MSOConnect

November 2010 MSOC Survey Results

2010-12-15T16:25:00.000-06:00

Here are the results from our November 2010 Med Staff On-Call Survey.

1. Please rank the following features in the order of priority that you would most like to see in an online community dedicated to nurses and nursing assistants?

We were somewhat surprised by the results with this month’s survey. Credential management was high as we expected because we know what a pain it is to gather, maintain and share credentials when you need to. References were scored higher than we expected but with other popular sites like LinkedIn having this capability we understand why you would want it here too. Job Postings scored lower than we expected. The reason could possibly be due to the fact you came to Med Staff On-Call for work and now you have it. This makes more sense on an open platform for job seekers.

2. As we add new mobile web pages for your smart phone which page would you like to see implemented first?

‘My Team’ was rated the highest which presumably means you want to refer and earn bonuses from your referrals. We’ll definitely explore that more since you rated it so high. My Available Shifts and My Scheduled Shifts were the lowest rated features which is surprising because we get a lot of calls related to scheduling. People want to know if they are still confirmed or want to know if there are any shifts available since they don’t have access to a computer. Having this in a mobile browser would allow you to check and maintain those things yourself.

3. How likely are you to refer a friend or co-worker to MSOC?

We broke our consecutive streak of no “Not Likely” responses. Unfortunately there is no feedback indicating why anyone would not be willing to recommend MSOC. If you would not recommend us please let us know why so we can work to improve our services. That is the whole reason we do this survey.

4. What feedback do you have to make MSOC better?

In general, we did not get much feedback. Please give us your candid feedback whether good or bad so we know what is working and what isn’t. If it’s not working for you it probably isn’t for someone else too and we will work hard to fix it.

MEMBER COMMENT: The only problem I have is that the hospital never confirms and leaves us in suspense.....A person could anticipate doing something else because of the not so fast response from the hospital.....

MSOC RESPONSE: I know this can be frustrating but this is also a feature that makes us unique. You know the true status of the shift. Other agencies will tell you that you are confirmed in order to secure your time. Then when the hospital doesn’t confirm they will just call and cancel you even though you never really had the shift. MSOC’s total transparency policy ensures that you will never be ghost booked or double booked for shifts. What you see on your phone and calendar is what is really happening 100% of the time.

For more information about Med Staff On-Call visit our web site at http://www.medstaffoncall.com/

October 2010 MSOC Survey Results

2010-11-17T13:16:00.002-06:00

Here are the results from our October 2010 Med Staff On-Call Survey.

1. In which of the following U.S. cities would you consider taking a travel assignment?

As we expected most people either don’t want to travel or they want to go to the biggest cities. There are a lot of travel opportunities in Ohio and not a single person selected one of the Ohio cities. As we get more details about the travel opportunities we will be offering we will let you know. If you have the desire to travel please let us know so we can update your profile with that information.

2. How would you rate your experience working with our new after hours support staff? After hours support starts at 5p and ends at 8:30a on weekdays and includes the entire day on Saturday and Sunday.

More than half of the people responding have not had to call after hours. Of those that have called 11% have had some problems and no one has had a bad experience. We will continue to work with the new customer support team to ensure that you are getting the high quality customer service that you expect.

3. How likely are you to refer a friend or co-worker to MSOC?

For the second month in a row we didn’t have anyone saying they were not likely to recommend Med Staff On-Call. We are working hard to covert those of you who say “Mabye” to become real fans of MSOC so that you are more likely to refer us to a friend or co-worker in the future.

4. What feedback do you have to make MSOC better?

In general we did not get much feedback in October. We can’t become the greatest agency in the world unless we know what you think makes a great agency. Please give us your feedback. Good or bad. Fixes or enhancements.

MEMBER COMMENT: The only problem I have is that I had to keep calling about a shift I submitted myself for and I had to keep calling to see if I was confirmed because it was after 10p.m. and the shift started at 11p.m. I ended up getting confirmed for it and had to rush to make it to work on time. I think if the Medical Facility takes that long to confirm you the agency should get to cancel us because it can take over an hour to get to certain facilities.

MSOC RESPONSE: Anything that happens within 2 hours of the start time we deal with on a case by case basis. If you have not been confirmed by that 2 hour cutoff time and you are no longer interested in working it is your responsibility to remove your availability, cancel your pending shift or call us to let us know.

MEMBER COMMENT: For day time assignments send them at a reasonable time. Staff miss out on shifts because they come in at 3 or 4am in the morning.

MSOC RESPONSE: MSOC does not create notifications for assignments. The hospitals do. Some hospitals post needs days in advance and some post hours in advance. Some do a good job of a staffing and some don’t. We’ve created a staffing platform that puts you in direct contact with the hospital. When the hospital posts a need you know about it within seconds. When you accept a shift the hospital will know about it in seconds. We never manually create orders so if you aren’t getting notified of shifts at a hospital it’s because they haven’t posted any.

September 2010 MSOC Survey Results

2010-10-13T11:08:00.002-05:00

Here are the results from our September 2010 Med Staff On-Call Survey.

1. What are the best referral incentives you have seen from other companies?

As you would expect Cash is King. Some people choose gifts which are also a nice option. I think the greatest benefit lies in the variable or commission based bonuses. Imagine getting a check weekly or monthly when someone from your “team” or group of referees works their shifts.

2. Would you be more motivated to refer someone if you got a commission on all shifts worked by your referee?

This is where I see the real bonus potential. In theory some people could make a business of referring staff and creating a nice annuity check for themselves that requires little effort to maintain. It’s similar to the way Insurance agents work. You sign up 10 people per year for 10 years and you’ve got a nice steady income from your 100 referees. 100 active RN’s could generate approximately $80K as long as your team of staff remains active.

3. Which incentives would motivate you the most to refer someone to MSOC?

Over 60% of respondents said that cash was the biggest motivator for referrals. Another 17% said that gift cards were a good motivator and 23% said other motivators were more important like Good Work Environment, More Shifts and Commissions.

4. What sources do you use to find new career opportunities?

Most responses are for CareerBuilder. That is likely due to the fact that we use CareerBuilder to find new talent and we don't post on any of the other paid career sites. Monster and Referrals tied for 2nd. That's great because as we discussed earlier we are going to work on some new referral incentives that we think you will really like. I think that if all employers offered good referral incentives that would become the top choice for job seekers.

5. How likely are you to refer a friend or co-worker to MSOC?

This is the most exciting survey because it is the first month where 100% of respondents said they would Maybe or Definitely refer MSOC to a co-worker or friend. Our reputation is extremely important to us and we take your feedback very seriously. That is why we have a survey every month. It sounds like the changes we are making to address your feedback are working.

6. What feedback do you have to make MSOC better?

MEMBER COMMENT: Everything is just great

MSOC RESPONSE: There must be some way we can improve.

MEMBER COMMENT: Send out more emails of positions available.

MSOC RESPONSE: Remember that MSOC doesn’t create offers for positions. The hospitals do that. We will continue to work to find more hospitals to offer you even more opportunities but we have no control over what shifts our hospitals offer.

MEMBER COMMENT: Making hospitals give longer time periods for available shifts and sending shifts at specific times of the day.

MSOC RESPONSE: It’s difficult for us to make the hospitals do anything and each hospital works differently. Some give longer lead times and some shorter. Some cancel a lot and some very little. We are working on reports that will give you visibility on the hospital cancellation rates as well as average feedback scores. We also give hospitals feedback on how they are performing and what things they could do to improve their fill rates which are important to them.

MEMBER COMMENT: Keep up the good job helping others find employment.

MSOC RESPONSE: There must be some way we can improve.

MEMBER COMMENT: My experience has been great thus far.

MSOC RESPONSE: What can make us even “greater”?

MEMBER COMMENT: I’m not sure I like the new on-call staff. They can be very rude.

MSOC RESPONSE: We contracted with a new company to provide after hours support. As with any new employee it takes time to train them and help them to get comfortable with our system and our unique process. The first month was bumpy but hopefully if you’ve had to call after hours you’ve noticed some improvement lately. If you have specific issues please send them to us at info@medstaffoncall.com .

MEMBER COMMENT: When people call MSOC call them back. If you have a position call people so we can work. Uploading your personal paper work is not a good idea, because someone else can get a hold to it. Then you have people who don't know how to upload anything.

MSOC RESPONSE: Our goal is to return 100% of phone calls and we are always here to help if you need it. We also created MSOC to empower you to take control of your own schedule. Unlike traditional agencies you see 100% of all shifts you qualify for. Not just the ones that the top staff couldn’t fill. In exchange for taking control of your schedule we guarantee you will be paid the highest rate. If you find a higher rate anywhere we will beat it.

Regarding the uploading of documents, all companies have online applications today. We take the security of your information very seriously. Once you log into our web site your connection is encrypted with the same encryption technology used by the largest banks operating on the internet.

If you don’t know how to upload documents you can e-mail them to us and we will do it for you. We will do what it takes to help you get through the entire onboarding process.

MEMBER COMMENT: The staff should not have an attitude when someone calls in about shifts.

MSOC RESPONSE: We apologize if our on-call staff were not as helpful as you expect. They are relatively new and we will continue to work with them to provide the same level of support that you except and are used to from Med Staff On-Call.

MEMBER COMMENT: Don’t use Facebook

MSOC RESPONSE: Facebook use is not required and is in no way integrated with the way we manage staffing. We do like Facebook as a tool to reach out to our community and to find new talent. You’ll find interesting news related to your profession and the market, non-critical announcements and some travel contract opportunities.

MEMBER COMMENT: I really like the availability

MSOC RESPONSE: Great, if you use this feature correctly this will give you an important advantage over other staff and other agencies. When your preferred availability is posted and you use our auto-booking the hospital can be notified within seconds that you want to work that shift. Other agencies are still dialing the phone trying to reach their staff.

MEMBER COMMENT: Staffing employees at different hospitals besides Advocate locations.

MSOC RESPONSE: We have other facilities that use CNAs but they have not had many needs. West Suburban recently started to pick up. If you haven’t seen a message from West Suburban be sure to add it to your preferences. They are posting CNA shifts almost daily so if you don’t see any message after a day then give us a call and we’ll help sort it out. Weiss Memorial Hospital has also picked up recently and we are in the middle of renewing our contract with them. Stay tuned for shift notifications from that hospital.

MEMBER COMMENT: Update info more quickly.

MSOC RESPONSE: All of our shifts notifications are sent in real time via text message to your phone and e-mail. You’ll never have to wait for a staffing coordinator to call you. If you are trying to get active with Med Staff On-Call we want to get you active as quickly as possible. If you get stuck in the process then give us a call and we can let you know what to do to get unstuck.

For more information about Med Staff On-Call visit our web site at http://www.medstaffoncall.com/

May 2010 MSOC Survey Results

2010-09-28T11:38:00.000-05:00

This is the forth in a series of catch up postings to share all of our survey results with MSOC members. Next week we will post the results of our September 2010 Survey.

1. Are you interested in Travel Nursing?

Of all of the RN’s that responded we were surprised to find that almost half are interested in Travel Nursing. We will keep you posted as soon as we have travel contracts ready to offer you.

2. If you answered Yes to Question #1 above what is most important?

For those of you interested in Travel Nursing, Location and Rate were the 2 most important criteria for deciding whether or not to take a travel assignment.

3. How many agencies are you currently registered with?

According to the Staffing Industry Analysts the average number of agencies used by temporary healthcare workers is around 2.5. In our case the average is 1.4 which means that we have a higher than average score relative to loyalty. We believe that as the market conditions improve and Med Staff On-Call becomes preferred at more and more hospitals we will become a one stop shop for those that choose the benefits of temp staffing.

4. How likely are you to refer a friend or co-worker to MSOC?

Over 95% of those registered said they would maybe or definitely refer a friend or co-worker to Med Staff On-Call. We are thrilled that our numbers keep improving. If you answered Maybe then let us know what it will take to get you to answer Definitely next month.

5. What feedback do you have to make MSOC better?

MEMBER COMMENT: I would like to know the assignment in advance and time.

MSOC RESPONSE: With most (>95%) of our shifts, the hospital specifies the specialty and unit which we pass on to you in the e-mails and text messages we send. In the case of CNAs, one of our hospitals chooses to notify you of the unit when you check in at the staffing office.

MEMBER COMMENT: You all think of everything before we even realize we need it. Keep it up Med Staff On-Call

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you for that compliment. When we created Med Staff On-Call, we brought together experts from IT, Nursing, Agency Staffing and Hospital Staffing. Our goal was to rewrite the way staffing was done. Since we started with a clean slate we were able to think outside the box and leave all of the baggage from the traditional staffing process behind. We believe that staffing in the 21st century should be convenient, efficient and easy. If you can bank online, buy books online, renew your license online; then why not choose your shifts online.

MEMBER COMMENT: More hospitals on the south side with day shifts and also in Indiana. Feedback when you refer a person, about their hours for your bonus. Thanks for keeping me up on your email list.

MSOC RESPONSE: We are constantly working to add new health centers. If you have specific suggestions for hospitals that you want to work at let us know and we will target those hospitals. Regarding your comment about feedback take a look at the new “My Team” tab. Here we have given you exactly what you are asking for. The section “My Team’s Activity” shows your referrals which are active, how many shifts they have worked and whether or not you have been paid for that referral. The section “My Onboarding Group” shows your referrals that are still in the registered status and how close they are to finishing the process. The section “My Pending Referrals” shows the people that you have referred that have yet to login to the system to start working on their profile. The section “ Refer a Friend” can be used to submit a referral right from the “my Team” tab.

MEMBER COMMENT: Keep up the great work.

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you. Keep sending us your feedback.

MEMBER COMMENT: Add face-to-face contact to your operations because a computer may not always be able to answer follow up questions.

MSOC RESPONSE: We are available by phone 24 X 7 to answer any questions you might have. We created our automated staffing platform to do the heavy lifting. That way you get the messages faster than any person with a phone and you have total control over your own schedule. We believe our primary role is to support you by answering any questions you might have regarding our process.

MEMBER COMMENT: If alerts were available about positions in a text message. I have cricket and I cannot receive the message on time.

MSOC RESPONSE: We recognize that our 2-way text messaging does not work with Cricket because they do not support SMS text messaging with short codes. A short code is a 5 digit number that businesses pay for so that you don’t have to remember a long phone number. It is kind of like having a vanity license plate. Our short code is 95495. We are working on a solution to support either 1 way text messaging to Cricket or a voice activated system were you can use your voice to accept shifts rather than text messages.

MEMBER COMMENT: You guys are doing an excellent job!!!

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you for validating us and our unique approach to temporary staffing.

MEMBER COMMENT: I feel that MSOC is a great way to get into the Medical world; it will give me the opportunity to show my skills and to learn procedures in the nursing field with the more experienced nurses and medical Assistant.

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you for the positive feedback!

MEMBER COMMENT: You have always lost some of my materials that I fax to you.

MSOC RESPONSE: We did have a problem with our system which was causing documents to be deleted. We solved the problem in May and haven’t had a problem since. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope that you’ll give us another chance.

MEMBER COMMENT: I only have a problem with accepting the shifts, and not getting confirmed for the shift.

MSOC RESPONSE: Hospitals typically choose the staff that they know first and since the volume of shifts available is still low there may be enough know staff to meet their needs. During peaks in demand the hospitals will choose new staff to satisfy their needs and that is the best time to “get in” with a new hospital. I know it is hard but you have to be patient, persistent and flexible. When you get confirmed for your first shift make sure you don’t cancel. The first shift is the hardest to get. After you work and show that you can do a good job you are no longer new to that hospital and unit and they are much more likely to use you in the future.

MEMBER COMMENT: I just want to say that, shifts are hard to get these days, especially for me. Even though I've already went to orientation at resurrection health, whenever there is a shift, they never confirm me; and that makes me think the orientations are a waste of time, so please do something about this situation.

MSOC RESPONSE: Resurrection was a new hospital system for us and it took some time for us to build up a reputation. Since sending this survey we have started to see results as we are getting several shifts at Resurrection, Our Lady of Resurrection, Resurrection St. Joseph and West Suburban.

For more information about Med Staff On-Call visit our web site at http://www.medstaffoncall.com/.

April 2010 MSOC Survey Results

2010-09-14T10:48:00.001-05:00

This is the third in a series of catch up postings to share all of our survey results with MSOC members.

1. Please choose the manufacturer of your mobile device.

While we were hoping to see some clear winners, it looks like there are a variety of devices in use, which is good. Based on this feedback we have decided not to focus on a specific platform but instead to focus on a solution that works in a mobile web browser. While not as feature rich as an iPhone application, for example, a mobile web application will work for everyone as long as you use a smart phone. If you don’t you still have the good old text messaging, but you won’t be able to do things like checking out right on your phone.

2. Assuming that you work at least part time for a staffing agency, please select the option that applies to you.

More than half of our staff have secured some type of staff position. This is a sign of the times we live in where it can be difficult to rely on supplement staffing. Of the half that do not have a staff position about 25% work full time agency and the rest is a mix of those doing agency part time and those not working at all.

3. How likely are you to refer a friend or co-worker to MSOC?

Over 90% of those registered said they would definitely to likely to refer a friend or co-worker. We are thrilled with those results. You have validated that although the MSOC model is quite different from a traditional staffing model, our members like the way we work. We believe the biggest challenge we face today is providing enough work to satisfy the needs of our community of medical professionals. If there are other things you think we need to improve please let us know in the May 2010 survey.

4. What feedback do you have to make MSOC better?

MEMBER COMMENT: I have entered everything they asked for but have not had any response.

MSOC RESPONSE: We respond to all questions sent through the system in less than 24 hours. We also review recently validated sections within 24 hours. If you have not received a response, please call us at 888-270-8374 so we can find out where you are in the onboarding process.

MEMBER COMMENT: I like the way you all communicate.

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you. One of our biggest differentiators is in the way we communicate. We don’t make pesky phone calls begging you to take a shift like other agencies do. Our onboarding process is no different. We give you the tools you need to become active at your own pace. If you get stuck, you can send a message. We will respond promptly.

MEMBER COMMENT: Most of my concerns were technical and was rectified immediately. I appreciate being able to express a concern to my employer and have it taken care. MSOC staff is friendly and courteous, which makes for a good work environment.

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you. Here at MSOC, we strive to make our website as user friendly as possible. Because of the feedback and questions we receive from our members, our website is always improving and will continue to improve to make our features very easy to use.

MEMBER COMMENT: If there was a way to filter the text messages, or turn them off at certain times, I would still be interested in using them. I don't use the text messages to my phone now because I was getting too many.

MSOC RESPONSE: The best way to get work is to post your preferred availability in our system. Then turn off your phone and go to sleep. Our web based platform will do the work for you. As soon as a shift comes in that matches your preferences the computer will accept the shift on your behalf. You just need to check at least 2 hours before your shift to see if you were confirmed by the hospital.

MEMBER COMMENT: Overall, I've been happy with MSOC!

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you. We are very happy with you. We are here to serve you and create the most efficient staffing platform in the country where our members comes first.

MEMBER COMMENT: Online application is very long

MSOC RESPONSE: It may seem long because you are doing all the work. All of the information requested is required by the hospitals that we serve. In a traditional staffing agency you typically go to the office with a stack of documents and someone else does the work for you. Don’t think there isn’t a cost associated with that. Due to their high overhead, they will never be able to match our rates.

MEMBER COMMENT: I would like to be one of ones you can call on when there is an opening. I would like to be one of the ones you brag about that is reliable and hard working.

MSOC RESPONSE: I love your attitude. Let us know what we can do to get you the work that you want.

MEMBER COMMENT: I think you should have a talk with Mercy Hospital in Chicago and start accepting our shifts. I have talked with couple people in our group and it is thing happening to them and since Mercy seems to have the highest opening shift for agencies.

MSOC RESPONSE: The problem with Mercy is similar to what we have seen with other hospitals in the past. Not only is MSOC new but, most of our staff are not familiar names to the unit managers that choose their staff. If the hospital can get someone they know to work a shift, they will take that option first. If they have a real need and can’t get someone they know they will take a chance with a new person they don’t know. Just hang in there and once you get your first shift you will have a much easier time getting work there going forward, assuming you do a great job.

MEMBER COMMENT: MSOC's willingness to maintain a pro-nurse community is the highest plus ever. You are already constantly improving your services for the nurse and the clients you serve. Right now I can't think of an improvement; but, you are always willing to listen if I come up with something later. Thanks for being who you are.

MSOC RESPONSE: Thank you. We know that if we can make a great service for you that we will all benefit in the end.

MEMBER COMMENT: Your online application is acceptable. It asks for information that people don't normally want to put on a web site such as a copy of their social security card and other various items. I have filled out the application but some of it doesn't work and it is still saying I have not completed it.

MSOC RESPONSE: Regarding fields or sections that are not working for you please contact us and let us know what the problem is. We will make sure that any problems found with the system are fixed first before adding any new features to the system.

MEMBER COMMENT: Contract further southwest of Joliet

MSOC RESPONSE: We are green and growing. Let us know which hospitals you want to go to and we will contact those facilities to establish a contract with them.

MEMBER COMMENT: Well not everyone has text messaging is there another means to receive job news such as e-mail. That is my hold up. I have no texting and cannot afford it yet.

MSOC RESPONSE: Over 90% of all interaction with our system is done via text messaging. If you don’t have text messaging you can use our web site to do everything you can with texts and more. The main benefit to text messaging is that you almost always have your cell phone with you. That means you can accept shifts no matter where you are. If you want to work without texting make sure you put your preferred availability in the computer and let the system work for you. Otherwise it will be much more difficult for you to get work in this very competitive job market.

MEMBER COMMENT: Like that everyone receives text messages for shifts.

MSOC RESPONSE: If you have registered your phone and are fully active you will get notified of all shifts that you qualify for. If someone is not receiving text messages it is either because they have not registered their phone or they have not become active yet.

For more information about Med Staff On-Call visit our web site at http://www.medstaffoncall.com.

March 2010 MSOC Survey Results

2010-09-08T16:18:00.002-05:00

This is the second in a series of catch up postings to share all of our survey results with MSOC members.

1. Which social networking platform do you use to follow MSOC?

As we expected most of you have accounts on Facebook and many are even following Med Staff On-Call there. For those of you that are not following us we have a public Fan Page and a private Group on Facebook. To find the Fan Page search for Med Staff On-Call. To find the group search for MSOConnect.

2. Which smartphone platform would you like to see a MSOC application developed for?

We were surprised to find that the #1 platform chosen for a mobile application was Windows Mobile. This may be due to people not understanding what the Windows Mobile Platform was so we will ask another survey question in April to try and determine the right platform to support when we build that application.

3. How likely are you to refer a friend or co-worker to MSOC?

We were very happy with the results of the net promoter score this month. An majority of people surveyed would recommend Med Staff On-Call to a friend and very few would not likely recommend us.

4. What feedback do you have to make MSOC better? Your feedback is extremely important to us and will be used to improve the services you use on a regular basis.

We received some great feedback this month. Keep it coming. Here are responses to the top questions from last month’s survey.

MEMBER: A phone number where a person can ask and get answers faster. Office location, and a better understanding as to how you are selected for employment contact

MSOC: Our phone number is 888-270-8374. We have someone available 24 / 7 to answer your questions. We do not take walk-ins as we are the first completely virtual staffing agency. All onboarding and staffing activities are done online. If you have any questions we are available by phone to help you.

MEMBER: I have not received a call back yet for ANY employment so I’m sure that I would start there.

MSOC: If you have completed your onboarding profile and haven’t received any feedback please call us at 888-270-8374 and we would be happy to help you get started.

MEMBER: If you can help with finding license if the person who's applying misplaced it. Or give the person a chance to find it.

MSOC: Nursing licenses can be checked and renewed at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation https://www.idfpr.com/dpr/licenselookup/default.asp. The phone number is 217-785-0800.

MSOC: CNA certificates can be found at the Illinois Department of Public Health's Health Care Worker Registery. http://www.idph.state.il.us/nar/home.htm. Their phone number is 217-785-5133.

MEMBER: I have not personally used the MSOC but I have heard great things about your company so until I hear something negative I will promote you guys. Good work.

MSOC: Thank you for that feedback.

MEMBER: EASIER APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

MSOC: Please give us specific feedback so we can fix it. Usability is extremely important to us. You can submit specific feedback to info@medstaffoncall.com or use the contact us page at www.medstaffoncall.com to submit feedback via the web site.

MEMBER: Timely confirmation of shifts

MSOC: We do not confirm shifts. Hospitals are responsible for confirming shifts. Some hospitals do a very good job of maintaining their orders and some do a very bad job. We have given that feedback to certain hospitals and we have seen an improvement.

MEMBER: Appreciate prompt response when called about an inquiry.

MSOC: We are available 24/7 to answer any question you may have. You should never have to leave a message when you have an inquiry.

MEMBER: You're doing a great job already. Personally, I like personal service better than electronic, but I'm adapting.

MSOC: Thank you! Too much personal service is prohibitive. That is why traditional agencies cannot compete with our rates. We have put you in control in order to maximize your pay rate.

MEMBER: Things will look up once I have my leg out of the cast. Then...I will have recommendations.

MSOC: Get well soon! We look forward to having you back and hearing your recommendations.

MEMBER: Pay increase. Registry rates at most hospitals are higher, or are giving bonus pay for picking up extra shifts, which comes out to higher hourly pay than agency. Registry shifts also have higher guarantee of getting a shift.

MSOC: Our pay rates are determined based on volume. The demand for supplemental staff was down by more than 25% in 2009. As the volume increases so will pay rates.

MSOC: Hospitals are offering many incentives today to get more from the nurses they already have. We believe this is not sustainable and is not the best model for staffing. There are real advantages to leveraging a temporary staffing agency to meet your peaks in demand including fill rates and turning over the liability of those staff.

MSOC: From the staff’s perspective the number of options is also an important factor in addition to rates. Today we work with over 100 hospitals and clinics and the number continues to grow. It would be too difficult to juggle enough registry positions to maintain that level of shift selection.

MSOC: Take advantage of our best rate guarantee. That includes registry pay rates. Just send us documentation with the rates you received and we will beat it for everyone we send there.

For more information about Med Staff On-Call visit our web site at http://www.medstaffoncall.com.

February 2010 MSOC Survey Results

2010-08-30T17:18:00.004-05:00

Rank the following benefits from most important to least important:

Highest Pay Rates

Our number one goal is to provide an efficient service with as little overhead as possible. That means you do more of the work and in return get the highest rates available in the industry.

Number of Facilities / Shifts Offered

We work with over 100 facilities in the Chicago area to provide you the most opportunity possible. We are constantly working to increase the number of hospitals we work with so that we can provide even more work opportunities for you. We understand that the best rate doesn’t mean anything if you can’t get to work.

Most Desired Facilities

With a best rate guarantee we want to attract the best medical professionals possible and we know that the most desired professionals want to work at the most desired facilities.

Personalized Service

We want to have a fully automated service with the feeling that you are still getting personalized service. If you have ideas on how we can make our service more personal we want to know.

Self Service

We are all about self service and we know that some people come to us only because of our self service model. They don’t want to be bother by pesky phone calls asking you to work at hospitals you don’t want to go to on days that you don’t want to work. If you have ideas on how we can better serve you with our system we want to know.

Benefits Offered

We believe in paying the highest rate guaranteed and then you decide what to do with your money.

Which type of on-boarding process do you prefer?

Approximately 2/3 of respondents choose self service. Our goal is to have a system which is capable of 100% self service onboarding and staffing. For those that are not comfortable with the technology we are here to help.

How likely are you to refer a friend or coworker to MSOC?

Most people (>73%) surveyed would recommend MSOC to a friend or coworker which means we are doing a decent job of providing the service you want.
Approximately 16% said that they would maybe recommend MSOC. For those 16% we will strive to meet your needs better in the future through the feedback that you have provided here.
Approximately 10% said that they would not recommend MSOC. To those 10% that would not recommend MSOC we understand that our process is not for everyone. If you are looking for a personalized touch where you are assigned a recruiter that will call you on a daily basis there are plenty of other agencies out there that would be happy to call you.

What feedback do you have to make MSOC better?

MEMBER COMMENT: Do you have hours for human resources on the weekend or maybe one week night? I work Mon-Fri, 8-4:30. I find it hard to schedule time off for a week day appointment. Thanks!

MSOC RESPONSE: We have someone on-call 24X7 to answer your calls. We do not make appointments for office visits as our process is designed to completed 100% online. If you are having trouble with our onboarding process then please give us a call. We are here to help.

MEMBER COMMENT: No one contacts me-I have had no phone call, no interest in my availability-I don't understand why?

MSOC RESPONSE: We do not call MSOC members except under special circumstances. To give your availability you simply login at http://www.medstaffoncall.com and post your availability for work online. If you are having trouble watch the video available on each page of the web site. If you are still having problems call us at 888-270-8374. We are here to help.

MEMBER COMMENT: I was given your information from a friend of mine who recently used your services for herself and now has fulltime employment through a facility you sent her to. I will enjoy working with you all for al those reason's.

MSOC RESPONSE: We’d love to get you working. If you are active then post your availability to let our system know you want to work. If you have registered but are not yet active login and follow the instructions in the onboarding process. If you get stuck at any point in the process then e-mail us at info@medstaffoncall.com or give us a call at 888-270-8374.

MEMBER COMMENT: Haven't work yet with MSOC but would love to start.

MSOC RESPONSE: We would love for you to start as well. Let us know what we can do to help.

MEMBER COMMENT: I gave up trying to apply on-line, way too difficult, too many attachments required, poor instructions, poor help available.

MSOC RESPONSE: Each of the attachments we ask for are documents that are required by the hospital. These are not unique to Med Staff On-Call. What is unique to MSOC is that we give you the ability to scan and upload your documents so that you do not have to come to our office. This also makes it easier to provide documentation to the hospitals. If you are not able to move forward with the help and instructions available online then please e-mail (info@medstaffoncall.com) or call at 888-270-8374.

MEMBER COMMENT: The application process is not that helpful and is kind of difficult to get setup, so I wouldn’t refer any one to this service.

MSOC RESPONSE: We understand that some people may not be comfortable with the way we work. We believe that our process is the way of the future and that more and more people will want to work the way we do.

MEMBER COMMENT: I receive multiple texts and emails for the same shift.

MSOC RESPONSE: Our system sends text messages for every shift that the hospital orders. If you receive multiple text messages for the same shift it is because the hospital has placed multiple orders for the same shift.

MEMBER COMMENT: Calling with shifts in advance with immediate confirmation for the shift.

MSOC RESPONSE: This is how a traditional agency works with a traditional hospital. The hospital calls with a need and the agency chooses their favorite staff to fill the position. In our case we offer the position to all qualify candidates. When multiple candidates accept we pass all responses on to the hospital and the hospital choose which candidate to confirm. This process can take longer to receive confirmation but it is by the hospitals choice. As more and more hospitals become automated this will become the standard mode of operation.

MEMBER COMMENT: Need to be more personal all people will not have access to a computer.

MSOC RESPONSE: We are looking for the most highly qualified that have access to a computer and cell phone and are willing to work with a self service model in order to receive the highest pay rate in the industry guaranteed.

MEMBER COMMENT: There are toooo many unconfirmed shifts when one is automatically submitted for a shift. Also, many of the places do not even send a message until the next day!

MSOC RESPONSE: It is the responsibility of the hospital to confirm staff. If you are not getting confirmed it is because the hospital has posted a shift and not selected anyone to fill that need. Some hospitals do a very good job of managing their needs and some hospitals do not.

MEMBER COMMENT: Confirmation of shifts in a more timely manner, if shifts are canceled at one facility try to find nurse work at another facility

MSOC RESPONSE: Again this is due the hospital not confirming staff for shifts. We never confirm staff for shifts unless the hospital confirms them and in most cases this is 100% automated. As soon as the hospital confirms you instantly receive a confirmation message.

MEMBER COMMENT: I signed up but was never put to work. I work only in Psych. If you have any Psych work, please notify me.

MSOC RESPONSE: If you are not receiving messages for work please call us to find out what the status is of your account and what the needs are in your specific area. There are currently many psych needs but the demand fluctuates and there are periods where we have no psych needs.

MEMBER COMMENT: Yearly physicals shouldn't be required. hospitals don't require it

MSOC RESPONSE: Hospitals do not require physicals for staff on an annual basis but they do require them for agency staff annually.

For more information about Med Staff On-Call visit our web site at http://www.medstaffoncall.com/.

MSOConnect: Have You Considered 1099/Independent Contractor Status?

2010-04-15T15:10:00.000-05:00

MSOConnect: Have You Considered 1099/Independent Contractor Status?

Another way MSOC is Different

2010-04-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

You may be thinking, if you’ve seen one staffing agency, you’ve seen them all. Well, you’re wrong. Med Staff On-Call is unlike any agency you have encountered before. In fact, we do not even refer to ourselves as an agency. By definition, an agency is a business or service authorized to act for others. Here at Med Staff On-Call, we don’t think you need anyone to act for you. With all the technology available today, you are very capable of managing your work yourself and not paying someone else to do it for you. There will be no mistakes with your availability: You see it, you post it, you accept it, you confirmed it and you can change it if you need to.

Since we eliminate the work of traditional recruiters and staffing coordinators we focus on training and support for use of our automated staffing platform. Other agencies may do all the work for you but don't think there isn't a cost for that. Our staffing platform puts you in control so that you can earn the maximum rates possible and have a competitive advantage versus other agencies in the market.

We understand that our use of automation may seem a little scary to a medical professional at first. We are medical professionals ourselves, not computer geeks. That’s why we have created training videos, an online community, e-mail support, online chat and have support teams that are available by phone 24X7. With all of these options our members are never alone. In the end, it is as simple as using any web page, reading email and sending text messages.

Med Staff On-Call model versus Traditional Agency model

2010-04-09T11:40:00.027-05:00

At Med Staff On-Call we are committed to providing the service that today's medical professionals want. Check out the many benefits of working with Med Staff On-Call listed below including a best rate guaruntee, total transparency and the ability to have full and instant control over your schedule.

<><><><>

	Traditional Agency
Highest Pay Rates Guaranteed!	Lower pay rates to cover higher operational costs.
Text message and e-mail notifications for all shift	Annoying, pushy phone calls.
Total transparency - notified of ALL shifts you qualify for in real-time	You only know what they tell you. They have favorites.
You are in control of your schedule	You are dependant on staffing coordinators to get shifts.
Web Based - We are online so you can post availability, accept shifts and view your pay 24/7	Manual, labor intensive and error prone….
A community of medical professionals - we work for you!	They work for the hospitals – You work for the agency.

Medical Staffing Network warns of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

2010-04-07T20:41:00.001-05:00

The Medical Staffing Network’s warning of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy is the latest in a string of bad reports regarding the largest medical staffing agencies in the U.S.

Many of the large staffing agencies in the marketplace are finding it difficult to maintain their current operating structure from a financial perspective. Their traditional models are burdened with high overhead costs that can not easily be adjusted downward in a depressed market. These costs include many physical offices staffed with full time recruiters, staffing coordinators and layers of management. We believe this traditional model is just not sustainable in today’s market.

At Med Staff On-Call we leverage an efficient web based staffing platform with staying power. Not only does it reduce our overhead costs but it ensures the quality the health care delivery organizations need. Through our operating model we empower medical professionals through the use of technology to take control of their own schedules. At the same time we ensure compliance, improve quality, increase pay rates for medical staff (MSOC members) and decrease bill rates for health care delivery organizations. Its a win-win situation for everyone.

Highly Automated Process

2010-03-31T12:46:00.000-05:00

The staffing process at Med Staff On-Call is based on the most advanced information technology and communication platform available to fully automate the staffing process. By automating the process we put our members in complete control over the shifts they see based on their preferences for health centers and specialties. Through our web site, emails and text messages we are able to manage a highly efficient operation, with high volumes and at low operational costs. The resulting operational savings allow us to make a best rate guaruntee. In comparing our rates with traditional agencies we have found that are rates are at least $1/more per hour and in many cases up to $5/hour more. Check for yourself by calling the Medical Staffing Network and asking for their rates at the same hospitals MSOC serves. Most likely they won't tell you or they won't give you a straight answer because they know their rates are low.

Do you know how Green MSOC is?

2010-02-22T16:03:00.000-06:00

Do you know how Green MSOC is?

Today there is so much hype about “Going Green”. It’s the latest fashionable thing to do. A primary factor in MSOC being green is not only to “save the planet” but it is also a way to cut costs. Anytime we can cut costs, the savings are passed onto you with our Highest Pay Rate Guarantee! We also believe that by being green you will not only help our planet, but we can create new efficiencies in our daily lives.

Here are some ways MSOC is maintaining a Green working environment for our Community:

• We do not mail out paper pay checks- You receive payment via direct deposit
• We do not send paper pay stubs- We e-mail them
• We do not keep paper files- We keep all of your documents in your online profiles
• We do not require you to fax time sheets- You check out for your worked shifts online
• We do not send you employment papers to sign and fax back -You sign all required employment forms electronically
• When you fax us documents, they are not printed out- All faxes are received electronically and saved in the appropriate electronic files
• We do not send faxes to the heath centers for availability- Our system is integrated with our health center’s systems so they can see who is available in real time
• We do not require face to face interviews. We promote at home on-boarding to become active. Did you know that for each gallon of gas used by a car contributes about 19 pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere?
• We send all of our employees for pre-employment drug screenings via an electronic order. The traditional 3-part form was eliminated which reduces paper and postage costs.

Summary: We are virtually paperless! For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months. If you are doing anything to make the world a greener place, please share it here with our community!

Digital Communication Strategy

2010-02-12T17:26:00.000-06:00

There is a lot of hype today regarding social networking web sites like Facebook and Twitter. MSOC’s focus on a digital communication strategy is to keep you informed and help you get the shifts you want. Our digital communications strategy encompasses several communications channels including the following:

1. Web
http://www.medstaffoncall.com/
Our web site is the hub of our digital communications strategy. That is where you can go to find information about hospitals, manage your calendar, preferences and work schedule.

2. SMS Text Messages
Text messages are sent directly to our members for a variety of reasons. This has become one of the most important tools for communication because people always have their cell phones and text messages are non-intrusive.

3. E-mail
E-mail is still one of the best communications tools available today because you can read and reply to messages when it is convenient for you. Many people today also have cell phones that can send and receive e-mail.

4. Facebook – Fan Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-IL/Med-Staff-On-Call/276127968271
The Facebook page is a public forum that can be used to communicate with a public audience of those that are interested in following Med Staff On-Call.

5. Facebook – Group
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-IL/Med-Staff-On-Call/276127968271?ref=ts#!/group.php?gid=8306085335&ref=ts
The Facebook group is similar to a Facebook page except that it is private and requires authorization to join. This enables us to share a much wider variety of information that we cannot share on the Facebook Page. You can also find us on Facebook by searching for “MSOCONNECT”

6. LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/487268
Linked in is a social networking site similar to Facebook but with a focus on professional networks. Healthcare professionals are one of the fastest growing segments in the LinkedIn community and LinkedIn has become the industry leader in recruiting and job placement.

7. Blogger
http://msoconnect.blogspot.com/
This site is the home of MSOConnect, our official Blog. Posts here are automatically pushed to our Facebook Fan Page. Posts here are intended to be conversational and we always appreciate your feedback.

8. Twitter
www.twitter.com/msoc
Posts are automatically sent from the Facebook Fan Page to our Twitter followers.

9. Career Builder
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?ncc=^"
CareerBuilder has proven to be another great tool for recruiting new members and enhancing our online presence.

10. Automated Phone Calls
We use automated phone calls to connect with our staff in a scalable way. Rather than making individual phone calls we can make one phone call and broadcast a customized message to hundreds of active members.

11. Online Surveys
Feedback from our members is critical in order to provide the service that our members want. Occasionally we send out surveys via the web and cell phone to get member feedback.

Let us know if you’ve found a new communication tool that can make it easier to work with our large community of medical professionals.

MSOC Members in Charge

2009-12-21T07:28:00.000-06:00

Med Staff On-Call members are in charge of their own schedules. Our members will not receive unwanted calls in the middle of the night or pushy calls begging them to take shifts they do not want. When you become a member, you simply set your preferences on the web site, choose your preferred health centers, manage your availability, and accept the shifts you want to work. It’s that simple. It feels like shopping online. Availability can be managed on a home computer or even from a cell phone. If it seems complicated at first we are here to help.

Our community is open to all qualified health care professionals. To become a member you simply register at www.medstaffoncall.com and complete the self-service, on-boarding process. There are some steps that have to be completed before being able to start work at a health center. Some are mandatory by law, like drug testing; others are health center specific, like onsite orientation. Our thorough on-boarding process is the best way for us to guarantee that only professionals with the right qualifications become Med Staff On-Call members. The on-boarding process can be completed from home at your own pace. The sooner completed, the faster you will start receiving shift offers at the highest rates, guaranteed. The process can be completed in just a few days, with the help of our online instructions, training videos and materials, and access to our online support team by chat, email or toll-free phone number.

Med Staff On-Call Principles

2009-12-15T10:27:00.000-06:00

The intermediary model that traditional agencies continue to use is out-dated, bureaucratic and inefficient. The result is high operational costs that cut into medical staff pay rates. Just look at the financial results of Medical Staffing Network., the largest per diem staffing agency in the US. Med Staff On-Call is bringing innovation to the industry that makes us completely different from any other agency. We rely heavily on our patent pending web and communication technology platform to fully automate the operations of our community of medical staff.

Med Staff On-Call’s web based platform in highly scalable and allows us to minimize the impact on our expenses and maximize our hourly pay rates. We do not compare to traditional agencies in terms of numbers of employees, multiple regional offices or any of the traditional infrastructure elements that require high operational costs. Our model implies that at a certain level of volume our cost-per-shift will go to half the operational cost of traditional agencies. Our efficiency increases with volume and we will pass the savings on to those that do the real work; our MSOC members.

We Want to Hear From You!

2009-12-07T07:43:00.000-06:00

Over the years we've learned that some of the best recommendations for Med Staff On-Call comes from you, our community members who use it every day. I want to make sure everyone knows about the ‘Send Feedback’ link located right on our website under the ‘My Preferences’ tab. We designed this feedback link to be an easy way for you to let us know how we are doing and what needs to be improved. The more feedback we get the better, so please take a moment to check it out and let us know what’s on your mind. As always you can send us an e-mail or give us a call as well.

We'll be keeping a close eye on all of the responses and we’ll try to always keep you informed as to what we are working on, so stay tuned!

From All of Us at Med Staff On-Call, Thank-you!

Safety Tips for Medical Professionals

2009-11-23T20:21:00.000-06:00

As medical professionals we frequently travel to hospitals in cities and neighborhoods we may not be familiar with. With daylights savings time it is getting darker earlier so you may be starting your shift or leaving your shift when it is dark outside. Here are some basic tips to help keep you safe:

Walk with a group of people into or out of the hospital. At standard shift times many people should be entering and leaving the hospital. At non standard times ask for hospital security to escort you to and from your car.
Park in a parking structure if available. They are monitored by security.
Be alert to your surroundings. Don’t be distracted with your phone.
Drive or walk on well trafficked streets and roads. Try to avoid as much as possible streets which tend to be deserted or have few travelers.
As soon as you get into your car lock the doors.

More Opportunity: South Shore and ER

2009-10-12T12:26:00.000-05:00

MSOC is happy to announce a new partnership with South Shore Hospital. MSOC will continue to partner with hospitals that share our vision to offer patients the highest possible care to patients. Since 1912, South Shore has built up its reputation based on their dedication of caring to the South Shore community. MSOC hopes to contribute to South Shore’s reputation and add to the hospital’s atmosphere of camaraderie and compassion.

With a new hospital joining MSOC comes more opportunities for you. If you wish to work at South Shore Hospital, make sure that you add the hospital to your list of preferred hospitals on your preferences page on our website www.medstaffoncall.com. In addition, ER per diem and contract needs have picked up recently. These positions are available in the city and in the West and Northwest Suburbs. If this isn’t convenient for you, you can still earn money by referring a fellow nurse to these positions.

We are working hard to provide MSOC nurses with every opportunity to show off their compassion and quality care at various hospitals. Together, we will continue to spread quality patient care throughout Chicagoland!

Have a Great Nurse Week!

2009-05-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

Everyone at MSOC would like to wish all our nurses a happy nurses week! Nurses are deserving of not just a day, but an entire week that recognizes their contribution to society. Their skills are greatly appreciated and needed in the healthcare industry. Nurses are and will always be in demand!
For this reason, sometimes nurses may feel complacent and not worry about making a small mistake at one hospital because there are several other opportunities as a healthcare provider- whether it be another hospital, hospice or home health. However, it is vital for healthcare professionals to maintain a good reputation in order to continue working at their preferred hospitals and to earn the respect of their peers and employers.

As a provider of nurses and CNAs to hospitals, MSOC realizes how important it is to have reliable medical staff on our team. Unfortunately, MSOC had to let a few nurses go because their actions didn’t fit with the MSOC Community’s commitment to quality. Late calls and no-shows to shifts are two things our community cannot tolerate. Hospitals also take a strong stance on no-shows and late calls – they automatically mark those nurses as DNR (Do Not Return) for their facility. In fact, after each shift you work, the hospital’s staffing personnel grades you based on the charge nurse’s feedback. Based on the scores you receive, you may become a preferred nurse for that hospital (with a high score) and be requested back time and time again. Your reputation is with you at all times and carries from hospital to hospital.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “it takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” Keeping this in mind will provide you countless opportunities to earn the highest rates in all of Chicago, making every week a happy one for nurses!

Training Videos to Maximize Your Earning Potential

2009-04-17T14:48:00.000-05:00

You might have noticed new training videos recently added to MSOC’s website, www.medstaffoncall.com. After you log in, you will see a small box with the title “Training Video” on the left-hand side of the screen on each page. Simply click anywhere in the small box to launch the training video. These videos were posted in case you needed a refresher on the functionality of each page. The videos are anywhere from 1 to 4 minutes long and go in detail about the content and usage of each page.

The video on the “Calendar” tab explains how you can edit your preferred availability or unavailability on certain days and how you can view the calendar on a weekly basis. The video under the “Availability” explains how to post preferred availability and unavailability. This video also shows you how to post recurring availability, which can be useful and time-saving. Under the “Pending Shifts” tab, you will find the video that explains a different way by which you can accept shifts.

There are more training videos on the way to help you use MSOC’s technology to maximize your earning potential. The videos are there to remind you that you are in control of your schedule with MSOC and that you possess all the tools required to manage when you receive shifts and for which hospitals and you receive them.

MSOC: Your Contact for Contracts

2009-04-17T14:44:00.000-05:00

Contracts give agency nurses many benefits while still maintaining high pay rates. The greatest benefit associated with contracts is having a set schedule at the same health center on the same unit for a specified period of time. Unlike per diem work, shifts associated with contracts are guaranteed – no cancellations. Nearly all of the contracts MSOC offers are $2/hour less than MSOC’s per diem rate. Contracts last anywhere from 4 to 13 weeks and many are renewed for several more weeks or months.

MSOC has offers almost every day for contract opportunities and they are highly sought after by nurses. Since contracts become available and are filled quickly, MSOC must know if you are interested in accepting a contract. This way we can recommend you for long-term work immediately when we receive notice of a contract that matches your qualifications and your needs. Please make sure we have your résumé on file and which contracts you would be interested in. For example, what specialties you would like to have a contracts and what shift. Currently, MSOC has opportunities for contracts in the South Suburbs, the North Suburbs and the city of Chicago.

If you’re interested in working a contract, please send us an e-mail at info@medstaffoncall.com and make sure we have a copy of your résumé on file.

Have You Considered 1099/Independent Contractor Status?

2009-03-17T13:47:00.000-05:00

MSOC would like to inform our nurses and CNAs about the benefits associated with working as an independent contractor (1099 filing status). The following sections describe what you need to be eligible to work as an independent contractor, the benefits in doing so, the difference between an independent contractor and a regular employee, and a brief testimonial from one of our nurses who is an independent contractor.

Criteria- There are three main criteria that need to be satisfied to be considered for 1099 status and work as an independent contractor:

Do we determine your schedule?
No. We give you options and you choose when and where you want to work.
Do you work for MSOC exclusively or for others as well?
Many of you also work for hospitals or other agencies. If so this criteria is met as well.
Are you incorporated?
In order to take advantage of the tax benefits you must be incorporated. Many RN's are not but could easily be if they knew how.

Benefits- If you spend money to run your business you can deduct it from your taxes. Here are some examples of things you can deduct as business expense:

Cell phone
Your home office if you use it as your primary office
Your car or car mileage
Your cost for meals and entertainment if your business was to meet clients at a restaurant and you discussed business
License or education requirements for your "business"
Laptop or computer equipments
Office supplies
Travel related to your business

Take this example: Say you travel 30 miles each way to a hospital and work 3 shifts per week and 48 weeks per year. Your tax deductions would add up to $5,054!

What's Different?

You must make quarterly tax payments based on the tax rates that apply to your income: http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm
In addition to your normal taxes you must pay self employment tax of 15.3%: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98846,00.html
You must register and incorporate your business. There are two options:

Doing Business As (DBA) - This is the cheapest way to get started. Fees are less than $100. http://mycorporation.intuit.com/business-formations/dba.jsp
Corporation (Inc, LLC) - This option removes the liability from you and places it on the corporation. Fees are approximately $350.

Testimonial

Lynn Mitchell is one of the nurses we work with that works as an independent contractor. Here is what Lynn has to say about working as a 1099:

"I've been incorporated for 6 years. Believe me, businesses get the tax breaks and many other benefits that individuals don't. I have many business credit accounts, lines of credit, special offers, etc. I even bought a new car in the business name. With all the deductions available my taxes have been oh so low it's wonderful. This is a win-win situation."

Editing your Specialties and Preferred Hospitals

2009-03-04T18:14:00.000-06:00

In this issue, we will discuss how to edit your preferences by logging onto MSOC’s website at www.medstaffoncall.com and the benefits in doing so.

As mentioned in the previous issue, keeping your calendar updated is extremely important and invaluable to you getting shifts. Of equal importance is ensuring that the specialties you would like to work in and the hospitals you would like to work at are designated as ‘preferred’ in your profile. The reason for this is that our technology not only looks at your calendar but also at your preferences before matching you for shifts. For instance, if you say that you can work all day on Fridays but don’t select any specialties or hospitals to be preferred, you won’t get auto-booked for shifts on Fridays. However, if you put that you prefer to work ER at Norwegian American and Advocate Trinity, you will get auto-booked for ER shifts on Fridays at either of these hospitals.

Now that you know the importance of editing your specialties and hospitals, we have created a video that walks you through this process in detail:

Keeping your Calendar Updated

2009-02-17T10:27:00.000-06:00

The importance of keeping your calendar updated on www.medstaffoncall.com cannot be overstated. As an MSOC nurse, you have the power to set and maintain your own schedule at any time. MSOC nurses take charge of their availability, posting preferred availability on their calendars and accepting shifts on their cell phones. This freedom to choose the hours you work and the hospitals you work at comes with responsibility. Since MSOC’s technology connects you directly to hospitals, it is crucial that your calendar is up-to-date because you will be booked by the hospitals you selected as your preferred hospitals in your preferred specialty. There are several advantages for you to post your preferred availability. Let’s compare a nurse who posts preferred availability (Nurse A) and one who would rather accept shifts on his/her cell phone (Nurse B):

Nurse A has an up-to-date calendar. Immediately after hospitals post their staffing needs, MSOC’s technology searches for nurses who have preferences that match with the shift’s date, time, specialty, and hospital. If Nurse A’s preferences match then Nurse A will be submitted for the shift. The whole process is complete in seconds. Nurse B waits to accept shifts via text message. The hospital posts a shift, and the nurse receives a text message. Nurse B then decides whether or not he/she can work this shift. Nurse B confirms by sending a text message.

As you can see, Nurse A gets preferred shifts immediately whereas Nurse B must go through a few steps in order to accept shifts. While Nurse B is deciding whether or not to work, the shift may have already been filled by another agency. Nurse A is first in line for his/her preferred shifts and doesn’t have to worry about losing out on shifts by not responding quickly enough.

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-06T09:50:00.000-06:00

MSOC would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Each passing year provides people with a chance to start fresh and make resolutions. In the healthcare industry, you are constantly working with people under stressful circumstances and it can be difficult to keep your cool. Nonetheless, it is important for healthcare professionals to maintain a good reputation so that they can be invited to return to the hospitals they would like to work. As a provider of nurses and CNAs to hospitals, MSOC realizes how important it is to have quality medical staff on our team. Sadly, in 2008, we had to let 4 MSOC nurses go because their actions didn’t fit with the MSOC Community’s commitment to quality. Late calls and no-shows to shifts are two things our community cannot tolerate. Hospitals also take a tough stance on no-shows and late calls – they automatically mark those nurses as DNR (Do Not Return) for their facility. In fact, after each shift you work, the hospital’s staffing personnel grades you based on the charge nurse’s feedback. Based on the scores you receive, you may become a preferred nurse for that hospital (with a high score) and be requested back time and time again. Your reputation is with you at all times and carries from hospital to hospital. Unfortunately, once your reputation is tarnished, it is difficult to get it back.

What are some good ways to improve your reputation? Be reliable- never be late for your shift. Be friendly and helpful- treat everyone around you equally and with respect. Be professional- dress for success-neat and clean. Following these tips and using common sense will earn you the highest rates in all of Chicago, exactly what the highest quality nurses in Chicago deserve.

Preferred Availability: It Really Pays!

2008-12-08T12:45:00.000-06:00

The reason for posting preferred availability isn’t obvious. To get straight to the point, when you post preferred availability, you greatly increase your chances of working. MSOC competes with several other agencies to get our quality nurses the shifts they want. MSOC’s technology allows us to auto-book you for the shifts you really want -- no other agency can compete with the efficiency of our technology and get you the shift faster.

However, in order for you to take advantage of MSOC’s technology, you must post preferred availability. Every second counts when a hospital posts a shift and dozens of agencies compete for the shift. Some hospitals post their needs early in the morning when most people are sleeping. Luckily, our technology never sleeps and, as the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm - in our case, the nurse who posts preferred availability gets the shift!

In fact, we’ve calculated that you’re 10 times more likely to get a shift when posting preferred availability than the nurse that waits to accept by text message when it is offered. This shouldn’t come as a big surprise because the nurses who post preferred availability get their shift milliseconds after hospitals post their needs. So make sure you’re the one who wins in the competition for the highest-paying shifts by posting your preferred availability with MSOC! For more information about auto booking call or email. We are always here to help.

Why are You Receiving Less Shifts?

2008-11-24T13:59:00.000-06:00

During this time of the year, hospitals require fewer agency nurses for a number of reasons. As the end of the year approaches, hospitals are exhausting their budgets, so they can’t afford to bring in as many agency nurses. Instead, they fill needs with their own staff. Also, many hospitals don’t allow their staff nurses to take vacation during the holiday season. Therefore they call upon agency nurses less and less.

Another reason why the demand for nurses isn’t as high in November and December is that doctors schedule less surgeries. Similarly, patients don’t wish to have surgery during the holiday season. Planned surgery is usually delayed until the New Year.

This trend of hospitals requiring fewer staff toward the end of every year has especially been felt this year because of the difficult economic times. Patient volume is lagging because pricey procedures, such as knee or hip replacements, are simply out of reach for patients in this economy.

What can MSOC nurses do to increase their chances of getting a shift? By posting preferred availability and being more flexible with shifts. The odds of a nurse who can work days, nights and weekends getting a shift are much higher than a nurse who can only work weekends. It’s important to be flexible, especially from now until the end of the year.

Maintaining Preferences

2008-11-09T20:23:00.000-06:00

The topic of the previous issue was the importance of maintaining your preferred availability, which would get you the shifts you want faster. In this issue, we discuss why you should also maintain your preferences for hospitals and specialties. Doing so can earn you our high-paying shifts even faster.

Now that MSOC has partnered with the Advocates, you have the opportunity to work at one of the 9 hospitals in a chain of respected health care providers. However, why would you drive all the way to Advocate Good Shepherd when you live closer to Advocate Christ? Or why would receive a text message for a shift at Advocate South Suburban when you live in the North side of Chicago? At MSOC, we like our nurses to be flexible but that doesn’t mean you have to work at all 15 of our hospitals. Instead, log onto MSOC‘s website and pick 3-5 hospitals where you would like to work. That way, we won’t bother you with dozens of text messages with shifts from hospitals where you have no intention working at.

The same thing goes for maintaining your preferences for specialties. We’re getting nearly 100 shifts a day from our hospitals but if you’re a Tele nurse, you should only be getting Tele shifts. Remember, to edit your preferences, after logging onto medstaffoncall.com, click on the tab furthest to the right titled ‘Edit Preferences’. If you need help with this, you can always reach Christine at 888-270-8374.

Preferred Availability- Why is it so important?

2008-10-25T16:17:00.000-05:00

When you first log onto MSOC’s website to post your availability, you will notice that, by default, you are always available. With default availability, you receive text messages when shifts that you qualify for become available. You may accept those shifts by text message or on the website. You also have the option to post preferred availability and unavailability. Unavailability blocks certain times of the day when you don’t wish to work (it appears red on your calendar). This way, MSOC won’t bother you with shifts during those hours. Preferred availability (green on your calendar) allows our nurses to choose the time they prefer to work so that they can be auto-booked for shifts that match their preference. But why is it so important for you to post your preferred availability into MSOC’s system?

The reason for posting preferred availability might not seem clear. Why not just leave your availability as open (the default option) and accept the shifts on your phone? In actuality, by posting preferred availability, you greatly increase your chances of working. MSOC competes with several other agencies to get our quality nurses shifts. MSOC’s technology allows us to auto-book you for the shifts you really want -- no other agency can compete with the efficiency of our technology and can get you the shift faster. However, in order for you to take advantage of MSOC’s technology, you should post preferred availability. With preferred availability, our nurses get the shifts they want faster than anyone else.

Preferred availability is one of the main reasons why MSOC is able to pay nurses such high rates. MSOC bridges the gap between hospitals and nurses, cutting out the middle man and improving the quality of staffing for everyone involved. In the end, our savings translate into higher earnings for YOU.

Hospital Update- November

2008-10-25T16:10:00.000-05:00

We are happy to announce MSOC is partnering with Advocate Health Care. Advocate has 9 locations in the Chicago area including:

Advocate Bethany Hospital, Chicago

Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge

Advocate South Suburban Hospital, Hazel Crest

Advocate Trinity Hospital, Chicago

Condell Medical Center, Libertyville

Advocate Health Care offers monthly orientations for you to work at any of their 9 hospitals.

St James Hospital Chicago Heights & Olympia Fields

Orientation November 3^rd & 4^th

Provena St. Joseph’s Hospital in Elgin, IL

Orientation Wednesday November 19^th

Provena Mercy Hospital in Aurora, IL

Orientation Monday Novmber 24^th

Call 888-270-8374 or Email info@medstaffoncall.com today to get registered to attend one of the upcoming hospital orientations.

Text Messaging Plans by Carrier

2008-10-10T12:10:00.000-05:00

T-Mobile (Customer Service: 1-877-453-1304 http://tmobile.com)

Unlimited text messages for $15 per month
1000 messages for $10 per month
400 messages for $5 per month
15¢ per message with no plan

U.S. Cellular (Customer Service: 1-800-819-8373 http://uscc.com/)

Unlimited text messages for $14.95 per month
750 messages for $9.95 per month
250 messages for $4.95 per month
25¢ per message with no plan
Unlimited incoming messages with any plan

Sprint (Customer Service: 1-888-211-4727 http://sprint.com )

Unlimited text messages for $20 per month
1000 messages for $10 per month
300 messages for $5 per month
20¢ per message with no plan

AT&T (Customer Service: 1-800-331-0500 http://att.com)

Unlimited text messages for $20 per month
1500 messages for $15 per month
200 messages for $5 per month
20¢ per message with no plan
Unlimited text messages for families for $30 per month

Verizon (Customer Service: 1-800-922-0204 http://verizon.com)

Unlimited text messages (text, picture and video) for $20 per month
500 messages (text, picture and video) for $10 per month
250 text messages for $5 per month
15¢ per message with no plan

MSOC Nurses Stand for Quality

2008-10-10T11:28:00.000-05:00

At MSOC, we understand the importance of quality patient care. That’s why we invite only the most qualified nurses to become a part of our community. Qualified nurses coming together can only mean great things for all of us such as more respect, better pay, and more control.

MSOC nurses know what quality patient care means to patients and their families. The attention to detail, the moments taken to teach and comfort, and friendly disposition towards patients makes all the difference. As a nurse, I created MSOC’s on boarding process to ensure that our commitment to quality patient care shines through each step of the way. Unlike other agencies, MSOC completes a thorough, third-party background check to verify the credentials of our nurses. Our quality nurses must also pass a general nursing exam and a specialty exam with a score of 80% or better. This gives us no doubt that our nurses are knowledgeable in their area of expertise.

We are not just nurses working at hospitals here at MSOC; we are building a community of nurses that can communicate with one another about shifts, hospitals and experiences. Our latest website will allow nurses to leave comments about their latest shift so that other nurses know what to expect. This way, MSOC nurses are prepared for what they might encounter.

At MSOC, we also believe that quality nurses should be compensated well for the quality care they provide for patients. MSOC guarantees the highest pay rates because quality nurses deserve BIG EARNINGS!!

Hospital Updates

2008-09-27T13:26:00.000-05:00

Hospital Contracts Available

Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, IL is offering two contracts:

Med-Surg RN -- Contract 7pm-7am (3-twelve hour shifts per week)

Labor and Delivery RN -- Contract 6am-6pm (3-twelve hour shifts per week)

This is a great opportunity to receive top pay with garunteed shifts. Call today 888-270-8374 or send an email to info@medstafoncall.com for more information.

Hospital Orientations

Most hopsitals require an oriention before you can work at thier facility. Orientations are offered monthly and fill up fast so if you are interested call us or send an email so we can register you.

St James Hopsital in Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields

Upcoming dates:

October 6th & 7th
November 3rd & 4th

ER RNs are only required to attend one day of orientation.
ICU, Tele, Med Surg RNs required to attend both days of orientation.

Provena St Joseph Hospital in Elgin

Wednesday, October 15th

Provena Mercy Medical Center in Aurora

Monday, October 27th

Highest Rates Guaranteed

2008-09-27T12:29:00.000-05:00

If you haven’t heard, MSOC has raised its rates radically!!! No competitor comes close to our rates, going as high as $56 for specialty and $50 for med surg. In addition, we guarantee the highest rates. So if you find another agency that pays a higher rate (for the same shift and at the same hospital) we won’t just match it, we will beat it by $1 and raise everyone else’s rates too!

We pay our nurses these incredibly high rates because we are more efficient. In exchange for these higher rates, we ask our nurses to do (a little) work. As a MSOC nurse, you post your availability on our website and receive text messages when shifts become available that you qualify for. You simply reply to the text to accept the shift. If not, just ignore it! This eliminates the pesty phone calls made by other agencies and gives you the highest rates (a win-win situation). Traditional agencies take a high margin (as high as 30%) because they have far too many employees, multiple regional offices and poor technology, all resulting in higher operational expenses. We pass all of our savings on to the end that really does the work: the MSOC members, meaning YOU.

We understand that you may need some guidance as you accept your first shifts the MSOC way. For this, we have a friendly support team and an 800 number to help you whenever you’re stuck. Make sure you check out Christine’s tech column every MSOConnect issue for tips on how to use our technology!