FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: October 19 2022
Contact: Jon Ebelt, Public Information Officer, DPHHS, (406) 444-0936, (406) 461-3757, jebelt@mt.gov
Chuck Council, Communications Specialist, DPHHS, (406) 444-4391, (406) 461-8367, hcouncil@mt.gov
DPHHS Seeks to Consolidate Temporary Staffing Contracts at Health Care Facilities to Reduce Costs, Create Efficiencies
The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) today announced its plans to consolidate temporary staffing contracts at health care facilities to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, and streamline contract administration within the agency.
Each DPHHS health care facility currently maintains multiple contracts for companies that offer temporary traveling medical professionals hired to work at these facilities. To consolidate the contracts, DPHHS is now seeking proposals on a new master contract for these services.
“Due to continuous health care workforce shortages, DPHHS facilities must at times leverage travelers to fill our critical staffing needs,” DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton said. “As part of our ongoing facilities reform, we devised this new approach to allow for a competitive bid process that could result in substantial savings to the state. While utilization of travelers is a longstanding practice that has spanned multiple administrations, the Department is committed to ensuring their appropriate use and reevaluating ways to reduce associated costs across our facilities.”
The Request for Proposal (RFP) will involve five state-run facilities including the Montana State Hospital, Montana Mental Health Nursing Care Center, Intensive Behavior Center, Montana Chemical Dependency Center, and the Montana Veterans Home. The Southwest Montana Veterans Home and Eastern Montana Veterans Home are excluded from this proposal, as both manage and pay for their own staffing under existing private contracts with DPHHS.
The RFP was posted on the Department of Administration’s State Procurement website today. Once at the website, those interested can search ‘Facility Staffing Services’.
“DPHHS encourages existing contractors and other vendors to submit a proposal for consideration,” Brereton said. “We anticipate awarding the contracts in the coming months.”
Brereton said travelers on current assignment at one of DPHHS’s facilities will not be impacted. Assignments will be made through the new contracts as they become available. Brereton also said the new RFP was identified as a way to improve operations at Montana’s state-run health care facilities.
To increase accountability and drive improvements through a common reporting structure, DPHHS consolidated all state-run health care facilities under one division that is now led by a Chief Health Care Facilities Officer. This position is responsible for managing the operations of the Healthcare Facilities Division, as well as developing and implementing policies that promote patient safety and quality care.