Managing staffing in a hospital is no easy task, especially when you’re trying to find the right balance of full-time nurses to ensure high-quality care. But when Duke University Hospital faced this challenge, they didn’t just look for a quick fix – they partnered with Smashing Boxes to help turn their vision into a reality. This partnership led to the creation of HealthForceRx, a groundbreaking tool that has redefined how hospitals manage their nursing workforce.

The Challenge: Solving a Complex Problem

Duke University Hospital, like many large healthcare systems, was grappling with staffing gaps, high turnover, and the rising costs of temporary travel nurses. They knew they needed a better way to plan, hire, and maintain a stable workforce but lacked the tools to do it effectively. This is where Smashing Boxes stepped in. While Duke’s nursing leadership could envision a more efficient way to manage staffing, they needed more than a software agency to build the product. They needed a true partner to transform their ideas into a usable, impactful tool. Smashing Boxes didn’t only build software. They became integral collaborators at every stage of the journey, from laying the groundwork to implementing the tool in the hospital system.

 1. Strategic Planning – Laying the Groundwork Together

The first step in coming together to build a solution was gaining a better understanding of the unique challenges Duke’s nursing leadership was experiencing. This wasn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for any type of hospital staffing needs. Smashing Boxes took the time to:

• Map out the entire staffing process: They examined how hiring decisions were made, what data was used, and where the pain points were.
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• Collaborating on key features: Duke’s nursing team had brilliant ideas about what they needed, but had no software background to know what was important. Smashing Boxes used its knowledge of software and what it learned from Duke to translate those ideas into actionable software features

By listening to Duke’s needs, Smashing Boxes helped shape a product that was tailor-made for solving real-world problems that its nurse leadership faces on a daily basis. Once the product vision and designs were finished, Smashing Boxes could move onto development.

 2. Development – Building a Tool That Works

Developing healthcare software is complex and requires compliance with regulations like HIPAA, robust data security, and seamless interoperability with systems like EHRs. Additionally, it must scale to handle large data volumes, offer intuitive UX for diverse users, and integrate data from multiple sources. Continuous updates are essential to address security vulnerabilities and evolving regulations. Smashing Boxes' healthcare background provided them with a unique perspective on the regulatory and technical hurdles involved in developing this software. This unique perspective enabled them to create innovative solutions that overcame these challenges.

Smashing Boxes’ team worked with Duke’s nurse leadership to turn their vision into reality with:

• Custom-built algorithms that accurately predict staffing needs based on real-time data, historical hiring trends, and anticipated changes.
  
  
• A user-friendly interface that made it easy for nurse managers to adopt the system, ensuring that the tool would be used after implementation.
  
  
• Secure and scalable architecture to ensure that HealthForceRx could handle the complexities of a large hospital system.

Building HeathForceRx wasn’t just another software rollout – it was a fully customized solution designed with Duke’s input every step of the way. After the software was developed and tested it was time to implement it within the Duke Hospital System.

 3. Implementation – Making It Happen on the Ground

There’s no point in creating software if people can’t use it. Smashing Boxes didn’t stop work when the software development process was over, the team was hands-on during the implementation process. In order to make sure the software was successful in the hospital system, they did the following:

• Trained nurse managers: Smashing Boxes delivered detailed training to make sure that every user felt confident using HealthForceRx. We even ran one-on-one sessions to address specific needs and concerns.
  
  
• Provided ongoing support and adjustments: Smashing Boxes stayed involved with the project as the tool was rolled out to Duke Hospital Staff. This step made sure that HealthForceRx was functional and effective.

Smashing Boxes’ involvement with the software rollout made sure that the software would be successful at the Duke University Hospital. The results after 6 months underscore the strength and necessity of the partnership between Smashing Boxes and Duke University Hospital.

 The Results: A Partnership That Delivered Real Impact

Six months after implementation demonstrated the impact of the partnership between HealthForceRx, Smashing Boxes, and Duke University Hospital. After 6 months we were able to achieve the following:

• Significantly reduce the gap between the number of nurses needed and those available.
  
  
• Lower the reliance on costly temporary nurses by 90%, saving the hospital time, money, and stress.
  
  
• Increase nurse manager satisfaction by providing a tool that makes their jobs easier.

These results didn’t happen by chance. They were the direct outcome of a collaborative, innovative partnership where the agency played an integral role in transforming an idea into a reality.

Why This Matters for Healthcare Systems Everywhere

Many healthcare systems face similar staffing challenges but not all of them have an expert partner to guide them in creating a solution. Smashing Boxes was able to understand complex and translate them into actionable solutions. We also built custom software that fit into already existing workflows. Lastly, the Smashing Boxes team was able to stay involved during implementation and support HealthForceRx and Duke University Hospital from start to finish, which ensured success at every phase.

‍ Looking for a Partner to Help You Innovate?

The success of HealthForceRx at Duke University Hospital shows what’s possible when healthcare expertise meets innovative technology. If your organization is ready to tackle complex challenges with custom solutions that truly make a difference, Smashing Boxes has the skills, experience, and dedication to get you there. It’s not just about building software – it’s about building solutions that work.