Medical University of South Carolina has chosen Avantas to deliver system-wide workforce planning services that include predictive analytics, scheduling software and centralized resource management. MUSC Health expects this will optimize the health system's core and contingent labor, the companies announced on Wednesday.
Located in Charleston, MUSC Health, which was deemed the top-ranked hospital in that state by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 170,000 patients annually through four inpatient facilities, multiple centers of excellence and a network of hospital-based services.
MUSC also includes a statewide network of more than 750 primary and specialty care providers, a telehealth network and clinic locations.
Avantas' approach creates schedules in line with patient demand using the prediction of staffing needs up to 120 days in advance. This forecasting results in 97 percent accurate prediction of staffing outcomes 30 days out from each shift, the companies said.
[Also: Community Health Systems sells two South Carolina hospitals]
It is expected that the project will be an enterprise-wide approach which includes the inpatient/acute care setting, outpatient and medical groups, as well as all ancillary and support services. Avantas will institute a Resource Management Center that centralizes workforce management, which can free clinical managers to focus on patient care and staff mentoring while controlling costs and ensuring consistent practices and policies across the health system.
"Avantas will provide MUSC Health with expert services and solutions to streamline the management of its workforce," said Avantas President Jackie Larson in a statement. "Together with best-practice strategies, including accurate forecasting of patient demand and staffing needs, we can significantly improve scheduling, staff utilization, and workforce budgeting, while reducing the time managers spend grappling with these issues."
[Also: South Carolina shares safety-net data to improve Medicaid]
In 2014, Avantas was acquired by workforce and staffing company AMN Healthcare, with a purchase price including an initial payment of $16.5 million, funded out of cash on hand and borrowings under the AMN's existing revolving credit facility.
That same year, Avantas received the highest rating for a staff scheduling company in its category by healthcare industry research firm KLAS, which also identified Avantas as "the most promising human capital niche/focused vendor for staff scheduling" based on its Smart Square technology.
Avantas is based in Omaha, Nebraska.
Twitter: @JELagasse