Cultivating a Culture of Change: Revitalizing Workforce Management at Providence Health and Services  

February 4, 2025 | Workforce Solutions

Overview 

At the 2024 Aya Ideas Retreat, where healthcare leaders gathered to discuss innovative workforce management solutions, Julie Hilsenbeck, DNS, RN, CNRN, associate VP of clinical operations for the Providence Nursing Institute, and Mark Smith, GVP of insights, optimization and staffing at Providence, shared their insights as panelists in a session titled, “Cultivating a Culture of Change.”  

Providence, a prominent Catholic healthcare system spanning seven Western U.S. states, operates 51 hospitals and about 1,000 clinics, with nearly 124,000 caregivers. Amid unprecedented workforce challenges during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Providence faced high turnover rates, prolonged vacancy periods and an escalating need for contingent labor. Recognizing the need for a streamlined and flexible staffing approach, Providence partnered with Aya Healthcare to centralize and simplify contingent labor management.

The Solution 

Integrated Platform for Efficiency and Simplicity 

Providence required a unified, data-driven solution to manage contingent labor across multiple regions and facilities. Aya’s healthcare workforce management platform, LotusOne, offered a centralized approach that simplified staffing across the system, reducing the reliance on multiple MSPs and fostering transparency across all staffing levels. Aya’s system integration aligned with Providence’s broader technology upgrades, supporting their single-platform approach. “What we really want is we want everyone to live in one house. We can’t afford to manage a neighborhood anymore. So that was the point of emphasis,” said Smith.

Data-Driven Insights to Build Trust and Enhance Performance 

LotusOne provides comprehensive insights on program data and market dynamics, enabling Providence leaders to access real-time staffing data, rate information and location-specific trends. This transparency fostered trust among stakeholders, especially at the regional level, where local preferences for certain vendors had historically been strong. With performance insights, Providence could monitor vendor productivity and make data-driven adjustments to shift towards a performance-oriented staffing culture. This shift improved resource allocation, held vendors accountable and rewarded high-performing suppliers, critical in meeting patient care standards.

Governance and Consistency Across Regions 

Providence sought consistent staffing practices and vendor relationships, especially as local regions had previously operated with independent staffing agreements. Aya’s VMS framework established a “rules of the road” approach, standardizing procedures, expectations and contractual terms across all staffing offices. By consolidating and simplifying contract arrangements into a single platform, Aya empowered Providence to manage staffing resources more strategically. “We needed to move from being managed by the investment to managing the investment,” said Hilsenbeck. This partnership has enabled Providence to maintain transparency, control costs and create transparency among its suppliers.

Adaptability and Support in Critical Situations 

Aya’s flexible support was instrumental during critical moments, including a statewide strike in Oregon, where Aya mobilized its network rapidly to meet staffing needs. The seamless response allowed Providence to maintain essential patient services without disruption. Providence benefited from Aya’s responsiveness, with Aya’s team onsite and always available for troubleshooting and problem-solving. This real-time support provided confidence that staffing demands would be met consistently, even in unpredictable situations. 

“Aya has been amazing for us,” said Hilsenbeck. “I can call anybody — any time of the day or night — and I get an answer in five minutes. That is hard to find. We’ve been able to pivot on a dime and change directions [when] we need to.”

Results and Benefits 

  • Cost Reduction: Providence reduced contingent workforce spending by 42% within the first year.. 
  • Improved Time-to-Staff: The Aya Offers program, which leveraged Aya’s clinical services team to vet candidates, accelerated hiring, increasing adoption across 24 additional hospitals and reducing time-to-staff. 
  • Operational Efficiency: Simplified and consistent governance across facilities created a more reliable staffing process, reducing operational bottlenecks. 
  • Enhanced Trust through Transparency: Real-time data insights and consistent processes across regions improved trust among executives, finance teams and regional leaders, establishing Aya as a reliable, performance-driven partner. 
  • Increased Staffing Flexibility: Aya’s ability to pivot in critical situations, such as the Oregon strike, demonstrated the adaptability and responsiveness needed to navigate high stakes staffing challenges.

Conclusion 

Providence’s partnership with Aya Healthcare demonstrates how a data-driven, transparent and advanced workforce management platform like LotusOne can transform contingent staffing in complex healthcare environments. By combining ease-of-use, performance insights and collaborative support, Aya has not only helped Providence meet immediate staffing needs but also laid the foundation for scalable, sustainable practices.  

This partnership extended beyond basic staffing, fostering a collaborative relationship that promoted mutual success. LotusOne’s transparency enabled Providence’s finance team to accurately track agency spend, becoming the “one source of truth” for workforce expenses. This strengthened budget management, improved manager adoption and solidified Aya Healthcare as a trusted partner capable of addressing real-time needs while driving long-term transformation.

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