Healthcare Market Conditions
The healthcare system is being impacted by a substantial supply-demand gap caused by a shortage of qualified workers and the remnants of pandemic fears. The pre-pandemic market pressures of staffing have been magnified by employee vaccine mandates and a lack of eligible and sufficient employees. The situation has now come to a point where best practice solutions need to be sought to deliver the right services when and where they’re needed.
Organizations are suffering talent shortages due to the “Great Resignation,” where a large number of employees have voluntarily resigned from their jobs as a result of the pandemic. Nearly 69% of organizations are having difficulty sourcing and retaining skilled talent, resulting in about $8.5 trillion in unrealized annual revenues. Healthcare suppliers in America find it difficult to secure job applicants at the interview stage – 90% of candidates don’t show up for scheduled interviews. With the culmination of all these complications, Healthcare Institutions have had to reconsider their resourcing strategies.
Outsourcing increases quality while reducing liability
Patient experiences can be vastly improved across the board if you use outsourced staff, from check-in to environmental services to dietary services to discharge. Many healthcare providers are seeking outsourced solutions to ease staffing burdens and free up internal resources while maintaining quality service and patient care. Outsourcing can help healthcare providers in the following ways:
- Provide access to trained professionals and industry experts at a lower cost
- Maximize efficiency and productivity
- Improve patient care, experiences and outcomes
- Scale resources matching specific needs
- Ensure compliance with all applicable laws
- Focus on providing quality care to patients
- Manage routine and mundane tasks
- Increase cost savings
- Save time and money from hiring and training support staff
- Drive error-free processes
Outsourcing provides access to a professionally qualified and experienced workforce that can help you supply various non-clinical responsibilities and other related tasks accurately and efficiently. To be ahead of your competitors and meet the growing demands of the healthcare industry, you should consider outsourcing the above functions to professionals trained to meet medical industry standards. Contracted companies bring economies of scale plus access to strategic partnerships and capital that help healthcare organizations save. Powerlink has found that health systems that standardize environmental services save costs and alleviate contentious stress points for internal staff while improving the quality of service supplied to patients. The value delivered in healthcare food service is even more significant and can enhance services beyond expectations.
Environmental Services and Facility Management
Environmental services and facility management are critical in a health care facility’s effective operations; running an internal EVS service department is rife with headaches. One advantage of outsourcing your medical cleaning is lowered facility costs. Outsourcing allows your healthcare facility to forecast because healthcare center cleaning becomes a fixed cost. Cleaning companies can reduce costs by scaling and customizing operations. Cost reduction is one good reason to consider outsourcing your healthcare cleaning, but it isn’t the only reason. Outsourcing can also help improve patient safety, customer care, patient satisfaction, and infection control. Partnering with a respected, trusted, and experienced healthcare support services company like Powerlink delivers many-valued improvements that strengthen your healthcare facility’s reputation, upgrade your facility’s presentation, and streamlines internal performance, boosting the overall quality of service.
Dietary Services
The most recent past has been a difficult challenge for many industries but has been exceptionally devastating for food and dietary services. Many blame these problems on the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was happening well before that. The turnover rate for the hospitality industry was extremely high in 2020. However, in 2019, it was almost as high. The pandemic merely exacerbated the issue and added another specification to the already burdensome list of negative pressures. Some facilities are so short staffed that they have resorted to sending their corporate staff to dining locations to supplement missing staff. Healthcare facilities are also seeing a lot of turnover. Many employees have exited the Healthcare workforce since 2021, and the trend could continue in the near future. Healthcare suppliers’ to-do lists have not changed – food services must be maintained at acceptable quality while exceeding dietary concerns. Internally, recruiting, hiring, and training can be getting pushed to the back burner. What’s the solution? Today, many facilities outsource their dietary and food service staff to keep the food flowing efficiently while providing outstanding service to every patient.
Contact Powerlink to Explore Partnership Opportunities
Supplying quality food service and dietary solutions while maintaining a clean and healthy healthcare environment is challenging. But with the proper planning and partnership, it can be achievable and affordable. Contact Powerlink to discover how your needs, no matter the custom standards, can be fulfilled and relieve your stress.