Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/149047
Contingent Labor Staffing Gets Healthy Managed services programs are finally being adopted by the healthcare industry—for a number of reasons. By Bob Livonius The advancement of commerce has always been marked by disruptive ideas that displace traditional ways of doing things. Managed services programs (MSP) represent that type of pivot point in the current transformation of the healthcare industry. Almost everything–from information technology and reimbursements to the scope of clinical practices and delivery of patient care–is changing in healthcare right now by the way of disruptive ideas, models, and technology. So it shouldn't be surprising that how we manage the contingent healthcare workforce is changing too. MSP adoption has flourished in many industries during the past decade, rising from single digits to more than 80 percent of buyers who are either using an MSP or plan to very soon. Historically, industries with complex technological processes comprising several separate functions and moving parts benefit from an MSP by way of aggregating vendors and [40] HRO TODAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2013 contracts and managing them under one umbrella. But as it turns out, MSP can be viable for any industry where both efficiency and quality are equally vital. Today, that includes healthcare for several reasons. Quality benefits. Healthcare is a late adopter of many different types of new models and technology. The causes are clear. It's an industry that's been around for a long time and has many traditional business and clinical roles. More importantly, the bottom line in the healthcare industry is excellence in patient care, so every new idea—no matter its obvious financial benefits—must be carefully weighed against the impact on the health and safety of patients. High quality is the healthcare imperative. So how is high quality achieved through MSP? For a contingent healthcare workforce, an MSP can consistently