Aya Healthcare’s Jason Drucker on Platform-First Staffing, Workforce Agility & the Future of Healthcare Talent.

1. How has healthcare staffing evolved over the past 5 years?

With over 17 million individuals working in the industry, healthcare is the largest employment sector in the U.S. And now, hospitals and healthcare facilities are under mounting pressure to manage their workforce with greater agility, transparency and efficiency. Outdated staffing models enabled by a complicated patchwork of software systems, led healthcare leaders to rethink their workforce strategies. The shift toward platform-first solutions reflects a broader need for integration, intelligence and scalability. Now, organizations must coordinate permanent staff, contingent labor and per diem clinicians across multiple departments and numerous care settings.

2. How are you using technology to redefine the client experience in a regulated and time-sensitive industry like healthcare staffing?

We’re using a platform-first approach by combining workforce management into a single, scalable system. It [LotusOne] integrates sourcing, scheduling, credentialing, billing, compliance and analytics, and creates a unified environment where data is secure, flows freely and workflows are streamlined. Our product roadmap is increasingly influenced by our clients feedback and the direction we see the healthcare staffing market going. We utilize client feedback from our beta programs and Technology Advisory Board to guide our strategic direction and prioritize our roadmap, resulting in the delivery of functionality and business values that is reflective of broader needs and use cases in the market.

3. How are you helping health systems combat fragmentation by creating an effective, tech-forward workforce strategy?

Fragmentation is what we are working to solve. Siloed systems and data create a ripple effect of operational challenges, workarounds, manual processes and limited access to key data points. While we’re known for helping hospitals fill critical temporary roles, we’re now applying those same proven strategies and advanced technology to give leaders a holistic view of their entire workforce—permanent and contingent, across all specialties. So whether they need to hire physicians, manage their float pool, optimize their staff scheduling, or bring in travel nurses to prepare for the flu surge, they can do it all in one platform.

Previously, these would be managed through multiple point solutions and multiple VMS to address key workflows across labor types and role types, which invited chaos. LotusOne is a single source of truth, enabling real-time visibility, eliminating blind spots and manual reconciliation. We developed advanced analytics and have integrated data to support predictive modeling, trend analysis and performance benchmarking. They have complete visibility across any metric that matters to them, all on one dashboard. No more searching across various dashboards and spreadsheets, it is all right there for them when they log in. Additionally, cost containment becomes tangible through streamlined operations, a reduction in manual workarounds and data driven decision making. Lastly, our platform is scalable and flexible, making it easier for hospitals to manage every hiring need from one central place. Data is increasingly the lifeblood of healthcare so the ability to manage workforce data holistically is not just operationally beneficial, it’s financially imperative.

4. How are HR leaders benefiting from a uniform platform?

They’re gaining advantages from a comprehensive platform that simplifies recruitment, onboarding, credentialing and performance management for all staffing types, including clinical, locum, IT and non-clinical positions. Automated compliance tools reduce risk, while integrated analytics offer visibility into staffing trends and workforce gaps. The American Hospital Association’s 2023 Workforce Scan highlights how labor shortages are expected to persist, making workforce optimization and retention a top priority. A platform-first model enables HR teams to proactively address gaps and align hiring with clinical and financial goals from one central place.

5. What do C-Suite level executives gain from workforce planning incorporating technology?

Executives gain a holistic view of workforce operations. Our executive interface reveals labor spending, staffing allocations and vendor performance across the organization in one view. The platform’s scalability and AI-driven analytics support long-term planning, innovation and operational excellence, while ensuring regulatory confidence. C-suite leaders need tools that connect workforce decisions to financial outcomes. A platform-first model delivers the visibility, agility and security required to lead with confidence.

6. What advice would you give to a hospital or health system that are looking to move away from point solutions?

I would encourage them to assess their workflows, the extent to which they are making data driven decisions and the degree to which their current set of applications and software support or hinder alignment and visibility. Healthcare organizations must evolve beyond fragmented systems to meet the demands of modern workforce management. A platform-first approach offers a strategic foundation for integration, insight and agility. By unifying operations across human resources, procurement, staffing and the c-suite, platform solutions empower healthcare leaders to optimize resources, improve care delivery, and adapt to the future with confidence.

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