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How to Staff a Pandemic Surge Hospital in Less Than a Month
In March 2020, Maryland was preparing for a surge in patient hospitalizations due to the looming COVID-19 pandemic like most states. The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) needed to temporarily expand acute cure patient beds to treat those affected by COVID-19. UMMS desperately needed more medical personnel to overcome the influx of patients at UM Laurel Medical Center, which is about 25 miles southwest of Baltimore. Who did UMMS rely on for staffing in a pandemic to ensure that they have qualified professionals to treat their patients? They chose to partner with Amergis Healthcare Staffing.
Amergis was proud to work with UMMS to quickly provide staffing so that their medical professionals could focus on what really matters, which is the health and well-being of their patients. For more information about how Amergis staffs medical facilities across the country, visit us online.
A Special Challenge
In all, there were more than 150 jobs that the UM Laurel Medical Center staff needed to fill almost overnight.
These openings were for a range of roles, such as:
- Respiratory therapists
- Radiology technicians
- Therapists
- Lab and pharmacy professionals
However, staffing in a pandemic presents unique challenges, so the Amergis team needed to identify candidates willing to accept the risk associated with this assignment and ready to travel during this uncertain time. Amergis worked side-by-side with UMMS to put in place preventative measures to assure candidates that their safety was the top priority. Amergisr recruiters worked around the clock to attract, credential, and hire the most qualified job seekers. They coordinated tools for success, including timekeeping processes and safety protocols.
The staffing timeline for UM Laurel Medical Center was:
- March 27 – The Amergis team got to work filling the staffing needs for UMMS. Amergis recruiters from across the country worked through the weekend to contact potential employees.
- March 30 – Amergis recruiters submitted more than 400 qualified candidates.
- April 7 – Approximately 120 positions were filled, and employees began their first day at UM Laurel Medical Center.
- April 14 – Another 120 employees started work at the hospital.
- April 20 – Another 100 employees began their employment at UM Laurel Medical Center, and the hospital opened its doors to patients.
Altogether, Amergis was able to fill 340 positions and provided UMMS with staffing in a pandemic so that the hospital could reopen as quickly as possible.
Connecting Communities to Care
Eric Perlozzo, a Business Development Manager at Amergis’s Towson, MD office, served as the nursing program manager for this partnership with UMMS. Perlozzo said, “It has been a pleasure to partner with UMMS on this project. Everyone has been just great to work with. Any time we are able to play a part in serving our communities, I would consider that a success.” Amergis’s entire team is proud to have connected healthcare workers with jobs in this case and hundreds of other similar scenarios over the past 30 years.
In addition to their decades of experience in healthcare staffing, Amergis is a leader in the industry because:
- A diverse candidate database – From allied health professionals to registered nurses (RNs) to occupational therapists and more, Amergis’s talent community is full of quality healthcare professionals ready to work.
- Personalized workforce solutions – Amergis’s team works with its clients to create quality, customized solutions to each unique staffing challenge.
- Expert recruitment partners – Amergis recruiters fully vet each potential candidate and train each job seeker to ensure the best fit for both the candidate and the client.
Discover More About Amergis Healthcare Staffing’s Capabilities
Amergis’s well-earned reputation in the industry is due to our commitment to diversity, integrity, and quality. Learn more about the many benefits of working with Amergis by contacting us online.
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