Remote staffing: The new normal? 

YARMOUTH, Maine – HME companies are leaning on remote staffing solutions to help fill vacancies and reduce expenses, according to the results of a recent HME Newspoll. 

A large majority of respondents to the poll (85%) cited those two reasons as the key drivers for outsourcing certain operations. 

“We have found that using remote staffing is extremely beneficial and affordable,” said Mike Tracey of Aspirus Home Medical Equipment in Wausau, Wis. “Currently, 50% of our intake and customer service staff are remote and contracted.” 

About 64% of respondents reported using remote staffing, the majority of whom for more than three years. 

Having another option for filling vacancies in a tight labor market is, in some ways, keeping the doors open, one respondent wrote. 

“It has helped us fill vacancies that have been hard to fill with on-site, local employees,” the respondent wrote.  

A way to reduce expenses is also hard to ignore in light of low reimbursement and high costs, one respondent wrote. 

“I don’t feel like the size of our business would warrant remote staffing, (but) were we to grow exponentially, I would consider it,” the respondent wrote. “I feel it could be more effective than on-site staff, as it would eliminate issues with personality conflicts among staff. With new hires, fitting in with company culture is always a concern. The cost savings is also attractive. I flagged a marketing email recently that advertised rates as low as $7 per hour.” 

There are, for sure, hold outs, including respondents citing concerns around insurer restrictions and language barriers. 

“I want to make sure my staff speaks fluent English, because speaking to the older generation, they may have a hard time understanding,” wrote Josh Miller of Transcend in Scottsboro, Ala. “I also want employees engaged in the office and know what is going on.”