StarMed & Nursefinders closing several offices

Specialties Agency

Published

Hello everyone -

StarMed and Nursefinders are planning to close several of their offices during this first quarter of the new year. I received a letter already from StarMed stating that they are consolidating to save money and to "deliver better service". Nursefinders also released a memo to the same effect. In my neck of the woods, both the Nursefinders and the StarMed offices in Topeka, KS are closing at the end of this month, leaving only a few other agencies left in the area. What this means to me is that I would have to deal with the Kansas City offices, and travel all the way to KC (an hour and a half) to pick up my check or wait a full week for it to arrive in the mail (no daily/quick pay for mailed checks so it must go on weekly type payroll). I haven't picked up too many shifts with either of them lately though as it is obvious they have lost a lot of facilities recently. I honestly think this area is getting close to being agency free which is a major concern to me. While neither of these agencies were my primary I can't help but worry. My primary agency, Alacrity, hasn't seemed to slow down yet, but I still have to wonder. I talked to StarMed about this, and the lady said and I quote "There are a lot more closing. This company isn't what it used to be." She continued to tell me that they are involved in a lot of law suits regarding insider trading and unpaid overtime/underpaid hours and that she doesn't see the company being around a year from now. No way! That's a hard pill to swallow. Isn't StarMed one of the largest and financially sound agencies in the nation? This woman really dropped a bomb on me! What do you guys and gals think about all of this stuff?

-eddy

BadBird, BSN, RN

1,126 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care.

As the old saying goes, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall" I wouldn't worry too much, it those agencies fold others will open.

Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

Well this could explain a few things to me

I travel with this company and Im truly not satisfied with whats been going on but no one has had an explaination. I will definately ask my recruiter what is going on and why I wasnt informed of the pending status. Thanks for the heads up, good thing I keep atleast 2 companys in the background to fall upon.

Zoe

renerian, BSN, RN

5,693 Posts

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I used to work for First American Home Care during the scandal with Medicare over and missbilling. Was horrible. They fell hard. Others did come. Can you have the agency far away do direct deposit or mail your check? I work for a company in Minnesota, I live in Ohio, and they dd my check.

renerian

eddy

263 Posts

Just found out that it's a total of 27 StarMed branches closing.

eddy

263 Posts

renerian,

If I wanted to I'm sure I could probably figure out a way to make it work, but they will lose all their facilities (the few they have left) when the facilities find out they no longer have a local office. By removing the local office they substantially impact their ability to recruit. Plus, the offices in Kansas City have bigger fish to fry than the stuff going on in Topeka.

BadBird,

I don't see any new agencies coming into Topeka. The agency needs can't support the ones her already it seems to me. Another company opening in Topeka would be complete suicide I think.

burntnurse

10 Posts

hi eddy

interesting that Nursefinders is closing offices in your neck of the woods. i'm on the east coast and had a problem in december before christmas. the work dried up for about 2 weeks. i only work for NF and i love my office manager but the lull really hurt. that's why i'm looking into becoming an independent (also for tax reasons) or maybe opening my own agency with my son-in-law.

i wouldn't worry about an agency free world. we'll always have a place especially the experienced of us.

BadBird, BSN, RN

1,126 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care.

I wonder if they are just closing in your area, I have a interview on monday with Starmed and I will ask them about this. Does anyone have any comments about Starmed? The ad I called on is offering a $2,500. bonus for a 13 week assignment with no cancellations, 3-12hr shifts. I don't know what the hourly pay is yet I will find out in the interview.

eddy

263 Posts

Badbird,

Since they are closing 27 branches nationwide, I don't think that they are just in my neck of the woods (midwest, specifically Kansas). I keep hearing more and more about financial problems within the StarMed division (StarMed is a division of RehabCare Group). They have aparently been surrounded by a ton of controversy on the executive level. Upon further research (the Internet is a beautifullllll thing), they are being sued by their own stockholders for insider trading, sued by employees for unpaid overtime and wage issues and a ton of other things. I don't think their future looks too solid.

I will say this. StarMed has always been a pretty solid agency for me, and I have worked out of several of their offices as well as their travel division. However, they have completely fallen apart in Topeka, and the things I have heard from office staff indicate that they are in a ton of trouble as a corporation. Of course this could due to a bit of spite on the office staff member's part because she's losing her job, but there is some truth to what she is saying in terms of the lawsuits and such.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

Wow! I thought from the beginning that this BB was certainly worth the time I've spent on it. I was going to apply to the local StarMed. Will rethink that one. They have occasionally run ads. Nursefinders is always running impressive ads. One of my friends got their first job with Nursefinders without one day of experience. Will rethink going there also. Gossip (what little I encounter) states that many agencies haven't made it here (the Bay area in Cali). Right now, one of my agencies has closed 3 or 4 offices that I have heard of. So job insecurity is everywhere, just in different forms. Good luck. Hope you don't have to relocate.

burntnurse

10 Posts

i've worked for nursefinders for 5 years and in this area they are the best to be had as far as i'm concerned, but of it all depends on the attitude of the people in any given office. my office managers are both terrific (i work out of two offices one in mass and their new on in RI). i know the're one of the oldest agencies around and it shows. very professional. i think it is worth your while to try them.

susan

eddy

263 Posts

Maybe this will shed some light on the NF problems. Not sure though. I guess there was a mandatory rate increase required by corporate. In other words while pay did not go up hourly bill rates for clients did. I believe it has something to do with an increase in work comp insurance. Anyway, many facilities evidently told them to go fly a kite with their rate increases, and a lot of offices lost a ton of facilities. Can anyone verify/confirm this? It would certainly make sense where I live because they suddenly had no facilities almost overnight.

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