Anyone Heard of Medefis?

Specialties Travel

Published

  1. Do you know if your company uses Medefis?

    • 9
      yes
    • 1
      no
    • 0
      I don't care
    • 0
      I need more info
    • 0
      I will ask

10 members have participated

Specializes in Paramedic,ER, House Supervisor, OR, CVOR.

I took a job last summer and they asked me to return this spring. The company I was placed with last year was new to me and really didn't have anything to keep me with them. Besides I have been to the same winter place four out of the last 5 years and will probably continue for a couple more years with another company. Anyway, when I was thinking of returning to the hospital I called the manager and asked what companies they used and was considering changing or (trying to get my current company) in. Manager reported HR person said they had 600 to 800 agencies with Medefis. I Google searched and found that Medefis is a "Vendor Management" company. For some reason they have put yet another person between the payor (hospital) and Payee (Nurse). It seems that the only person suffering is the Nurse with someone else in their pocket taking money. I'm tempted to turn down the job because of that, but I really want to return. May have to look into independent contracting.

Rod

0 Votes

Medefis is not really a true vendor management company, they are a venue for hospitals to post needs and agencies to bid on the assignments. They do extract a fee of about 3%, but agencies are free to bid whatever they want to compensate. Most agencies will have the ability to place travelers at Medefis contracted hospitals but few travelers even know about Medefis so your poll won't provide useful information. Even large agencies like American Mobile and Cross Country now use Medefis.

IC is a good way to go if you have the aptitude for it. I've been doing it since 2004 and it has been good for me. If you are going to do direct contracts with hospitals, you do have to set up your own agency. I have a Medefis contract as well to use their venue, however once your bid (which includes a specific traveler profile) is accepted, the contract is directly between you (your agency) and the hospital.

0 Votes

Medefis is basically an online auction for hospitals to get the most competitive rate for there travelers. The site has a ranking system based off the cheapest bidder but also taking into consideration things like, "has the person worked for you before & how many travel assignments completed?" Just about any company can load profiles and it seems like a contractor (medefis) to sub-contractor (caca staffing) to sub/sub-contractor (traveler).

0 Votes

You are right, it is an online auction. However there is no ranking system. Profiles are uploaded and the hospital picks who they want. In the last couple of years, most agencies are only bidding the hospital suggested maximum, but prior to the downturn, bids were all over the place. Most contracts I got via Medefis, I was the highest bidder by a good bit. Profiles really matter, and if you think about it from a manager's standpoint, saving a couple bucks an hour is not their priority at all. Supply and demand, and quality of the product.

The auction system is great for hospitals though. Small hospitals with low needs and few agency relationships get screwed over quite a bit when they need a traveler. Medefis ensures a fair market.

0 Votes
Specializes in Paramedic,ER, House Supervisor, OR, CVOR.

Forgot about this post not sure if I even read the responses. My apologies. Thank you to Tango and NedRN for their explanations. At times I think about the Independent contractor but keep going back to the same hospitals and can't afford to buy my contract or spend a year away.

Rod

0 Votes

Medefis is like ebay. Hospitals post orders through them and the agencies bid on the order with a specified bill rate. Generally speaking, it helps drive down the cost per traveler for the hospital - not in all cases - but in many. A traditional VM posts orders at a universal bill rate - that's why Medefis bid system is unique.

0 Votes

Would like to hear an update on OP's situation here. I, for one, have been an IC for 12 years and land most of my gigs by return calls now. However, I made my start on Medefis! If you have the propensity and drive to figure things out on your own and enjoy the kind of adventure that put all the details in your hands when traveling for work then I certainly encourage it. I wish I kept up with my membership there. It is quite useful to an IC but you must create a staffing company. Which is not all that difficult to do. Although Medefis' criteria for new membership has changed making it a bit harder for us smaller company-minded folk to sign up and bid on gigs. If you give this route a go, get friendly with the accounts supervisor, Eric...he can make or break a membership. Good luck!

0 Votes
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