How to Choose Between Per Diem and Full-Time Healthcare Staffing

Healthcare facilities constantly navigate the challenge of maintaining optimal staffing levels to meet patient needs effectively and efficiently. This often involves deciding between different employment models. For healthcare employers (`healthcare employers` – healthcare employers), understanding the nuances of each option is crucial for strategic workforce planning (`workforce planning healthcare` – workforce planning healthcare). The decision of `how to choose between per diem and full-time healthcare staffing` is fundamental to building a robust and flexible team.

`Per diem staffing`, often referred to as “as needed” or “daily” staffing, involves hiring healthcare professionals for specific shifts or short-term assignments without a long-term contract or guaranteed hours. Full-time healthcare staffing, conversely, involves hiring employees for regular, consistent schedules with standard benefits (`employee benefits healthcare` – employee benefits healthcare) and employment agreements.

Both `per diem staffing` and full-time models have distinct advantages and disadvantages that impact a facility’s operations (`healthcare operations` – healthcare operations), budget (`budget healthcare` – budget healthcare), and team dynamics (`healthcare teams` – healthcare teams). Developing an informed `staffing strategy healthcare` wide requires a careful evaluation of your specific needs and priorities.

This article provides a practical guide on `how to choose between per diem and full-time healthcare staffing`, outlining the pros and cons of each model and highlighting 5 key factors for healthcare employers to consider when making this important decision for their `healthcare staffing options` (`healthcare staffing options` – healthcare staffing options).

Disclaimer Note: This blog post provides general information and considerations for choosing between per diem and full-time healthcare staffing models. The specific advantages and disadvantages can vary based on the type of healthcare facility, location, specific roles needed, and current market conditions. Legal and regulatory requirements regarding employment classification and benefits must also be considered. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional legal, HR, financial, or staffing advice. Healthcare organizations should consult with HR professionals, legal counsel, and financial advisors to make informed staffing decisions tailored to their unique circumstances.

The Strategic Importance of Healthcare Staffing Decisions

Effective `healthcare staffing` (`healthcare staffing` – healthcare staffing) is a cornerstone of successful healthcare delivery. Decisions about `healthcare staffing options` directly impact patient care quality (`quality improvement healthcare` – quality improvement healthcare), operational efficiency (`healthcare operations`), financial performance (`healthcare revenue cycle` – healthcare revenue cycle), and staff morale (`employee engagement healthcare` – employee engagement healthcare). A well-planned `staffing strategy healthcare` wide ensures that facilities have the right number of skilled professionals (`talent healthcare` – talent healthcare) available when and where they are needed, optimizing resource allocation and patient outcomes.

Defining Per Diem vs. Full-Time Healthcare Staffing

The primary difference between `per diem staffing` and full-time staffing lies in the nature of employment and commitment. Full-time employees have regular schedules, receive a consistent salary or hourly wage, and are typically eligible for comprehensive benefits packages (`employee benefits healthcare`). They are integrated members of the permanent staff team.

`Per diem staffing`, conversely, involves hiring professionals on a shift-by-shift basis. They are not guaranteed hours and generally do not receive the same level of benefits as full-time employees. They are often paid a higher hourly rate to compensate for the lack of guaranteed hours and benefits. This model provides flexibility for both the facility and the professional (`healthcare professional` – healthcare professional).

Evaluating Your Facility’s Specific Staffing Needs

Before deciding between `per diem staffing` and full-time, healthcare employers must thoroughly evaluate their specific `staffing needs` (staffing needs). Consider the predictability of your patient census and acuity levels (`patient outcomes healthcare` – patient outcomes healthcare), budget constraints (`budget healthcare`), the desired level of continuity in patient care, and your organizational culture (`healthcare culture`). Understanding these factors is the first step in determining the optimal mix of staffing models.

Per Diem Staffing: Pros and Cons

`Per diem staffing` offers several key advantages. Its primary benefit is unparalleled `staffing flexibility` (staffing flexibility). Facilities can quickly scale their workforce up or down based on immediate needs, covering unexpected absences, peak seasons, or special projects without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. This can be a cost-effective solution for managing fluctuating workloads, as facilities only pay for the hours needed (`cost management healthcare` – cost management healthcare).

However, `per diem staffing` also has drawbacks. It can sometimes lead to inconsistency in care if the same per diem staff are not consistently available. Integrating per diem staff into the permanent team culture can be challenging, and they may require more frequent orientation to new units or procedures. There can also be administrative burdens related to scheduling and managing a larger pool of temporary staff (`temporary staffing` – temporary staffing).

Full-Time Healthcare Staffing: Pros and Cons

Full-time healthcare staffing provides stability and continuity. Full-time employees are typically more invested in the facility’s long-term goals and culture. They contribute to stronger team cohesion and facilitate consistent patient care relationships. Full-time staff often require less frequent orientation and are more readily available for training and professional development (`healthcare professional development` – healthcare professional development).

The main disadvantages of full-time staffing are higher fixed costs associated with salaries, benefits (`employee benefits healthcare`), and payroll taxes (`payroll healthcare` – payroll healthcare). It offers less flexibility in scaling down during slow periods. Adapting to significant, unpredictable fluctuations in `staffing needs` with only full-time staff can be challenging and may lead to overstaffing or understaffing at different times (`staffing levels` – staffing levels).

How to Choose Between Per Diem and Full-Time Healthcare Staffing: 5 Key Factors

When deciding `how to choose between per diem and full-time healthcare staffing`, consider these 5 key factors:

Factor 1: Predictability of Workload

Analyze historical data and forecasts for patient census and acuity. If your workload is highly unpredictable with significant fluctuations, `per diem staffing` offers the flexibility to adjust quickly. A stable and predictable workload may favor a higher proportion of full-time staff.

Factor 2: Budget and Cost Considerations

Compare the total costs associated with each model, including hourly rates, benefits, payroll taxes, recruitment costs (`recruitment healthcare` – recruitment healthcare), and administrative overhead. `Per diem staffing` may have a higher hourly rate but avoids the cost of benefits. Evaluate which model aligns best with your `cost management healthcare` goals and overall `healthcare revenue cycle`.

Factor 3: Need for Staffing Flexibility

Assess how quickly you need to be able to adjust staffing levels. If rapid scaling up or down is frequently required to meet immediate `staffing needs`, `per diem staffing` provides greater agility. Full-time staffing offers less inherent `staffing flexibility`.

Factor 4: Importance of Team Cohesion and Culture

Consider the impact of staffing models on your team dynamics and `organizational culture in healthcare` (organizational culture in healthcare). A higher proportion of full-time staff can foster stronger relationships, communication, and a sense of shared purpose (`communication in healthcare` – communication in healthcare). While per diem staff can integrate well, a heavy reliance on them might pose challenges to long-term team building (`team building healthcare` – team building healthcare).

Factor 5: Administrative Burden

Evaluate the administrative resources required to manage each model. `Per diem staffing` can increase the complexity of scheduling, payroll (`payroll healthcare`), and compliance (`healthcare compliance` – healthcare compliance). Full-time staffing involves ongoing HR management but typically with more standardized processes.

Considering a Hybrid Staffing Model

Many healthcare facilities find that a hybrid approach, combining both `per diem staffing` and full-time employees, offers the best balance. This allows facilities to maintain a core team of full-time staff for stability and culture, while leveraging `per diem staffing` or `temporary staffing` (`temporary staffing` – temporary staffing) from a `staffing agency` (staffing agency) to manage fluctuations and fill specific needs. A well-designed hybrid model optimizes `healthcare staffing options` for efficiency and responsiveness.

Hathaway Healthcare Staffing: Helping You Build Your Optimal Staffing Strategy Healthcare

At Hathaway Healthcare Staffing, we understand that deciding `how to choose between per diem and full-time healthcare staffing` is a complex but critical decision for healthcare employers. We specialize in providing comprehensive `healthcare staffing solutions` (staffing solutions) tailored to your unique needs.

Whether you require highly skilled professionals for `per diem staffing` or are looking to fill `permanent roles` (permanent placement), we provide access to a deep pool of vetted candidates (`talent healthcare`). We offer expert guidance to help you evaluate the pros and cons of different models based on your facility’s specific workload, budget, and culture. By partnering with Hathaway, you can develop an effective `staffing strategy healthcare` wide that leverages the strengths of both `per diem staffing` and full-time models to ensure optimal `healthcare staffing levels` (`staffing levels`). Contact us today to discuss how we can support your staffing decisions and help you achieve your operational goals.

Making Informed Staffing Choices for Effective Healthcare Staffing

The choice between `per diem staffing` and full-time healthcare staffing is a strategic one that significantly impacts a facility’s ability to provide quality care and manage resources effectively. By carefully considering factors such as workload predictability, budget, need for `staffing flexibility` (`staffing flexibility`), team cohesion (`organizational culture in healthcare`), and administrative burden (`payroll healthcare`), healthcare employers can make informed decisions.

Ultimately, the optimal approach often involves a combination of models in a hybrid `staffing strategy healthcare` wide. Leveraging the expertise and resources of `healthcare staffing` partners (`staffing agency`) like Hathaway can provide access to the flexible `per diem staffing` and reliable full-time candidates needed to meet evolving `staffing needs` and ensure effective `healthcare staffing`.