Why Healthcare Companies Should Hire Remote Employees

When you think of industries where a person can work remotely, healthcare rarely shows up on that list. Remote work in healthcare is often difficult to manage because of the increased exposure to cybersecurity threats. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced practices to work and think differently. Many healthcare organizations scrambled to implement work-from-home policies and build the necessary infrastructure needed to provide virtual care. After everything settled, it became apparent that healthcare professionals could efficiently work remotely too.

Who Can Work Remotely in Healthcare?

Non-clinical staff such as IT personnel, billers, medical coders, risk managers, case managers, and healthcare consultants work independently without interacting face-to-face with patients. They can perform their jobs remotely without minimal interaction from other employees.

Medical assistants who liaise and support clinical providers can still complete their tasks remotely through emails, internal messaging systems, and phone calls. Even though nothing beats face-to-face patient care, telemedicine provides opportunities for clinicians to “see” and monitor their patient’s health remotely for non-urgent care.

As healthcare technology advances, it will open more remote work opportunities for healthcare professionals.

What are the Benefits of Hiring Remote Healthcare Workers?

As pandemic restrictions ease, the question of whether remote work in healthcare should continue remains a debatable topic. Even though the healthcare industry reluctantly adopted remote work, practices can benefit greatly from hiring remote healthcare workers.

1. Increased Use of Remote Care Technology

The rise of remote care technology led to more opportunities for remote work. Telehealth usage continues to increase even after the initial spike in April 2020, with patient demand as the primary driver. As a result, practices need to hire more healthcare providers to accommodate the demand. Telehealth vendors feel the spike in demand too.

Ross Friedberg, Chief Legal and Business Affairs Officer at Doctor on Demand, said in an interview with Healthcare Drive that the biggest challenge facing their organization is “a need to get as many providers on our platform as quickly as possible, so we're able to meet that surging demand.”

More practices are adopting remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices into their workflow and need a healthcare provider to monitor and interpret those results. Providers who solely focus on virtual care don’t need to be physically present in the office to do their jobs.

2. Access to a Larger Pool of Talent

Offering opportunities for remote healthcare work attracts a wide range of applicants who prefer a flexible work environment. According to a 2018 survey from Indeed, 47% of employees report that remote work policy is important when looking for a job and 40% are willing to take a pay cut if it means they can work from home. Clearly, remote work options have always been attractive, even before the pandemic. Remote work in healthcare also attracts the younger generation who enter the workforce expecting more remote job opportunities.

For practices located in smaller towns, recruiting talents are limited. By removing geographical boundaries, employers are no longer limited to the local job market, making it possible to hire the best talent regardless of location. Recruiting employees outside of your immediate area enhances your applicant pool and enriches your team. Practices should embrace remote work options to remain competitive to prospective talents.

3. Lower Overhead Costs

When you hire someone, you not only pay for their salary or benefits. You also pay for overhead costs such as office space, equipment, utilities, general management expenses, and more. As your organization grows, your overhead costs grow too. You’ll need a bigger office space and your utility bills will increase. However, with more employees working remotely, your overhead costs won’t increase as much. You can bring on more workers with minimal additions to your existing infrastructure.

Cost savings can also come in the form of fewer absences, reduced turnover, and increased productivity. As the healthcare industry strives to lower its costs, hiring remote workers can significantly help.

4. Increased Productivity and Performance

Several studies confirm the positive impact of remote work on productivity. A Stanford study conducted over nine months reported a 13% increase in productivity when employees were assigned to work from home. Working remotely leads to fewer patient or visitor interruptions, office chatter, and a quieter noise level. Without these distractions and greater work autonomy, remote healthcare workers have the potential to get more work done. With zero commute, employees tend to be less tired and more productive during their shifts.

Practices that offer more flexible schedules can get more out of employees who are more productive outside of the traditional 9-5 hours. Some employees may feel more motivated and efficient to work early in the morning or late at night.

5. Positive Impact on the Environment

Fewer people commuting to and from work every day reduces our negative impact on the environment. In 2017, 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in the US came from transportation. 

When people stay at home more often, fewer cars crowd the highways and fewer greenhouse gas emissions are released. In fact, Global Workforce Analytics estimates that remote employees help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year.

Office buildings consume more energy than employees individually working from home. Printing stations, office appliances, and shared spaces constantly need to be turned in an office setting. Just think of the electricity your practice can save if some employees work remotely.

How Can You Hire Remote Healthcare Workers?

Hiring remote healthcare workers comes with its own challenges. Without face-to-face interaction, it may be challenging to gauge if an employee is the right fit. Establishing trust is difficult if you’ve never met the employee and vice versa. Promoting teamwork and collaboration sometimes requires a face-to-face connection. Outsourcing your recruitment process to a company specializing in healthcare is an efficient strategy to combat the challenges of hiring remotely.

Nexus HR can assist you with finding the best fit for your organization. With years of experience in the healthcare industry, we only screen high-caliber prospective applicants. During initial interviews, Nexus HR assesses an employee’s fit and composure, whether you’re hiring an onsite or remote employee. Our end-to-end recruitment process offers everything from job posting to onboarding so that you can focus on what you do best. Partner with Nexus HR today and see your team and practice flourish.