January 28, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the public relations field, and that’s particularly true for Aria as a healthcare PR agency. The news cycle is moving at an extraordinary pace, lending us even more opportunities to connect our clients’ services, solutions, and expertise to current events. Our client IntelyCare is just one example of a company proving vital to the complex pandemic response efforts.
IntelyCare offers a nurse workforce management solution for post-acute and long-term facilities like nursing homes, which are among the care organizations hardest hit by coronavirus. The company leverages gig model staffing, enabling facilities to find qualified, per diem and part-time nurses, while nursing professionals can view and fill open shifts within the platform.
Even prior to COVID, IntelyCare was growing at an exponential pace. As a result of its three-year growth of 7,047%, the company was named No. 1 on the Boston Business Journal’s Fast 50 list, No. 33 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, and No. 41 on the Inc. 5000 in 2020. A convergence of factors have propelled IntelyCare to become one of healthcare’s fastest growing companies.
For years, industry experts have sounded the alarm on the growing nurse shortage. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 20% of Americans will be 65 or older by 2030, which means we’ll need a larger supply of workers to care for high-need individuals. At the same time, nurses who are members of the sizable baby boomer generation are continuing to retire, siphoning off the available workforce. IntelyCare is providing facilities with a lifeline so they can focus on administering care instead of struggling to maintain safe, compliant levels of staffing.
Additionally, American workers have long been facing a burnout crisis, and this is especially true in healthcare. Studies show that 35% to 54% of nurses in the US report burnout symptoms, and this is only compounded by the growing shortage of their peers. Some of the top contributors to nurse burnout include long hours, forced overtime, and a lack of control over their shifts. IntelyCare is remedying these underlying factors by empowering nurses to create their own flexible schedules.
COVID-19 has only intensified these longstanding issues, while health risks, insufficient hazard pay, family obligations, and other concerns have driven many nurses to leave their full-time positions. As a result, the demand for temporary nurses has surged. In fact, facility demand for staffing increased by 106% from 2019 to 2020, and IntelyCare nurses completed more than 2 million shift hours last year alone.
NPR’s Yuki Noguchi recently spoke with IntelyCare CEO David Coppins about the boom in gig economy nursing, which you can listen to here. (The story was syndicated across 64 NPR affiliate stations, so you might’ve already heard it while working from home or on your commute to and from the grocery store.)
Are you interested in public relations and looking to work with innovative technology companies reshaping the healthcare industry? Aria is currently seeking an account coordinator and account executive to join our fast-paced, creative team. To apply, email a resume and cover letter to Danielle Johns at djohns@ariamarketing.com.
