Staff pooling in healthcare systems - results from a mixed-methods study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Operations Research
• Human Resources in Healthcare

Background:

• Healthcare systems face challenges in optimizing service levels with fixed capacity.
• Staff pooling is a potential strategy to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
• Limited research exists on the practical barriers to implementing staff pooling across diverse healthcare professions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and analyze practical barriers to implementing staff pooling strategies in healthcare.
• To explore challenges related to recruitment, community perception, and professional specialization within multihospital systems.
• To provide empirical insights for healthcare managers considering staff pooling.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, starting with qualitative interviews.
• A quantitative survey was conducted across a multihospital system.
• Data collection involved multiple healthcare professions to ensure a holistic perspective.

Main Results:

• Three primary barriers to staff pooling were identified: recruitment difficulties, community view, and specialization.
• Significant differences were found in the perceived impact of these barriers.
• The study provides empirical evidence on the practical challenges of staff pooling.

Conclusions:

• Staff pooling presents a viable strategy for enhancing healthcare service levels but faces significant implementation barriers.
• Addressing recruitment, community perception, and specialization issues is crucial for successful staff pooling.
• This research offers novel insights into systematically identified barriers, contributing to healthcare operations and management literature.