The Right Fit: KLAS Provides Tips for Selecting a Healthcare IT Staffing Firm

Every single health system utilizes staffing; this ask isn’t unique to larger or smaller health systems. From providing trainers, to implementing solutions, to covering staffing gaps, there is definitely a lot of work to be done in this segment. However, the main goal of hiring a healthcare IT staffing firm, no matter how complex the project, is always to achieve desired outcomes and drive value.

Implementations are slowing down from what we have seen at KLAS. In many instances, health systems have already done two or three iterations of an implementation. At this point, many organizations feel confident in being able to lead in this type of engagement. So when it comes to using a staffing firm, health systems are looking at filling the gap in particular areas. Although it may not be the most glamorous, staffing is becoming increasingly pertinent.

The healthcare IT staffing market is a really high-performing market on the whole. KLAS’ new HIT Staffing 2021 report delves deeper into which firms can do what.

Why the Staffing Firm You Choose Matters

Picking the right staffing firm in such a high-performing market is key to getting top results. Depending on the size and scope of your project, there may be firms that are more niche in their focus. Some smaller firms also may not have the depth or breadth to do everything you want.

At the top of the priority list should be making sure your resources are a good fit. If you pick the wrong staffing firm, they may not have the experience that you’re looking for. You may not always be looking for the most experience, per se; there are staffing firms that will place people with no experience, train them, and then let you hire them.

It almost goes without saying that picking the right fit based on your needs is critical. If you’re able to do that right the first time, you’re going to have less turnover. In the report, we cover how often resources had to be replaced. This chart does come with a disclaimer because of the amount of limited data, but there is definitely a correlation between rarely having to replace resources and client satisfaction.

How the Market May Evolve

As the market for healthcare IT staffing evolves, there is definitely space to bring technology into play. At some point down the line, a technology component that can help better identify resources could be a game changer in staffing. We are starting to see some examples of that now. For instance, rather than presenting 40 resumes, a staffing firm could put in place a process to cut it down to 2 or 3.

Aside from technology, there are also opportunities for firms to share best practices to provide additional value for their customers.

Identifying the Best Options

A lot of firms are offering healthcare IT staffing. In total, there are around 35 firms in the report, making it one of the KLAS reports with the most companies highlighted. If you are trying to select a staffing firm, you could easily get overwhelmed just trying to narrow down your list.

We’ve done the legwork here to hopefully get you past that point in your vendor selection process. The report presents an overview of the market that delves into each firm’s area of focus. This report can help identify which firms best align with what your team is trying to accomplish and help drive outcomes the most effectively.

To learn more about the specific vendors and to learn about their performance, please check out the report.

This piece was written by Kaleb Harris, Research Director, HIT Implementation & Cybersecurity, and Jennifer Despain, Director of Market Analysis, with KLAS Research. To view the original post on KLAS’ blog page, click here.