[medinformatics] Kansas Hospital Installs Online Bidding System for Nursing Shifts

[Medical Informatics News]

Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas is instituting a new*online bidding system
to fill nursing shift needs. According to the Wichita Eagle, Wesley is the first hospital among those owned
by parent chain, HCA, to adopt electronic shift bidding, and one of about
25 hospitals nationwide experimenting with the concept.

Wesley’s competitor hospital in Wichita, Via Christi Regional Medical Center, does not offer shift bidding,
according to the write-up. “Nationally, the concept is being met with mixed reviews, so we’re watching the trend as
it develops and keeping an open mind,” said Judy Stroot, vice president for nursing at Via Christi’s St. Francis
campus.


Wesley spokeswoman Helen Thomas said the new program’s primary purpose is to help it fill nursing and direct-care
shifts more efficiently—and the hospital expects it to save money. “We hope it will save us from having to hire
expensive agency nurses,” Thomas said. “At the same time, it will give our own nurses first chance to earn extra
money.”


Shifts are posted showing maximum incentive pay. Nurses, however, can opt to work the shift for less than the
established premium, for example bidding to work at $39.75 an hour instead of $40. This is a concept that does not
sit well with many professional nurses, who feel that nursing professionals should not be*bargaining
down*their pay levels.



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