“No more overtime will be approved!” How many times have we heard declarations like this in an attempt to control labor costs? Considering that labor costs are a hospital’s largest expense exceeding 50% of their operating budgets, it’s no wonder that remarks like this are frequently heard. Healthcare providers have spent millions of dollars on analytics and other systems to find a way to get these costs under control. Yet, they still do not have clear insights into their labor costs and are unable to implement sustainable programs to manage and control costs. I’m going to look at three areas that limit a healthcare provider’s ability to manage their workforce in a way that optimizes labor, controls costs and drives outcomes.
HENRY KOTULA 