Matching Hospital Staffing Shortages with Qualified Workers

Within two weeks

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Nursing homes and hospitals signed up
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COVID-19 related jobs posted
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Highly skilled candidates signed up looking for work

Problem

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a drop in routine patient visits, and as a result, thousands of medical workers have been furloughed or laid off. Meanwhile, other healthcare providers in Louisiana working directly on COVID response were experiencing acute staffing shortages, impacting their abilities to treat patients.

Solution

Louisiana Health Work Connect matches hospitals’ immediate healthcare staffing needs with qualified, available candidates. USDR volunteers helped the Louisiana Department of Health launch this program in just a few weeks with easy-to-use, easy-to-maintain technology for immediate impact.
“The volunteers’ technical expertise and assistance, from start to finish, is helping our state fight back against COVID-19 by helping us support getting medical services to Louisiana residents.”
—<b>Dr. Alex Billioux,</b> Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Public Health
—Dr. Alex Billioux, Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Public Health

The Work

Healthcare providers in Louisiana have been hit hard with staffing shortages due to COVID-19. These shortages are placing greater strain on employees and impacting patient care.

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) reached out to U.S. Digital Response for help. Within two weeks, LDH and USDR volunteers launched Louisiana Health Work Connect. This pilot program helps facilities with acute healthcare staffing shortages fill vacancies with qualified, out-of-work candidates. USDR volunteers built the technology and helped the LDH team with set-up and implementation. The volunteers conducted user research and testing with healthcare providers, and connected the LDH team with states that are working on similar programs. Within two weeks, over 100 nursing homes and hospitals had posted hundreds of job openings on the site. In that same time, over 230 candidates signed up looking for work, many of whom are in in-demand practice areas such as intensive care unit registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants.

Here’s how Louisiana Health Work Connect works:

  1. Interested healthcare workers submit their information and qualifications via an online form.
  2. Participating healthcare facilities regularly update LDH of their staffing needs.
  3. LDH provides a tailored list of candidates to healthcare facilities.
  4. A participating facility contacts a healthcare worker and begins the hiring process.

Use This Project

Louisiana Health Work Connect initially launched in Baton Rouge and a statewide rollout is imminent. Similar programs can be adapted for other locations by completing this request form.

U.S. Digital Response connects governments with volunteers skilled in technology, data, design, communications and operations for COVID-19 rapid response.

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