Health Leaders Media is reporting that hospitals are not only recovering but showing signs a ‘V’ shaped recovery (one that both declines and recovers quickly).

“There has been an improvement at the hospital level that has allowed them [hospitals] to ease up on the cost containments,” he says. “To the extent that they can, hospitals do not want to get caught not operating at appropriate levels in terms of staffing because that is going to hurt them in the long run. Job growth may not come back to historical levels, but over the next 12 months it will definitely be up from what we have seen through much of this year.”

Of course, the only thing to be leery of when predicting ‘V’ shaped recoveries is that the prediction is too early and in fact, what we’re seeing is a ‘W’ (an economy that declines, recovers and declines again). There are several predictions being thrown around in regard to the healthcare staffing industry and the 2010 economic outlook.

Hopefully this won’t be the case. Reading about specific regions, such as Texas, also seeing signs of hospital recovery is also good news.

The percentage of hospital revenue left over after regular business expenses increased from zero in the third quarter of 2008 to 4 percent in the second quarter this year. In Texas, the proportion increased from 6 percent to 8 percent.

via www.dallasnews.com

Only time will tell. But let’s hope for the best.

This article is brought to you by Staffing Robot, a premier source of intelligence for the healthcare staffing industry.

Yesterday, the SIA released another report suggesting that by 2011, 93% of healthcare buyers in the U.S. will be using a VMS or MSP. The numbers come from a survey they did of 171 healthcare buyers. The survey results also suggested that the breakdown of these accepted offerings will be:

• 55% MSP
• 42% VMS

According to my estimates of hospitals using a VMS or MSP model, the 50% current adoption is probably pretty close to accurate. This adoption of VMS by hospitals is up 24% from last year according to the SIA. The SIA is partially basing their prediction of a jump to 93% in 2011 based on a similar growth pattern from the previous two years. However, I don’t think this jump is accurate because I think there previous year (2008) estimate of 24% was much too low.

Further, in terms of the number of hospitals, the vendor neutral VMS technology model has been much more widely accepted than agency MSP offerings. Therefore, I don’t see how in two years the MSP model will overtake the VMS model by 13%.

So, place your bets on who’s crystal ball is clearer. We’ll see what 2011 brings.

This article is brought to you by Staffing Robot, a premier source of intelligence for the healthcare staffing industry.

The following new tests have been released.

Clinical Support Tech:
Certified Medication Aide
EMT
Orthopedic Tech
Paramedic

Laboratory:
Cytologist

Nursing Cores:
Emergency Room Medication
Psychiatric Medication
Respiratory Therapy for Nurses (includes reading material)
Ventilator for Nurses (includes reading material)

Pharmacy:
Pharmacy Tech – Retail

The following new skills checklists have been released.

Clinical Support Tech:
Certified Medication Aid
Emergency Room Tech (new version)
Orthopedic Tech
Paramedic

Laboratory
Cytologist

Pharmacy:
Pharmacy Tech – Retail

Note: To use a new Skills Checklist, set the display to Yes from the Skills tab of RSS.

The following tests have been updated.

Clinical Support Tech:
Cardiac Cath Lab Tech
Certified Medical Assistant
Emergency Room Tech

Cores:
Pain Management (updated reading material and Competency Test)

Imaging and Diagnostics:
Cardio-Vascular Intervention

Nursing Cores:
Vascular Access Device Management (updated reading material and Competency Test)

Nursing Specialty:
Cardiac Cath Lab

Pharmacy:
Pharmacy Tech – Hospital (name change)

Note: As always, for any updated Competency Tests currently assigned, the Candidate will automatically receive the new version of the test when they log in to RSS.

The following skills checklists have been updated.

Clinical Support Tech:
Emergency Room Tech is now EMT

Pharmacy:
Pharmacy Tech is now Pharmacy Tech – Hospital

For a complete list of Nationally Validated Skills Checklists and Competency Tests please visit www.clearviewrss.com

Sets Industry Systems Integration Standard and Increases ROI for Healthcare Suppliers

ShiftWise, the nation’s leading provider of end-to-end workforce solutions now provides seamless data integration with Clearview Staffing Software, the foremost provider of business management staffing software for healthcare suppliers. The integration between the ShiftWise and ClearviewTSS systems eliminates dual data entry between the two systems, provides suppliers with instant access to job requisitions and delivers faster and more accurate applicant submissions.

Healthcare staffing suppliers, via the Web, can now electronically link the ClearviewTSS solution with the ShiftWise Vendor Management System (VMS). Hundreds of healthcare staffing suppliers using ClearviewTSS can now place medical professionals at facilities using ShiftWise without leaving the Clearview system. Key transactions between the two systems, such as sending and receiving job orders, staff confirmations and staff profile management can now be conducted instantly and seamlessly.

“The ability to instantly share data between ShiftWise and Clearview will dramatically increase the speed at which we conduct our day-to-day staffing operations,” said Tim Fagan, CEO of American Nursing Services. “We’ve been using the two systems independently for years, and with great success. Now, the ability to integrate the solutions will give us a competitive advantage over other suppliers.”

“Suppliers are increasingly pursuing their own strategic growth initiatives through VMS programs, and our alliance with ShiftWise allows us to make it even easier for our clients to pursue these new opportunities within the healthcare staffing industry,” said David Gorman, president and CEO of Clearview Staffing Software. “ShiftWise has proven to be an industry leader in healthcare VMS and we are excited about the opportunities this partnership presents.”

“ShiftWise has set the standard for systems integration in this industry. By connecting with the broadest range of healthcare scheduling systems available hospitals can efficiently connect with their staffing providers of choice,” said Jason Lander, founder and vice president of product development for ShiftWise. “Our integration with Clearview Staffing Software delivers a significant advantage to our clients and suppliers by making their internal business processes more efficient and increasing their ability to quickly fill open job requisitions.”

About ShiftWise

Founded by healthcare staffing professionals, ShiftWise delivers a more efficient way for hospitals and staffing suppliers to quickly and efficiently find and place supplemental healthcare workers. The Web-based ShiftWise service provides hospitals with an unprecedented level of control over their staffing processes, consolidating staff search, booking, billing and record-keeping into a single, easy-to-use interface. The staff self-scheduling component of the ShiftWise solution dramatically improves the recruitment, retention and overall morale of the hospitals internal staff.  Based in Portland, Ore., ShiftWise provides end-to-end workforce management solutions to hundreds of healthcare organizations and multiple state hospital associations nationwide. To learn more about ShiftWise, call 866-399-2220 or visit www.shiftwise.net.

About Clearview Staffing Software

Clearview Staffing Software is a market-leading developer of business solutions designed exclusively for the healthcare staffing industry. Our broad set of web-based, on-demand technology enables us to deliver custom solutions that are unmatched in both usability and functionality. Our flagship products, ClearviewTSS and ClearviewRSS, allow staffing organizations to manage their entire business from start to finish, including everything from the fundamentals of recruiting and contact management to credential compliance, shift and assignment scheduling, and highly sophisticated payroll and billing management. For more information, visit www.clearviewtss.com or contact Mike Wejrowski by phone: 972.381.9777 ext. 435, or email: mikew@clearviewtss.com.