Read our case studies, articles, research and white papers for information on human capital management trends and issues specific to the healthcare industry.

Case Studies | Articles | Research | White Papers

Healthcare Workforce Management
Case Studies

• Problem: Manual scheduling processes time-consuming and inefficient
• Solution: Integrated scheduling, time and attendance, and payroll/human resources system
• Results: Cost savings, more efficient scheduling, and increased access to information

• Problem: Complex scheduling requirements, varying time and attendance processes across departments
• Solution: Automated staffing and scheduling system that integrates with time and attendance system
• Results: More efficient scheduling, improved workflow and real-time resource utilization information

• Problem: Outdated software, duplicate data entry, lack of systems integration
• Solution: Integrated scheduling, time and attendance and human resources/payroll system
• Results: Improved workflow, reduced overtime, empowered employees

• Problem: Significant hospital growth, varying time and attendance processes system-wide
• Solution: Automated time and attendance system
• Results: Full automation, consistent application of payroll rules, and payroll accuracy

• Problem: Manual payroll processes inconsistent, inaccurate, and inefficient
• Solution: Automated time and attendance system
• Results: Consistency, accuracy and efficiency greatly increased

• Problem: Cumbersome and inefficient manual payroll process
• Solution: Integration of payroll/human resources system with time and attendance system
• Results: Improved efficiency, greater access to critical information, and cost savings

• Problem: Payroll inaccuracies, outdated software, and a lack of systems integration
• Solution: Integrated solution for time and attendance, staffing and scheduling
• Results: Consistent payroll, staffing efficiencies, and employee empowerment

• Problem: Paper-based processes limit staff access to scheduling and time and attendance information
• Solution: Automate staffing and scheduling and time and attendance tracking with systems that share a common database
• Results: Improved scheduling helps control labor costs; payroll staff saves one day of work per pay period

• Problem: Need for transparency across business lines throughout multiple offices in United States
• Solution: Implemented online staffing solution with centralized data source
• Results: Seamless data integration for increased visibility across all offices

• Problem: Manual processes and inefficiencies caused competitive disadvantage 
• Solution: Standardized and streamline operations for key areas
• Results: Improved fill ratios resulting in increased revenues

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Recent API Healthcare Articles

Software Tool Matches Nursing Schedule With Patient Needs

InformationWeek, August 2010
Based on a patient’s acuity scores, API Healthcare’s Patient Classification Solution helps hospitals staff nurses’ shifts based on medical needs.
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Time to Punch In

Health Managment Technology, April 2009
An expanding children's hospital system puts an automated scheduling system on the clock and sees improved productivity.
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Targeted Business Intelligence Pays Off

HFM, March 2009
Organizations can tap into targeted pockets of data for meaningful business intelligence - without large-scale investments and headaches.
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Empowerment Through Automated Labor Resource Management

Nursing Management, December 2008
Scheduling, time and attendance, and payroll systems upgrades allow one medical center to redesign workflow for better decision making.
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Controlling Costs in Census-Driven Staffing

HHN Most Wired Online, October 2008
Integrated labor management tools put time and money back on the hospital's side.
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Superior Scheduling

Health Management Technology, January 2008
A Midwestern provider adopts automated scheduling to enhance efficiency while ensuring appropriate staffing for effective healthcare.
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How Nurses Paired with Finance For Positive Results

Big Business for Not-So-Big-Hospitals, January 2008
How nurses paired with finance for positive results.
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Healthcare Industry Research

Overtime can be an enormous expense within a healthcare organization. However, this big expense can provide big opportunities for savings. The examples in this research show how a reduction in overtime costs can have a tremendous impact on the bottom line.

There’s no mistaking it - electronic health records (EHRs) are the way of the future. A paper record system can no longer supply caregivers with the patient information they need in a way that they can use it. Studies have shown that EHR systems could save billions of dollars in healthcare costs annually. Yet, less than 2% of hospitals in the U.S. use a comprehensive EHR, and only about 12% use a basic EHR in at least one unit.

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API Healthcare White Papers

A recent HealthLeaders survey shows that the top concerns for nursing executives are patient satisfaction/patient experience, quality of care and patient safety, and controlling costs.¹ The quality and skill mix of the direct care staff and the deployment of those caregivers are critical to addressing these top concerns. It makes sense then that healthcare providers are focused on optimizing their labor resources through the use of staffing best practices.

But, optimal staffing – staffing that achieves high quality outcomes while still controlling labor costs – is still one of the biggest challenges faced by healthcare providers.

Healthcare reform, meaningful use, EHRs…the changes happening in the healthcare industry are broad and far-reaching. It’s easy to see that healthcare is a dynamic industry unlike any other, and optimizing labor resources within the healthcare environment is especially complex. Within the 24/7/365 operation of healthcare providers, the pay rules, scheduling policies and educational requirements are much more complicated for healthcare associates than other industries. In spite of the complexity, making data-driven staffing and human resource decisions is critical to a healthcare provider’s ability to deliver high quality patient care while managing labor costs. Your workforce management solutions need to provide the information you need to make strategic, timely decisions regarding human capital optimization at your organization. That’s why it’s critical to work with a vendor that truly understands the intricacies of the healthcare workforce; solutions that work for other industries are not enough to meet the more complex and diverse needs of healthcare.

Balancing high quality patient care with the financial realities of healthcare through workforce optimization is an emerging strategy for healthcare providers. This new strategy surrounding workforce management provides a complete electronic employee record, where all employee information can be stored, managed and maintained in a single, fully integrated suite of solutions. With an electronic employee record, organizations know exactly what labor resources are available and the best way to utilize that resource pool. Learn how your organization can benefit from a fully integrated electronic employee record.

ACCESS FOR ALL, BUT WHAT ABOUT QUALITY AND COST?

Healthcare reform, whether as a concept, a campaign promise or policy proposal, has been part of public discussion since the early 1990’s. After more than 15 years, that concept is now moving toward a reality. It dominated the news cycle for months, focusing mainly on the impact to the average American, specifically those without health insurance. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that under the current legislation, 32 million more people will have health insurance, resulting in coverage for 95 percent of those legally residing in the United States [i]. Prior to the passage of H.R. 3590, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the companion bill, H.R. 4872, The Healthcare and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010, coverage saturation was around 83% [ii].

Just a few years ago, payroll and HR departments at hospitals nationwide were focused on a very specific set of challenges: recruiting new talent, addressing the nursing shortage and boosting staff morale. Fast forward to 2010 and these dynamics are rapidly changing. The economic downturn has made an industry once thought to be "recession proof" prone to the same issues that other businesses face.

To improve care delivery and reduce healthcare costs, states first began legislating safe nurse staffing standards in 1990, when California initiated its staff ratio law. Factors contributing to the advent of safe staffing legislation include the rising cost of staffing, an increased focus on patient safety initiatives and the movement towards evidence-based care and data-driven staffing.

Staffing legislation is continuing to gain attention, especially at the state level. Learn more about the pros and cons of three different approaches to safe staffing legislation.

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