Although employment and wages in the healthcare industry have seen improvements since the pandemic, there are still ongoing concerns about high quit rates, labor shortages and stagnant wages. For example, 1 in 5 registered nurses (RNs) still report they intend to leave the workforce by 2027 due to mounting stress and burnout in their position.1,2
To overcome these challenges, hospitals are looking for innovative solutions and an integrated care approach beyond focusing solely on recruiting and HR functions.
Discover 5 advantages of rehabilitation unit optimization – through the support of an experienced partner – that can help your hospital locate and retain top talent in 2024 and beyond.
- Prioritize Program Optimization and Efficiency
As patient acuity rises in the inpatient setting, the demand for resources continues to grow. Having a team of local and national experts focused on the latest acute rehabilitation trends, quality data and best practices enables hospitals to run highly efficient units, ultimately requiring fewer local resources.
Further, having inpatient rehabilitation and other post-acute services available within a system’s care continuum helps patients receive the right care, in the right setting at the right time in their recovery journey. This frees up needed acute beds and allows patients to efficiently and effectively progress in their recovery and return home with lower risk of readmission.
- Identify and Recruit Specialized Rehabilitation Talent
An established partner will have a team with local and national reach dedicated to recruiting top talent, such as highly trained therapists, clinicians and social workers. This helps the unit successfully hire individuals that match the culture of the hospital and the specific needs of the community.
When the right person is sourced and hired within your hospital, the possibility of medical error is reduced, and the level of patient safety and satisfaction rises.
Once an individual is hired, it is critical to support their career path by providing training and education. This includes resources to improve their skillset and further enhance the hospital’s care delivery and outcomes.
- Provide Best-in-Class Employee Training and Education
Approximately 1 in 3 healthcare workers intend to reduce their work hours, while roughly 1 in 5 intend to leave their profession altogether – as noted previously.3 This is due in large part to many healthcare professionals feeling unprepared to meet the growing patient need in their communuity.4
Supplying the latest educational resources for team members to excel within their roles leads to better outcomes, while helping to improve employee satisfaction and retention. This also instills a greater sense of value among team members, further reducing the likelihood of burnout and turnover.
- Live Out Its Mission and Values Through a Positive Culture
Connection with the hospital’s values is critical – as it brings the entire organization together to serve the community and achieve the best possible outcomes. When hospital team members align with a company’s mission and values, they are more likely to enjoy their work experience, resulting in higher productivity levels and engagement.
Research highlights that mission-driven workers are 54% more likely to stay for five years at a company and 30% more likely to grow into high performers than those who arrive at work with only their paycheck as the motivator.5
- Develop a Reputation of Excellence
Top talent wants to work for high-performing organizations. An experienced acute rehabilitation partner brings operational and clinical excellence that can help the program be known throughout the region by both patients and healthcare professionals. The additional resources and best practices also allow for greater efficiency, leading to less burnout and more flexibility.
The Benefits of Partnership
Utilizing resources to boost employee engagement, enhance employee skillsets and foster a positive work environment will continue to be a defining factor among hospitals across the nation. One of the factors that sets successful hospitals apart is their choice to partner with an expert.
Contact us today to learn how partnership with Lifepoint Rehabilitation can help your hospital overcome current and future staffing challenges.
Read our full white paper: Rehabilitation Staffing: 5 Advantages of Strategic Partnership
References:
- https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2024/01/26/great-resignation
- https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2023/04/18/rn-workforce
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542454821001260
- https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/nursing-in-2021-retaining-the-healthcareworkforce-when-we-need-it-most
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-reasons-why-mission-driven-leadersmost-successful-ross-gaicd/.
