Customers and a nurse at Kivelä Health Centre in Helsinki. LEHTIKUVA
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HUS has successfully cut its spending on temporary staff by €7.2 million in 2024, far exceeding its initial savings target of €1 million. The reduction was achieved through improved cost monitoring and the wider implementation of best practices across the organisation.
A hospital-wide productivity project was launched to examine the use and costs of temporary staff, with the goal of reducing expenses without compromising the quality of care.
The initiative focused on providing managers with better financial data to support workforce decisions. New financial tools were introduced, allowing supervisors to compare the costs of different staffing options, such as permanent employees, internal substitutes, retired professionals, and external agency workers. A new reporting system for personnel costs was also implemented.
Melisa Haahtinen, HUS director of development, said that analysing expenses across all professional groups helped identify cost-effective staffing solutions. She highlighted that financial transparency allowed managers to make informed decisions about reducing costly agency hires.
The most significant savings came from reducing the use of temporary nursing staff. Monthly meetings with senior nursing officers were held to discuss the underlying reasons for agency work and to share cost-saving strategies. The organisation closely tracked spending and adjusted practices accordingly.
Marja Renholm, HUS chief administrative nursing officer, said that centralised recruitment and improved internal staffing pools were among the most effective measures. She noted that financial tools played a key role in monitoring costs and ensuring savings were sustained.
While nursing staff reductions yielded immediate results, savings from reducing agency doctors are expected later. Competitive bidding for contracts will be centralised to lower the average cost of out
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
