Progress in the healthcare field is often measured by new drug introductions and hospital expansions. At the end of the day, however, providing quality patient care continues to be important. And as United States hospitals and medical practices serve an ever-growing number of patients, adequately staffing these facilities is a high priority.
Since 2004, healthcare staffing agency Health Carousel has embraced that challenge. Today, this nationally ranked company serves clients in all 50 states and has just reached an important milestone. Through partnerships with its clients, Health Carousel has helped to provide healthcare access to over 10 million patients throughout the United States.
Health Carousel's Progress Toward Realizing Its Mission
By helping to serve more than 10 million patients, Health Carousel is making bold strides toward achieving its mission. In 2004, the company's founders established the company to ensure that every American can access top-quality healthcare "when and where they need it."
CEO John Sebastian Puts This Achievement in Perspective
Health Carousel CEO John Sebastian reflects on the significance of the company's achievement. "Beginning in 2004, we had the goal to reach 10 million patients. We didn't know exactly what the road ahead would look like, but we believed it was possible. After much hard work through the years, we have finally arrived.
"10 million patients!!! We couldn't be more excited to reach this huge milestone.
"Health Carousel was founded with the intent of improving lives and making healthcare work better. We have done so by creating access to equitable and quality care for more than 10 million patients across the U.S.
"Together, with our healthcare professionals and clients, we have made a difference in millions of lives. This amazing achievement would not have been possible without you, our employees. We thank you for carrying out our higher purpose and making our mission possible. This is the difference that you all make.
"10 million patients equal more than the total populations of Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and Dallas combined. Let that sink in," John Sebastian emphasizes.
CEO Sebastian Looks Toward the Future
Not surprisingly, Health Carousel is not content to rest on its laurels. CEO John Sebastian enthusiastically reveals the company's upcoming patient services goals. "And we're just getting started! Our goal in 2023 is to hit 3 to 5 million more.
"But we're not done yet ─ not even close! We will set even bigger goals and shoot for even higher milestones. We're far from finished, and now we continue our journey toward 20 million patients. We have no doubt we can get there!" he excitedly remarks.
Health Carousel Recognizes a Foundational Industry Problem
For decades, the United States healthcare industry has been plagued by understaffing issues. In large cities and small towns, hospitals and medical practices often don't have enough qualified professionals on duty. Hospitals' general and specialty care units, family physicians' offices, specialty practices, and urgent care facilities can all be affected.
In addition, patient demand can often fluctuate. Some regions may see ebbs and flows due to seasonal patient trends. These factors make it difficult for facility administrators to consistently plan for adequate staffing levels.
Collectively, these factors mean there frequently aren't enough healthcare professionals to meet patients' needs in a timely manner. This means patients must often wait for extended periods before seeing their provider.
How Healthcare Professionals Are Impacted
This staffing shortage also negatively impacts each facility's healthcare professionals. Existing staff must often work extra hours (and sometimes extra shifts). Sometimes, healthcare professionals make errors that can result from physical and mental exhaustion.
When these healthcare workers reach the breaking point, they may walk away from their chosen profession. Some healthcare professionals take early retirement while others switch to a new, less-stressful career.
Finally, experienced healthcare professionals continue to age out of the profession. A new generation of highly skilled workers will ideally step up to fill this large-scale staffing need.
Health Carousel Brings Longer-Term and Short-Term Solutions
Since its 2004 inception, Health Carousel has evolved into a leading United States healthcare staffing agency. The company is currently the ninth-largest staffing firm and operates in all 50 states. Every year, Health Carousel further increases its nationwide client base.
Health Carousel debuted as Global Scholarship Alliance, a business that sought to recruit foreign-educated healthcare professionals (especially Registered Nurses) for United States assignments. From the start, the company was committed to following responsible, ethical recruitment practices.
Once these credentialed professionals were in place, client facilities could operate more efficiently and reduce the demands on their existing workers.
This longer-term solution would work especially well in hospitals that had difficulty retaining Registered Nurses. Examples include facilities in rural and inner-city communities. In both cases, extended-term contracts would encourage nurses to become an active part of their respective communities.
At the same time, Global Scholarship Alliance sought to maintain the origin countries' healthcare systems integrity. Toward that end, the company created scholarships to support the development of healthcare professionals in each participating country. These scholarship programs continue to be active in the 21st century.
Considering clients' widespread demand for Registered Nurses, many facilities couldn't wait two years (or longer) for foreign-educated staff to arrive. This spurred the launch of Global Scholarship Alliance's travel nursing services, now called Health Carousel Travel Nursing.
Health Carousel Positively Impacts Many Communities
Health Carousel proactively works to ensure that the company's operating practices, along with its ongoing initiatives, follow good corporate citizenship principles. In addition, Health Carousel takes steps to enhance its many communities' health and quality of life.
Internal Corporate Citizenship Components
Health Carousel maintains a highly diverse, inclusive workplace that honors each employee's distinctive background and contributions. The company also believes in equipping its workforce with the tools to realize their professional and personal goals. The company's ongoing initiatives include employee learning, development, and well-being programs.
The company also sponsors an ongoing high school Work Study Program. This innovative offering provides participants with exposure to healthcare careers. In addition, the Program encourages students to develop new skills and further their interests.
External Corporate Citizenship Components
Health Carousel supports its local, regional, national, and international communities in four important ways. The company regularly engages in charitable giving initiatives and makes in-kind donations.
In addition, Health Carousel sponsors community programs and events in each area in which the firm does business. The company's philanthropic endeavors often focus on health-related programs and initiatives. Finally, recognized business and healthcare industry leaders serve on the Health Carousel Board of Directors.
Health Carousel's Employees Facilitate the Company's Significant Social Impact
Every business can thrive with contributions from talented, dedicated employees. Health Carousel attracts team members who want to excel in their jobs and uplift their communities. Toward this end, the company provides its associates with the resources, support, and time to give back in the manner that's best for them. Health Carousel recognizes employees who contribute to their non-profit organization of choice.
The Social Impact Report Tells the Story
Every day, Health Carousel strives to fulfill its mission to "improve lives and make healthcare work better." Toward this end, the company regularly places healthcare professionals on assignment with its clients. When medical facilities are adequately staffed, they can deliver higher-quality patient care.
Health Carousel also engages in legal and ethical operating practices. Every year, the company supplements its operations by choosing worthy initiatives that help to achieve its ongoing mission. Finally, Health Carousel regularly gives back in four key areas.
Philanthropic Initiatives
Health Carousel regularly engages in charitable giving throughout its many United States communities. Many non-profits also welcome in-kind donations. The firm's corporate program sponsorships, and its Board of Directors' commitments, are additional philanthropic activities.
Health Carousel also encourages employee volunteerism. These ongoing efforts support local non-profit groups while uplifting company team members. Finally, the company practices sustainability in its overseas recruitment programs along with other aspects of its operations.
Diversity and Inclusion
Health Carousel consistently works to build a diverse team and maintain an inclusive workplace. From the top down, the company fosters an environment where all employees can thrive.
The company's diversity and inclusion programs include employee resource groups, skills-based volunteering programs, and community internship opportunities. In addition, Health Carousel's "Women in Leadership" Program actively promotes qualified women to all levels of company leadership.
Employee Well-being
Health Carousel provides employees with targeted resources and coaching. This support is designed to enable team members to achieve their professional and personal best. This AchieveMORE and LiveMORE support is focused in the following areas:
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Professional Well-Being
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Physical Well-Being
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Financial Well-Being
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Social Well-Being
Industry Recognition
Since its inception, Health Carousel has been repeatedly recognized for its efforts to provide a positive employee experience. The company also receives accolades for supporting its surrounding communities. Examples of awards include:
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Local and National Employee Engagement Awards
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Individual Employees Exceptional Service Awards
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Healthcare Professionals' Exceptional Service Awards
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Local and National Community Service Awards
About Health Carousel
Cincinnati-based Health Carousel is the ninth-largest healthcare staffing agency in the United States. Launched in 2004, this well-regarded company supplies credentialed healthcare professionals to hospitals and medical practices in every state. Clients in large metro areas, small cities and towns, and rural areas benefit from Health Carousel's staffing expertise.
Physicians, advanced practice professionals, Registered Nurses, and allied health workers find career opportunities with Health Carousel. Entry-level and experienced workers alike will find assignments that offer challenges and rewards. Permanent, temp-to-perm, and contract assignments are available in multiple locations.
Recruiters' Market Expertise and Recruitment Technology Drive Results
Finding qualified candidates in today's evolving job market is a challenge. However, each experienced Health Carousel recruiter knows their regional employment market inside out.
In addition, recruiters have ready access to time-saving digital tools and updated recruitment technology. These advantages give the recruiters the critical edge in finding the right healthcare professional for each assignment.
Health Carousel is clearly committed to hiring qualified candidates for clients' assignments. At the same time, however, the company always adheres to strict ethical recruiting and hiring practices. For many years, Health Carousel has earned industry awards for its responsible performance.
Health Carousel's Four Divisions Fulfill Targeted Client Needs
Across the United States, Health Carousel efficiently meets clients' diverse staffing requirements. Whether a medical facility must fulfill a short-term need or reconfigure its workforce infrastructure, Health Carousel is up to the challenge.
Travel Nursing Solutions
Many hospitals and medical practices lack enough Registered Nurses to meet patient
needs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical facilities experienced higher
patient care needs, often while nurses were sick with the virus.
When unexpected nursing shortages arise, skilled travel nurses step in to resolve the staffing issue while delivering quality patient care. Travel nurses with specialty certifications may see added assignment opportunities.
The Health Carousel Travel Nursing (or HCTN) Division fills many Registered Nurse requests annually. The unit's streamlined infrastructure enables a quick response, and recruiters can easily identify available candidates in a specific region. The company's travel nurses generally see short-term to mid-length assignments, and they can often select from several starting dates.
Locum Tenens Solutions
Credentialed physicians and advanced practice professionals are highly sought-after patient service providers. From time to time, these skilled practitioners take time off, creating a need for qualified personnel to fill these temporary roles.
That's where the Health Carousel Locum Tenens (or HCLT) Division steps in. Knowledgeable HCLT recruiters analyze each state's available candidates and select the best one for each opportunity. After the HCLT hiring team completes all credentialing and logistics tasks, the medical professional can begin their assignment on the right foot.
Tailored Workforce Solutions
Every medical facility has its own set of workforce challenges. An off-the-shelf solution is not likely to completely solve a given problem. The Health Carousel Workforce Solutions (or HCWS) Division knows that resolving distinct workforce issues requires a targeted approach.
To begin, HCWS' Chief Nursing Officer convenes a clinical expert team that analyzes the client's staffing issues. After devising a targeted solution, workforce management specialists implement the program. Over time, they'll fine-tune it to realize optimal outcomes.
Managed Services Provider Solutions
Like other real-world operations challenges, each medical facility's staffing problems result from multiple factors. To find a lasting solution, pinpointing the issue's root cause is necessary. That's where the Health Carousel Managed Services Provider (or MSP) Division comes in.
First, skilled MSP Team members identify the challenge and its cause. Next, clinically managed workforce specialists combine industry expertise and technology to create a solution. With a targeted staffing strategy in place, the facility considerably reduces its contingent staffing needs.
Increased workforce stability leads to higher revenues, decreased expenses, and a better bottom line. Facility employees should also see enhanced job satisfaction, and that may lead to better patient care.
Health Carousel International Serves Clients' Longer-term Staffing Needs
Many United States medical facilities seek longer-term staffing solutions. To meet these needs, Health Carousel International (or HCI) partners with healthcare professionals worldwide. These credentialed workers want to pursue a career in a United States hospital or medical practice.
Health Carousel's PassportUSA Program guides each foreign-educated healthcare professional through the process. Skilled recruiters work with Registered Nurses, medical technologists, and physical and occupational therapists to secure United States work assignments.
Efficient HCI team members complete all hiring and credentialing tasks. When each healthcare professional arrives in the United States, they can start working immediately. During their assignment, the HCI clinical team assists with the worker's professional development and helps them maintain applicable credentials and certifications.
Health Carousel International's Ethical Recruitment Practices
Health Carousel International assists foreign-educated healthcare professionals in finding United States assignments. Concurrently, HCI consistently works to bolster origin countries' Registered Nurse ranks.
In fact, the company has been applauded for its ethical nurse recruiting and hiring practices. The Alliance for Ethical Recruitment Practices has designated Health Carousel a "Certified Ethical Recruiter." This respected non-profit prioritizes global healthcare professionals' fair and transparent recruitment.
Health Carousel's "Light the Way" Initiative Shines Worldwide
Health Carousel values its Registered Nurses' contributions, and the company strongly encourages their professional development. Health Carousel's "Light the Way" Program supports this goal in the United States and other nations in which the firm actively operates.
Once international nurses complete their first Health Carousel assignment, the company supports them in obtaining a graduate or postgraduate degree. This higher-level education equips these nursing professionals to enter the nursing education field.
Over time, Health Carousel can play a key role in increasing global Registered Nurse numbers in participating countries. With more skilled nurses on the job, patients are likely to benefit from higher-quality care.