To slow the spread of COVID-19 through communities, the U.S. CDC has encouraged Americans to practice "social distancing" measures.

While these mitigation strategies can be disappointing in the short-term, they come from a scientific viewpoint. Infectious disease experts stress the importance of reducing opportunities for person-to-person transmission to delay the spread of the virus. Taking action to slow the spread of #COVID_19 is especially important to help keep our infrastructure strong, particularly in healthcare, so we can continue to provide exceptional care for all patients.

Everyone has a role to play. Click here to learn what steps you can take to help flatten the curve and slow the spread of #COVID_19 in our community. 

At HCA Healthcare and HealthTrust Workforce Solutions, we’re no stranger to threats. We deal with them daily.

Infectious diseases. Natural disasters. Unspeakable emergencies.

Some may say that managing life-threatening situations is part of business as usual for an advanced healthcare network like HCA Healthcare. And it’s true.

Thankfully, that’s exactly what has helped us build a sharp set of best practices and a robust network of response teams, who help us mobilize quickly and scale accordingly in times of need.

As the threat from the COVID-19 virus is amplified, so too are our efforts. Here are just a few of the steps we are taking to assure uninterrupted care:

• We’re limiting entry into hospitals and clinics so anyone who enters into patient care areas can be carefully screened, and masks can be provided to those who need them.
• Every employee, caregiver, and physician has been asked to follow a self-screening procedure, because protecting our patients starts with protecting our people.
• Precautions taken to treat patients with COVID-19 are similar to those taken to treat patients with influenza, with restricted visitation to limit exposure. This is commonplace procedure for us during any flu season.
• As always, cleaning to prevent the spread of infection is occurring throughout all of our care sites.
• To date, there have been relatively few patients with COVID-19 who require hospitalization. Those who do are cared for in isolated areas of the hospital, so we can safely provide continuous care for all other medical needs.

As this latest threat evolves, we are collaborating with federal and local health agencies, providing timely and practical updates that will help contribute to accurate reporting and consistent guidelines. While our immediate priority remains on the well-being of our patients and people, we know that sharing insights can impact care far beyond the communities we serve.

In the face of a threat, we don’t panic, we prepare.

In the weeks ahead, and as always, we are here when you need us.

Today, Friday, March 6^th is National Employee Appreciation. We are so thankful for all of the ways HWS team members make our organization GREAT each day. We are proud to celebrate what makes HWS truly special- YOU!

Happy Employee Appreciation Day!

Job growth remained robust throughout the month of February, adding 273,000 new jobs amid economic fears of the potential Coronavirus (COVID19) impact. The BLS Economic Situation also reported that unemployment rate ticked down slightly to 3.5% last month. Healthcare remained a job growth engine, adding 31,600 new jobs. Healthcare has added 368,000 new jobs in the last 12 months.

If you are interested in exploring new career opportunities with HealthTrust Workforce Solutions, please click the button below to browse our available jobs.

When considering personal preparedness, it is important to keep a few points in mind. First, infectious disease experts are emphasizing that coronavirus causes an illness that is similar to the flu. While a vaccine for coronavirus is not expected to be available for at least 12-18 months, everyday habits that protect us from common respiratory illness are even more important now. We all can protect our own health as well as the health of our family members and community by remembering:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue
• Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands often, using either soap and water or alcohol-based hand gel for at least 20 seconds
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe

When hands are visibly dirty, contaminated or soiled, wash with non-antimicrobial or antimicrobial soap and water. Always wash your hands before eating and after using the restroom.  Use warm water with a nickel to quarter size of liquid soap. Lather, rub all surfaces and under nails. Rub for at least 15 seconds and rinse well. Dry hands with a paper towel, use that towel to turn off faucets and open the door. 

If hands are not visibly soiled, use an alcohol-based hand rub for routinely decontaminating hands. Cover all surfaces until hands feel dry, approximately 20 seconds. After approximately 10 uses, wash your hands with soap and friction. 

For more information on proper hand washing, click here and here. 

HealthTrust Workforce Solutions' Toastmaster Club recently participated in the Area 10 International Speech and Table Topics Contest. 

We are proud to share that Vendor AP Analyst Zhabib Moussignac placed 3rd at the event, the first event HealthTrust has participated in. 

The HWS Toast Master's Club is held at the Corporate Headquarters in the Sunrise Office. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of promoting communication, and public speaking and leadership skills. 

Please join us in congratulating Zhabib on his great accomplishment! 

If you are interested in joining the HWS team, click here. 

Our Dallas Office recently celebrated their Office of the Year achievement for  2019!  Together, the team not only helped more nurses find jobs through HealthTrust, but also helped our existing per diem nurses to find more shifts within their specialties at HCA Healthcare facilities throughout North Texas. 

Please join us in congratulating our Dallas Office for a job well done!

Congratulations to the Menorah Health 3 North and Med/Oncology teams on earning HealthTrust's first DAISY TEAM Award! Menorah Medical Center is located in Overland Park, just outside of Kansas City. 

The Menorah Health teams were nominated for the DAISY Award for kind, compassionate and coordinated care they delivered to a cancer patient and her son, who happens to be a business partner of HealthTrust's StaRN Nurse Training Program.  

The nursing teams consist of:

Kristy Veasman, Alicia Hafley, Michelle Johnson, Autumn Ayers, Connie Schwartz. Alivn Tapang, Curtis Alldredge, Judy Marino, Aimee Clausen, Amanda Singhara, Melissa Doyal and Dee Smith-Kisner.

You can read the nomination in full below: 

Brendan Courtney, our President & CEO, was named to Staffing Industry Analysts' "Staffing 100" List for 2020! This annual list highlights the 100 most influential people who impact the workforce ecosystem. 

Brendan was recognized for his leadership of the HealthTrust Workforce Solutions organization, which in 2019 put more than 25,000 clinicians to work across America and provided care to 9 million patients. He aims to continue to expand HealthTrust’s services, including labor management, scheduling and productivity, credentialing and clinical education.