News Summary
NYC Health + Hospitals has renewed a $1.9 billion contract with RightSourcing for three years to manage temporary staffing. This agreement comes as the healthcare system anticipates ongoing staffing demands following the COVID-19 pandemic and potential labor disputes involving unionized doctors. RightSourcing has played a crucial role in hiring over 22,000 temporary employees since 2020, ensuring a stable workforce amidst challenges faced in the sector.
New York City – NYC Health + Hospitals has secured a new three-year contract worth $1.9 billion with RightSourcing, a staffing agency based in Folsom, California, to manage temporary personnel staffing amid ongoing challenges related to healthcare staffing and potential labor disputes. The renewed contract was approved by the board as officials anticipate continued staffing demands in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the new agreement, RightSourcing will oversee various aspects of temporary staffing, which includes hiring through staffing agencies, facilitating onboarding processes, providing technological support for timekeeping, and consolidating invoices. This comprehensive arrangement has been a significant aspect of NYC Health + Hospitals since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, during which RightSourcing assisted the health system in hiring over 22,000 temporary employees to meet surging demands.
As the staffing crisis peaked during the pandemic, temporary staff levels soared, reaching over 3,600 in fiscal year 2022. However, recent data indicates a decline in temporary full-time staffing levels, which are now reverting to pre-pandemic averages, currently estimated at around 1,800 by fiscal year 2025. Health + Hospitals officials believe that continuing the partnership with RightSourcing will enable the healthcare system to better manage public health emergencies and potential staffing challenges in the future.
The decision to renew the contract without competitive bidding stems from RightSourcing’s established infrastructure within the NYC Health + Hospitals system and concerns about potential disruptions that could arise from changing agencies at this critical time. Importantly, RightSourcing does not maintain its own employment agency branch, effectively avoiding conflicts of interest.
In addition to securing temporary staffing support, NYC Health + Hospitals is currently facing potential labor actions as nearly 1,000 unionized doctors at four hospitals may strike over unresolved contract negotiations, staffing shortages, and pay demands. The Doctors Council SEIU, which represents these healthcare professionals, indicates that members have been working without a contract for the past four months, raising concerns over their working conditions.
Hospital management is focused on averting the strike while continuing negotiations to reach a fair contract that ensures uninterrupted patient care. Many doctors have voiced concerns regarding long working hours, rising living costs, and increasing stress as hospitals contend with the challenges of recruiting and retaining qualified medical personnel. This backdrop of labor unrest emphasizes the urgency of meeting staffing needs and addressing pay disparities.
The intersection of ongoing staffing challenges and contract negotiations illustrates the complex landscape faced by healthcare providers. As the industry continues to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, maintaining a stable workforce remains a top priority for officials within NYC Health + Hospitals. The renewed commitment to RightSourcing serves as an essential component in their strategy to ensure adequate staffing levels and support their mission to deliver quality healthcare to the community.
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Additional Resources
- ABC7: NYC Physicians Threaten Strike Over Staffing Issues
- Wikipedia: New York City
- Gothamist: NYC Hospitals Scramble Amid ICE Threats
- Google Search: NYC Health + Hospitals
- Brooklyn Eagle: Memos from Hospitals on ICE Threats
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Healthcare Staffing
- Crain’s New York: Hospitals Warn Staff on ICE Protocols
- Google News: Health Care Staffing Crisis
- Documented NY: ICE in NYC Hospitals
