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In the face of growing workforce shortages, rising costs, and increasing operational complexity, health systems are reevaluating how they manage contingent labor. Focusing simply on filling open positions isn’t enough. Organizations need sustainable, cost-efficient staffing models that provide transparency, compliance, and the agility to respond to fluctuating demand. The right workforce solutions partner can help you achieve these goals with a scalable strategy, streamlined processes, and powerful technology.

This case study shows how a regional health system in the Northeast partnered with Trio Workforce Solutions and AHSA to bring order and efficiency to its workforce program. Through centralized rate management, cutting-edge technology, and operational best practices, the system was able to improve cost control, accelerate time-to-fill, and simplify internal workflows. Whether you’re managing clinical staffing across multiple sites or looking to introduce your first MSP, this case provides valuable insights into what a strong partnership can deliver.

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About the Health System

This regional health system serves communities across western New England through a network of acute care hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community-based care programs. The organization operates three hospitals, more than two dozen provider clinics, an urgent care center, a satellite emergency facility, and a Visiting Nursing Association. Over the years, the system has expanded its footprint through both organic growth and acquisition, including the reopening and integration of a previously closed critical access hospital.

Originally, the health system engaged AHSA to support its Locum Tenens staffing needs. After experiencing success with that program, leadership expanded the relationship to include Nursing and Allied Health. The expansion focused on driving efficiencies, standardizing rates, and creating full visibility across all service lines through a single technology platform.

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The Challenge: Connecting Processes and Standardizing Bill Rates to Achieve Savings

As with many health systems, the organization faced increasing challenges related to fragmented staffing workflows and limited visibility into spending. Without a centralized MSP in place, that included Nursing and Allied Health, units operated with minimal oversight, resulting in rate inconsistencies, excessive email communication, and a reactive rather than strategic approach to filling positions.

While the system had long leveraged AHSA’s support for Locums, the other clinical staffing lines lacked the same structure and control. Without standardized bill rates, the organization found it difficult to evaluate performance or track accountability. Additionally, the absence of integrated technology contributed to delays and inefficiencies across departments. Leadership needed a way to streamline processes, enforce rate governance, and enable faster decision-making, all while maintaining high-quality patient care.

Key Challenges:

• No MSP structure in place for Nursing and Allied service lines
• No centralized rate management across Nursing and Allied staffing
• Inconsistent bill rates and limited cost oversight
• Inefficient communication between departments and agencies
• Limited visibility into vendor activity and workforce data
• Manual processes slowing down time-to-fill and onboarding

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The Solution: Structure, Visibility, and Technology

AHSA brought forward a comprehensive workforce management strategy that emphasized operational control, transparency, and simplification. The centerpiece of the solution was Trio, AHSA’s proprietary technology platform, which provided a centralized hub for managing job orders, tracking activity, and monitoring vendor performance across all staffing lines.

One of the first priorities was introducing a standardized monthly rate card process for Nursing and Allied Health. During a quarterly partnership review, AHSA identified cost-saving opportunities and presented an example rate card to leadership for consideration. Within one month, a formal rate card was approved, implemented across all open and future job postings, and used to govern both new and extension offers. This not only created pricing consistency but also significantly reduced the volume of emails and back-and-forth communication required to approve offers.

The health system also became the first to implement reverse invoicing with AHSA—a major win for efficiency. By flipping the invoicing model, the organization gained real-time visibility into spend, eliminated manual reconciliation tasks, and created a more scalable process for finance teams.

Solution Highlights:

• Standardized Rate Cards across all Nursing and Allied units
• Trio VMS implemented for full-service line visibility and activity tracking
• Reverse Invoicing introduced for cost control and invoicing accuracy
• Technology Integration with Simpler Recruiting for faster job posting
• Real-time dashboards and vendor analytics for improved decision-making
• Cross-functional alignment between clinical, finance, and HR teams

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Key Results: Tangible Savings and Streamlined Operations

The financial and operational impact of AHSA’s partnership was clear within months of implementation. Through the rate card initiative alone, the health system achieved a 9% reduction in average bill rates for Nursing and Allied Health positions:

• Avg. Bill Rate (Jan–Mar 2024): $102
• Avg. Bill Rate (Jan–Mar 2025): $93

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Year-over-year, the program delivered a 28% reduction in total contingent labor spend for the same three-month period:

• Total Spend (Jan–Mar 2024): $3,635,409
• Total Spend (Jan–Mar 2025): $2,620,142

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On a broader scale, the organization achieved an estimated 3% cost savings in just seven months of using AHSA’s rate card strategy, cutting millions of dollars from its workforce budget while improving service levels.

The health system also increased agility in how it deployed talent. For instance, during seasonal low-census periods—such as summer PTO months—the number of travelers was proactively reduced from 122 to the 60–70 range, aligning staffing volumes with real-time demand and improving budget forecasting.

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Technology Integration: Speeding Up Job Orders

The health system’s commitment to automation didn’t stop with Trio. To further reduce time-to-fill, the system directly integrated Simply ATS with Trio VMS. This allowed for seamless job order creation and faster visibility into open needs. Whether the need was for direct hire, internal resources, or agency staff, the integrated system ensured that positions could be posted and acted on without manual duplication.

This real-time connectivity between systems improved responsiveness, supported compliance, and empowered hiring managers to work within a single, consistent process.

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Faster Time-to-Fill: Beating Industry Benchmarks

In addition to financial savings, the health system significantly accelerated the candidate lifecycle—from job posting to credentialing. With all staffing activity running through the Trio platform, internal teams could move faster, make more informed decisions, and ensure timely onboarding.

Here’s how their average candidate processing timeline compares to national averages across all AHSA clients:

Stage                                    Health System              AHSA Client Average

Name Clear                           1 Day                             1 Day

Agency Presentation           2 Days                           2 Days

MSP Presentation                1 Day                              1 Day

Client Decision                    11 Days                           18 Days

Agency Decision                 1 Day                               3 Days

Begin Credentialing             1 Day                              1 Day

Total Time                            17 Days                           26 Days

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The result: positions are filled faster, credentialing begins sooner, and fewer candidates are lost to delays or miscommunication.

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Looking Ahead: A Model for Scalable Workforce Success

With its workforce program now operating at a higher level of efficiency, the health system is setting its sights on continued growth and optimization. Future initiatives include expanding integration capabilities, refining rate strategies, and leveraging AHSA’s analytics to make smarter workforce planning decisions.

For other healthcare organizations looking to reduce cost, increase speed, and regain control over their contingent workforce, this case offers a clear example of what’s possible with the right partner and the right approach. Interested in learning how you can make these types of improvements to your workforce strategy, contact us.