The client was one of Canada’s leading Home Health Care providers. At the time of the project, Canada was experiencing rapid growth of its aging population, while Home Health Care providers faced severe PSW and Nursing shortages. This put immense pressure on the client, as there were high expectations from government funders, but a shortage of workers. Financially, this lowered operating margins as it became costlier to provide care with high amounts of subcontractor, overtime and recruiting costs.
The assessment with the client uncovered additional opportunities. Regional and inter-office differences in workflow created confusion for clients and staff, damaged customer service and added unnecessary costs.This environment created an opportunity to redesign the underlying operating model for how field staff were scheduled; how supervisionengaged with field staff; and, how staff were recruited and retained.
Over the course of a year, the project developed and implemented
the ideal Regional operating model. Embedded in the Regional
operating model were standardized structures and roles, with a set of
best practices across Scheduling, Supervision and Recruiting work
streams. In addition, training and coaching with Regional leaders
focused on managing using numbers and day-to-day problem solving
- Developed standardized scheduling roles to create more specific
assignments and more effective booking practices - Built ongoing recruiting mentality into regions, along with focus
on onboarding and field staff check-ins to increase retention - Established consistency in Field Supervisor role, with reduced
admin activities and increased touch points with clients and staff - Developed and installed planning and reporting tools across locations to better manage quality, service and cost indicators
The Results
The implementation of the Regional operating model optimized billed hours, decreased Scheduling and Administrative costs and boosted recruiting outcomes. These outcomes were achieved while also providing more consistent service and improved quality of care.
Specific results include:
• Optimized billed hours by 4%
• Reduced Scheduling and Admin Labour Cost by 15%
• Scheduling changes led to 25% improvement in continuity of care
• Increased hiring outcomes by 20% and retention improved by 10%
• Visibility to performance measures reviewed on a daily basis, previously monthly
• Documentation of Scheduling practices and procedures, with all Schedulers in the country trained on best practices
• Sustainable Regional operating model setup to manage growth
• ROI of 2.5:1
