Managing Increases in Patient Volumes: Strategies for Stability and Quality Care

Healthcare facilities routinely face fluctuations in patient volumes. Some of these increases are predictable, such as seasonal increases in flu cases or scheduled procedural demand. Others emerge unexpectedly, like a sudden rise in surgical referrals or a local outbreak that drives more patients to seek care, which can catch clinical teams off guard.

Without adequate preparation, health systems can face increased hospital occupancy, emergency department overcrowding, longer wait times, and a higher risk of staff fatigue, burnout, and turnover. The broader impact may include reduced patient access and potential revenue loss.

Building Clinical Staffing Strategies that Protect Continuity of Care & Staff Well-Being

To navigate fluctuations in patient volumes effectively, health system leaders need adaptable workforce strategies that prioritize both continuity of care and staff well-being. To achieve this, a growing number of healthcare organizations are turning towards interim healthcare staffing as part of broader clinical workforce stabilization plans. One proven approach involves partnering with a trusted interim healthcare staffing partner that can respond quickly, efficiently, and with clinical alignment.

Managing Increases in Patient Volumes with the Medicus Transition Program

To help healthcare organizations respond to increases in patient volumes and broader workforce instability, Medicus created a project-based interim healthcare staffing solution known as the Medicus Transition Program. Designed to address multiple FTE gaps in coverage, the Medicus Transition Program helps stabilize health systems during periods of clinical staffing disruption by delivering consistent, high-quality clinical coverage when and where it is needed most.

Here’s how the Medicus Transition Program ensured access to care for a healthcare organization facing an increase in patient volumes:

Reducing a 40,000-Case Backlog to Restore Radiology Access

Amid a statewide radiologist shortage and rising patient volumes, one of Michigan's largest non-profit health systems faced a growing backlog of more than 40,000 cases. Dependent on a third-party group for all reads, the health system experienced prolonged turnaround times, with patient wait times exceeding 45 days in some locations. Seeking to restore stability and prevent further disruption to diagnostic services, leadership engaged the Medicus Transition Program to supplement their outsourced group.

Within days, Medicus implemented a strategic response, providing a dedicated team of interim radiologists to augment the existing group. Medicus collaborated closely with hospital leadership to streamline onboarding, enhance system access, and equip each interim radiologist to operate efficiently without delay. As a result, the Medicus Transition Program helped the health system stabilize coverage, improve turnaround times, and rebuild community trust.

Key Results:

• High-Quality Providers & Streamlined Credentialing: Medicus credentialed 41 radiologists in as little as one week to support immediate needs.
• Equipment & IT Coordination: Medicus helped facilitate equipment purchases and coordinated IT system access to ensure provider efficiency.
• Significant Backlog Reduction: The Medicus locum tenens radiologists helped reduce the backlog to 3,500 within 5 weeks, significantly improving patient access.

"The Medicus Transition Program was more efficient and effective than utilizing multiple locum agencies due to their expertise and resources. Medicus enabled us to have fewer meetings and expend fewer resources navigating this complex work. I highly recommend Medicus to other healthcare organizations because they were extremely accountable, instilled confidence in us, and became an extension of our team. As a result, Medicus created an easy and comfortable process in the face of a complex and anxiety-inducing staffing situation." – Health System Leadership

Preparing for Future Demand by Establishing Proactive Staffing Plans

Even when staffing appears stable, having a contingency plan in place helps preserve care continuity, support staff well-being, and improve an organization's ability to respond to increases in patient volumes without compromising operations. Predictable surges, such as flu season, provide a clear example of why proactive planning matters. Seasonal surges, such as flu season, illustrate why proactive workforce planning is essential.

Planning for Flu Season: Why Seasonal Readiness Matters

Flu season consistently brings sharp increases in patient volumes, with activity peaking between December and February. Last year's season highlighted the scope of this impact across hospitals and health systems.

These increases extended beyond clinical strain, driving higher occupancy across emergency departments, hospital medicine, and intensive care units. Hospitalizations during the 2024–2025 flu season were the highest recorded since the 2016–2017 flu season, reinforcing the importance of aligning workforce planning with predictable seasonal surges.

Healthcare leaders who prepare in advance are better positioned to manage seasonal increases in patient volumes while keeping care consistent and teams supported. With the Medicus Transition Program, staffing can be aligned to meet anticipated peaks and expanded with experienced providers when demand rises. This kind of preparation ensures stability during flu season and strengthens a health system's ability to respond to other shifts in patient volumes throughout the year.

Medicus has a pipeline of dedicated project teams ready to support health systems through seasonal and unexpected increases in patient volumes. To learn how Medicus can support your healthcare system this season, complete the short form below.