In the current data-focused world, performance benchmarks and other key indicators are more important than ever before. For health care staffing, these numbers and the associated analysis they make possible can help decision-makers improve patient services while working to ensure the highest quality of care possible.
However, with so many moving parts involved, it can be difficult to know where to start and what is most important to track. When kicking off a metrics-focused initiative, health care staffing managers should examine a few key benchmarks, and expand their scope from there.
Measuring staffing practices: What's in a metric?
"Health care staffing managers should examine a few key benchmarks, and expand their scope from there."
As Donna Nickitas, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CNE, FAAN, noted for Nursing Economics, metrics related to health care staffing are relevant and valid for both staff members and consumers, with transparency in this regard essential. Positive metrics can support certain financial and other incentives, while negative benchmarks can lead to penalties with the purpose of motivation.
"The evidence points to the impact of staffing on performance measures, nurse satisfaction, and patient satisfaction," Nickitas wrote. "Staffing issues regarding care coordination in the community will be vitally important as the care environment shifts, and transitional care services integrate from the hospital to the community."
Metrics to consider
Key performance indicators and other metrics are imperative for health care decision-makers. But which numbers are the most important to examine first?
Metrics are an important part of managing health care staff.Here are a few critical metrics health care institutions should absolutely track, and utilize to their advantage:
- Full-time equivalent leakage: As Becker's Hospital Review contributor Kelly Gooch noted, FTE leakage is the number of hours a staff member did not work, based on their full-time equivalent commitment with the hospital. This number can highlight underperforming employees, or instances in which time off may have interfered with FTE hours.
- Patient flow by hour: Most hospitals already track the average patient flow per hour, but this metric becomes even more insightful when compared to the schedules of staff members working during peak shifts. As Change Healthcare Inc. pointed out, examining these benchmarks can help supervisors ensure appropriate staffing levels.
- Staffing hours: It's also imperative that managers have complete visibility into the total hours staff members are working. As noted, this benchmark can help inform other metrics, and stakeholders should have the ability to access up-to-date hours of all critical staff members.
- New employees added: The human resources team and recruitment stakeholders in particular should track their overall fill rate with a focus on the number of new employees added over a specified time period.
- Credential scheduling: HR and managers should also have an easy way to track credential scheduling, including credentials in need of updating or documents that need to be added. This helps keep the institution compliant while supporting high quality care.
One of the best ways to track staffing metrics is with a vendor management system created with the requirements of the health care industry in mind. BlueSky Staffing Software's VMS is a secure and accessible solution that provides a portal for users to glean an array of reporting, including for fill rates, work history and more.
