How Does Medical Staffing Work in the US?

The healthcare industry is seeing staffing shortages like never before, and many hospitals, nursing homes, and doctor’s offices are starting to use medical agencies to find qualified talent.

Typically, members of the healthcare system will look to agencies to fill temporary positions, but there are several surgeons, doctors, nurses, and technicians that apply to agencies for full-time employment. If you’re interested in using a medical staffing agency yourself, keep reading.

How Medical Staffing Agencies Work in the United States

The healthcare industry will often use healthcare staffing agencies to recruit the best talent for your practice, nursing home, and hospital. Here’s how they work in the United States.

Medical Staffing Agencies Recruit Talent

Staffing agencies staff qualified recruiters to find medical staff across the globe. Most recruiting agencies will ask specific questions to find out what the role entails, your ideal employee, salary range, and other information applicants may need to know about your company’s culture. Visit this page on healthcare recruiting services to learn more. They’ll know what questions to ask you and how to find the right talent for your open positions.

Once the agency knows what you’re looking for, recruiters will pull from their large talent network and choose an employee that’s right for your organization. If they can’t find the perfect candidate, they may look through job sites, LinkedIn, or ask for employee referrals.

Medical Staffing Agencies Screen Applicants

Any candidate a medical staffing agency considers is screened before they set foot in any facility. While they will look at the credentials on their resume, healthcare staffing agencies go above and beyond by researching their qualifications and performing background checks.

With the agency’s thorough screening process, you’re more likely to hire candidates that are experienced and fit in with your company culture. Candidates that have already passed their initial screening phase are screened again before they’re considered for any job.

Medical Staffing Agencies Connect Employees and Employers

Depending on the company you choose to staff your medical facility, hospitals, physician’s offices, and nursing homes get to pick from a list of qualified applicants. From there, HR can decide which professional is the best person for the job, either before or after training.

However, most people will use a staffing agency to remove themselves from the hiring process. Instead of choosing from a list themselves, the agency will select one international or local candidate and send them over, typically after an interview and a training seminar. 

Medical Staffing Agencies Fill Vacancies Quickly

Since staffing agencies pre-vet employees, medical facilities don’t have to waste time recruiting. Plus, agencies already have a vast pool of candidates ready to go, so you’ll typically have a qualified employee at your doorstep in a day or two if you need a last-minute replacement.

Medical staffing agencies specializing in last-minute replacements could be valuable if there’s a flu outbreak in your hospital or a staff member quits or leaves suddenly. If you need a medical professional to fill in for a sick employee, staffing agencies can prevent short-staffing.

How Are Medical Staffing Agencies Paid?

Medical staffing agencies aren’t a free service. They typically charge a percentage of the employee’s pay, which can be as high as 100% depending on the agency and how quickly you need to fill a position. Sometimes an agency will charge a flat fee for permanent positions.

While the fees may look excessive, you need to factor in the amount you otherwise would pay if you recruited your own healthcare employees. It’s typically much cheaper to pay to fill a position upfront rather than deal with the potential health costs of overworking your staff.

How Are The Benefits of Using a Medical Staffing Agency?

While it’s true that medical staffing agencies are cheaper in the long run, that isn’t the only reason why you should use one. Here are 4 reasons why using a staffing agency is a good idea.

Focus Less on Recruiting

Recruiting is very time-consuming, especially in the healthcare industry. Medical staffing agencies handle the recruiting, vetting, and interviewing process for you. All you need to do is tell your new staff member what to do and where to go, which is great when you’re short-staffed.

Focus More on Patients

When you don’t have enough hands on deck, your patients pay the price. Not only will your staff members have a difficult time getting to each patient, but they’ll also suffer from stress-induced health issues. Avoid this problem altogether by hiring a medical staffing agency.

Avoid Staff Burnout

Burnout is widespread in the healthcare industry, and it only got worse during the pandemic. By partnering with a healthcare staffing agency, you can prevent burnout before it starts. Plus, you’ll always have a talent pool on hand whenever you need it, reducing your team’s stress levels.

Better Team Management

When you have plenty of doctors, nurses, and technicians at your disposal, you’ll be able to focus on other important tasks, like proper team management. If you know what’s working or lacking in your facility, you’ll become more efficient and reduce staff turnover in the future.