What’s New in Healthcare Staffing?

The healthcare industry has faced some dramatic changes as a result of several factors in recent years. The COVID-19 Pandemic altered a number of things in healthcare, from employment rates to the ways that doctors treat patients. In addition to societal trends, new technology has also changed the way we look at healthcare and healthcare staffing in particular.

Regardless of the reasons, healthcare staffing agencies need to adapt to the changing market. Here are some of the latest trends dominating the world of healthcare staffing.

Latest Trends for Healthcare Staffing Agencies

More Nursing Positions Available

One of the areas that have been hit the hardest since 2020 has been nursing positions of all varieties. LPN, RN, and CNA positions are all in very high demand right now, with more openings expected in the coming years.

The reason for this is twofold. First, as mentioned, nursing positions have been faced with abnormally high turnover rates. Many nurses faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic and left the profession due to stress. In addition, many nursing positions were staffed by older workers, with the average age being 40+ years old. As older workers retire, there are fewer younger workers to replace them.

Coinciding with the nursing shortage is a projected increase in the need for nursing positions. General population increase, as well as changes within the healthcare industry, are leading to the creation of more nursing positions. For example, there is a much greater emphasis on home healthcare today than ever before. This often requires the assistance of an at-home nurse to provide individualized care.

As such, healthcare staffing agencies are devoting more time and resources to filling nursing positions in an effort to attract new workers to the field.

AI and Machine Learning Can Assist With Staffing Needs

One healthcare staffing development that has nothing to do with the pandemic is the rise of machine learning to help with staffing needs. This applies to staffing in all industries. However, healthcare can especially benefit from new technologies.

Healthcare staffing agencies are now able to automate and fine-tune their search processes using AI. For instance, a healthcare staffing agency can use an algorithm to find an ideal group of candidates in mere minutes. Doing this task manually could ordinarily take several hours. Not only is the process quicker, but the results are often much better, and free from human bias.

AI technology can also use predictive modeling to help healthcare companies identify challenges and future needs when managing staffing decisions. Machine learning technology is quickly changing the way we look at healthcare staffing in a number of ways.

More Digital Opportunities

New technology is not just making staffing issues easier to manage. It is also fundamentally changing the way healthcare companies and institutions operate. Digital healthcare and remote appointments became fairly common during the pandemic. Even as conditions have returned to normal, digital healthcare has not gone away. This is something that healthcare companies are taking advantage of in several ways. For one, virtual interviews and screening processes are now commonplace for healthcare staffing agencies. In addition, digital competency is a more highly-valued skill for healthcare companies today than ever before.

Choosing the Right Healthcare Staffing Agency

Working with a healthcare staffing agency that is on top of all the latest industry developments is important. It is also key to choose an agency that focuses specifically on what your company needs. Highmark Recruiting Solutions is a healthcare staffing agency that offers exactly that. Our team will take the time to understand each client’s needs in order to match them with ideal candidates. Contact Highmark today to learn more or get started.