If your hospital or health system continues to struggle with workforce shortages, keeping costs high and limiting patient access, then maybe it’s time to focus on building your internal resource pool (IRP). 

If your hospital or health system continues to struggle with workforce shortages, keeping costs high and limiting patient access, then maybe it&rsquo;s time to focus on building your internal resource pool (IRP). According to one report<a href="https://www.kaufmanhall.com/sites/default/files/2023-10/KH-Report_2023-State-Healthcare-Performance-Improvement.pdf?utm_source=agcy&amp;utm_campaign=performance-improvement-report&amp;utm_medium=pr&amp;utm_term=231024" target="_blank">[i]</a>, 66% of providers are operating under full capacity because of staffing shortages, which means you&rsquo;re with most healthcare providers in dealing with this issue.

Whether you call it a float pool or an IRP, staffing pools comprised of full and part-time employees are helping healthcare organizations provide better care to their patients and increase work-life balance for their staff &ndash; all while saving money by decreasing reliance on agencies or staffing expenses.

An IRP can help to reduce burnout by better meeting staffing requirements. It provides flexibility for your internal staff by allowing them to create their schedules for when and where they want to work. This can help to improve trust and satisfaction among your core staff, which, in turn, can drive positive patient outcomes. The key to getting the most engagement out of your float pool stems from how you handled the program rollout.

What Does an IRP Deliver?

You can expect to reduce labor costs and increase both employee and patient satisfaction with:

<ul>
	<li>Just-in-time coverage needs</li>
	<li>Planned coverage</li>
	<li>Address workforce challenges</li>
	<li>Cost savings</li>
	<li>Increased retention and satisfaction</li>
	<li>Improved patient care and satisfaction</li>
	<li>IRP technology management</li>
</ul>

Technology Brings It All Together

With the right technology, getting started is easier than you may think. It can deliver transparency for the staffing schedule, budget, and invoicing. If you are aware of your resources, you don&rsquo;t have to go to contingent labor. Below are some things to factor in when evaluating if a technology will support your IRP goals:

<ul>
	<li>Find a technology that is intuitive to the challenges of your specific float pool and can adapt to ever-changing needs.</li>
	<li>An easy-to-use technology with mobile functionality will create better engagement with the program.</li>
	<li>Technology centralizes staffing resources in a way an HRIS or scheduling system cannot and drives the on-demand nature of getting people in the right place.</li>
	<li>It removes the human element as decisions are made based on facts and real-time data.</li>
</ul>

The right technology will ultimately drive cost savings by creating better staffing levels and less stress on your core staff and managers. It creates efficiencies around seasonality and limits rate hikes during peak seasons, and you will have protocols in place to control issues like overtime. You will benefit from having staff oriented to the hospital and hit the ground running faster than a travel nurse. Patient care is improved because staff are happier.

Without the proper technology, processes become bifurcated, and errors crop up. Managers/directors in scheduling can make decisions for call-ins and potentially create silos for scheduling that increase contingent utilization due to unit-specific use, not the whole house.&nbsp;Ultimately, you save the most money with the right technology for your organization.

If you think an IRP is right for your organization, explore the options with this <a href="https://d2rjzx04.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/W3+113/d2rjzX04/VW82GN93YSzHN4fZbkpcwXzDW6P_DFt53r7-HN80643R3qn9gW8wLKSR6lZ3lqN792mFhfm9z-Vx2Qr22kHxLFW74HF2P8l5jg2W96Msxf8QPFnJW1Hx70L6tQKrjW5CRf1V7w4zMBW2WSv7y2wnB73W8lwbP09kmZ2pW1gywXX8n9YW9W76q2jq2xWfkBW2MsbF71gCx3rW1wnF5f2L5GvbW32N64016lnVyW2yQfnW1VKZLLW7KXdC13NFSlsW3NrDTC7pjCG6W50Jx_m49qC6bW1GcQcy3SVsl4W6LzhmZ6g4CSyW3gNtMQ2jXTHPV7hW_67VR3L_W2JRkZf7H7xnFW7Hbwn253_cJ5W66bJBp3NZVYRN94sBk7Vx9cpW60G86T14GD4VW3yVT9s6VYYbYW9gHYl88yCTk0dT_swq04" target="_blank">free demo</a> or view this <a href="https://d2rjzx04.na1.hubspotlinks.com/Ctc/W3+113/d2rjzX04/VW82GN93YSzHN4fZbkpcwXzDW6P_DFt53r7-HN80643R3qn9gW8wLKSR6lZ3pXW4NtDS42-QK0nW1st5h578xbFvW810J-y5YbK3xW65gJtD5Kgb96W4rppBG8RjcZBW6DcHvN6Ds8L9VgjKts4V_Zc6W50RCbK6n9ZcGW4ShDfP940gmZW5C9Z-T1bj-CDW91DjsH9cy2Q_W84jCLw1wTF5xW7RnFQD5Ngyb8W3n_xNt4xyRdDW7JNQLb5VdgLmW1f7M9n66n2JHW8J3gpy1XPc6dW4YVrQy2vLPDQW2kflYq4bv4kTW7psJfK7Tc0MnW1M2s0n1pLRsLW24h57r39w69hW7XkLML6DwGyRVBC6Zg1gVscJV5qqlz3SXp51MQp4zM5h8wCW6hrFZl1xK-mYW8B847n2Fw3Ymf4ZJXHx04" target="_blank">short video</a> to understand the benefits you can expect.

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<a href="#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title="">[i]</a> <a href="https://www.kaufmanhall.com/sites/default/files/2023-10/KH-Report_2023-State-Healthcare-Performance-Improvement.pdf?utm_source=agcy&amp;utm_campaign=performance-improvement-report&amp;utm_medium=pr&amp;utm_term=231024" target="_blank">KH-Report_2023-State-Healthcare-Performance-Improvement.pdf (kaufmanhall.com)</a>

Is an Internal Resource Pool Right for Your Organization?