 Chesapeake Registry Program:
Providing Quality Staffing Solutions
Hospitals routinely go through cyclical changes that create
a need for supplemental staffing—opening new units, nurses and other staff
taking leave or vacation, to name a few. To address hospitals’ concerns
regarding the availability of quality supplemental staff, the Maryland Hospital
Association (MHA) searched for a creative solution and developed the
Chesapeake Registry
Program.
The Chesapeake Registry Program, launched in April 2004,
allows hospitals in Maryland and Washington D.C. to post their staffing needs
on a Web site. Agencies that are registered and approved by the Chesapeake
Registry Program are then sent e-mails alerting them to hospitals’ needs.
Agencies can then respond with information about their staff and set up an
assignment with the hospital in a timely fashion.
Not only has the program helped fill the gap created by
workforce shortages, it has greatly increased the quality of supplemental
staff.
“There are staffing agencies out there, but there
really wasn’t a way for hospitals to ensure quality,” said Alison
Burrows, director of the Registry.
Since its launch, the Registry Program has grown to include
two programs that address different hospital needs. The Travel Nurse Program
kicked off first and includes supplemental nursing staff who typically work in
13-week stints. The Per Diem Nurse Program kicked off last July and provides
for short-term and day-to-day supplemental nursing staff.
Initially, the Chesapeake Registry Program issued request
for proposals to personnel agencies and had a great number of agencies respond.
Certain agencies were selected and ultimately asked to participate.
“When we choose staffing agencies we look for certain
criteria such as quality assurance standards and the availability of the agency
to meet staffing needs in a geographical area,” said Burrows.
The Registry currently includes15 hospitals and 27 agencies
participating in the Travel Nurse Program and 16 hospitals and 22 agencies
participating in the Per Diem Program.
“The Registry benefits everyone involved because the
hospital has one place they post their needs. There is a master contract with
multiple agencies, and they can get their supplemental staff at competitive
rates,” said Burrows.
Using the Registry, hospitals can quickly post their needs
and get responses in a matter of minutes. Agencies have the ability to get
information about hospitals or units where their staff can go. The Web site
contains usage reports as well as general contact information about all of the
agencies.
“It’s great being able to post our needs on the
Web and get monthly reports,” said Lil Banchero, RN, manager of Patient
Access and Admissions at Anne Arundel Medical Center. The hospital uses mostly
traveling nurses to fill their needs. “We’ve had great results in
quality and it’s been easy for us now to just deal with one person.”
The Chesapeake Registry Program is modeled after the Arizona
Hospital and Health Care Association’s program which has been in place for
17 years. The Chesapeake Registry Program does on-site audits of each agency,
checking employee files, quality assurance standards, and organizational
mobility, making sure the agency meets all criteria.
With access to participant-approved staffing agencies,
hospitals know they are getting the best help they can.
“The Registry staff is always accessible and the
customer service is superior,” said Pam McGrath, director of Client
Services for Richmond-based American Critical Care Services. “Even though
there’s a virtual aspect, there is a definite human touch as well.”
The Registry is in the process of developing an allied
health workers program that will launch in early 2005, and will include
supplemental workers in radiology, respiratory therapy, rehab therapy, lab, and
other ancillary disciplines.
Along with providing a more efficient utilization of the
workforce, the Registry Program provides a commitment to their customers.
“We want the hospitals and agencies to work together in
a way that will benefit the hospital and build relationships,” said
Burrows.
Working together, hospitals have the ability to develop
favorable contracts with staffing agencies saving time and resources.
“How can we best get our needs met?” is the
question that we hope to answer for participating hospitals, said Burrows.
Every six months, the Registry program reviews the contracts
with participating hospitals.
“We’re always looking at the program and finding
ways to make it better for the participants,” said Burrows.
Contact:
Alison Burrows Director
Chesapeake
Registry Program
410-379-6200
aburrows@mhaonline.org (Back to the top)
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