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Reducing onboarding time and solving staffing challenges

Learn how a collaborative approach with Labcorp and a large health system significantly reduced onboarding time, increased access and maximized resources, leading to 70% of new hires cleared to work same day.

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Understanding the health system’s challenges

Like many hospitals and health systems, a large academic health system with 13 hospitals and many practices and clinics was facing hiring and staffing challenges . To fill staffing gaps, the health system relied on temporary workers and staffing agencies.

In October 2022, the health system identified a critical need to shorten the onboarding process.

Under the previous process, new hires made appointments, completed paperwork, provided specimens and completed other onboarding requirements and often involved multiple visits to the employee health center. The entire process took seven to 21 days to complete and report results.

The health system approached Labcorp to help optimize the laboratory portion of their onboarding process.

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A collaborative solution leveraging strengths

Reordering tasks

The first optimization opportunity was reordering onboarding tasks: new hires now complete lab testing before arriving at employee health locations. Candidates have three days after accepting an offer to visit a convenient Labcorp location for sample collection. By the time they arrive at the health system lab results are ready—expediting the onboarding process.

Leveraging the Labcorp network

By partnering with Labcorp, candidates could visit one of more than 2,000 patient service centers (PSCs) nationwide for sample collection. The health system provided local hires with a list of the 58 closest PSCs, offering more flexibility and reducing the burden on the system's 10 in-house locations.

Tailoring lab services to meet the health system’s specific needs

Labcorp created a custom workflow for the health system’s new hires to deliver a positive experience at PSCs. Staff and a dedicated customer service team were trained to quickly address any questions or concerns.

Making an organizational impact

The new process reduced the average employee health visit to one final visit, lasting approximately one hour. Within 10 months of implementing the new process, this final visit led to 70% of new hires being cleared to work the same day, previously 0%.

 

  • Improved the onboarding experience for new hires

  • Healthcare staff now comprises more permanent team members and less temporary staff, boosting team morale

  • Burden was taken off employee health staff, allowing them to focus on other tasks

  • Improved the patient experience, with care performed by permanent staff

Next steps for the partnership 

Looking ahead, both organizations aim to expand the partnership. The health system also provides medical clearance services for over 400 external clients and is exploring opportunities to collaborate with Labcorp to offer more efficient lab testing services.

Before After*
Onboarding Time 7 to 21 days 1 to 8 days
Access options for sample collection 10 in-house locations 58 regional Labcorp PSCs, plus access to 2,000 PSCs for out-of-area hires

*Total onboarding time includes testing turnaround time

We speak to other healthcare systems and they’re nowhere near the clearance rate that we are currently. So, to be able to be best in class, to have an initiative of this magnitude and to say that we are potentially the leaders in the state for how to do this right and how to do it efficiently and effectively is huge.

 Senior Vice President, Corporate Care at Health System

Partner with Labcorp today

Partner with Labcorp and leverage our extensive PSC network and legacy of process management for quicker, more efficient and less costly onboarding processes. To learn more about our employer offerings, acute care laboratory management or our more than 2,000 patient service centers located within miles of 95% of the U.S. population, contact us today.

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