Title
Authorize the Deputy Purchasing Agent for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) to execute Amendment No. 3 to the Agreement (A-12367) with Soliant Health, Inc. for temporary staffing services for the Pharmacy Department at NMC, extending the term for one additional year for a revised full term of April 15, 2012 through June 30, 2016, with no cost increase to the total Agreement amount of $600,000.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the Deputy Purchasing Agent for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) to execute Amendment No. 3 to the Agreement (A-12367) with Soliant Health, Inc. for temporary staffing services for the Pharmacy Department at NMC, extending the term for one additional year for a revised full term of April 15, 2012 through June 30, 2016, with no cost increase to the total Agreement amount of $600,000.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
NMC pharmacy uses Soliant Health Inc. to provide urgent temporary staffing services for both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Preferentially pharmacy uses NMC permanent and per diem employees to cover job absences. Pharmacy does not have excess capacity to cover more than 1.5 FTE absences for each job type. It is reasonable to conclude there will be circumstances requiring more than the current capacity. Any combination of approved vacation, government mandated job protected leave (e.g.FMLA), employee resignation, employee incarceration or employee death would exceed available coverage.
Increasing the number of per diem employees is not a solution. Most per diem employees require an extensive training period in addition to the time required to do the hiring. This is too long of a time period to be able to respond to exigent staffing demands. As well, per diem employees desire income stability and ultimately full time employment. Once staffing levels return to normal, without enough shifts to go around, per diem employees will be forced to find employment elsewhere.
Pharmacy is responsible for making sure that the co...
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