing initiatives just fine and are not interested in a workforce partner, then introducing a VMS can keep you organized.
If you’re unsure if you have the resources you need to staff your facility with a quality contingent workforce, take our quick and painless healthcare staffing assessment tool. We’ll help you assess your current state of operations and how you may benefit from a MPS or VMS.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Medical Solutions’ MSP can address your contingent staffing initiatives, connect with us or email info@medicalsolutions.com.
