When Allan Calonge became chief people officer, core operations, at Bon Secours Mercy Health during the middle of a global pandemic, he immediately faced a unique set of challenges. Yet because of Calonge’s ground-breaking, creative approach to talent acquisition and management, the hospital system, which spans several markets in seven states, has emerged stronger and well positioned for the future.

Calonge first sought to bring efficiencies and cost savings to the contingent workforce program by consolidating it onto a single VMS platform and customizing it for the needs of the entire hospital system. This platform is now fully integrated into the company’s workforce management systems and includes a streamlined workflow from requisition to billing. Expenses have decreased dramatically, and more effective reporting now gives the company better predictive capabilities.

As the pandemic stretched on, Calonge also needed to quickly address staff retention, so he partnered with nursing leadership on the development of an internal travel nurse program. Nurses can work in different units at the same hospital or travel to different hospitals within the system while staying connected to a mission-driven organization and maintaining their length of service and associated benefits. The internal traveling nurse program has elevated pay and a housing stipend, similar to what nurses working through externally sourced programs would earn, while the organization saves on the markup.

Within a year of the program’s implementation, the hospital is seeing pre-pandemic retention rates and a more engaged staff. Calonge credits the success of this internal travelers’ program to the top-notch staff surrounding him, from leadership to the frontline worker. “Our nursing team is a godsend for our ministry,” he says.