M
ost healthcare organizations consider
workforce management a high
priority, especially in a time when
organizations must improve the patient
experience despite budget constraints.
Hospitals and health systems' workforce
management strategies are driven by three
primary goals: They want to reduce labor
costs, boost productivity and improve the
patient experience. Budget constraints and
the patient experience are exerting the most
influence on how hospitals build a workforce
management strategy. The manner in which
hospitals develop, schedule and engage
their employees is not only a matter of
dollars and cents — it is also highly linked to
clinical outcomes, medical errors and patient
satisfaction.
In the past, many organizations built a
workforce management strategy with
labor costs and productivity in mind. Now,
improving patient satisfaction and outcomes
is becoming increasingly more important. In
a survey of 95 healthcare leaders, 64 percent
2
| ARE YOU UNDERMINING YOUR PATIENT EXPERIENCE STRATEGY?
Are You Undermining Your
Patient Experience Strategy?
Aligning Organizational Goals with
Workforce Management Initiatives
By Molly Gamble, Editor-in-Chief, Becker's Hospital Review
Which of the following events/trends/goals has influenced your organization's workforce
management strategy most in the past 2 years?
Pay-for-performance contracts, accountable care or
value-based care delivery
The patient experience, including patient safety, clinical
outcomes, satisfaction and engagement in their care
Budget constraints brought on by reduced
reimbursements, large capital demands and/or patient
volume
Human capital and talent challenges, including
employee turnover, disengagement or shortages
Competition in our market
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
66%
64%
40%
21%
12%
