Healthcare Traveler - November 2008 - (Page 26)

Perks & preferences who must pay for all of their utilities while on assignment rose a bit, from 18% in 2006 to 20% this year. A variety of benefits can enhance travelers’ experiences, but the key is to be well informed. Services such as cable, Internet, and phone were not specifically called out in the survey. Still, some respondents stated that these costs are sometimes covered by their agencies, either in full—as with many extended stay hotels—or in part, including basic cable and local calls. Rewards Who doesn’t like a little recognition for a job well done? Travelers certainly do. Staffing companies offer a variety of benefits as a show of appreciation to mobile nurses, therapists, and technologists. Perhaps the most traditional pats on the back have been monetary bonuses, such as sign-on, completion, or loyalty rewards—the top three bonuses noted 2 years ago by current and previous travelers. This time around, this group ranked the most preferred bonus programs, on average, as completion, sign-on, extension, and renewal bonuses, with rewards for loyalty dropping to fifth. When asked about favored awards programs, however, seven out of 10 of these participants stated they most preferred cash, which is a small increase over the twothirds figure in 2006. In today’s economic climate, it is likely that more people will favor bonuses and cash as a means to further supplement their earnings. Still, financial rewards are not the only form of recognition. Approximately two-fifths of current and previous travelers said they most preferred to receive vacations, another 19% reported weekend getaways, and a handful stated free merchandise. Contest prizes were the least desired. In particular, three-fifths of current travelers over 60 most preferred vacations and were more likely to appreciate weekend getaways (26%) and free merchandise (10%). Those under 35 showed the most interest in contest prizes (6%) of all those currently on the road. Insurance Traveling clinicians, therapists, and technologists have the opportunity to witness firsthand how the growing numbers of uninsured and underinsured people affect the healthcare industry as a whole. With that in mind, it should be no surprise that they viewed health coverage as the most preferred company-provided medical insurance. In fact, over four-fifths of current and previous travelers rated it Number One. In contrast, roughly one-third of these respondents selected either dental or prescription cards as their top pick. Vision insurance was most preferred by a quarter of the group, and only 5% ranked maternity or contraceptive coverage first. » Circle Career Card No. 605 26 Healthcare Traveler November 2008 http://www.bannerhealth.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Traveler - November 2008

Healthcare Traveler - November 2008 Editor’s Desk Contents In a Flash Paws for Thought Field Notes You Said It Perks and Preferences A Latitude Adjustment Drug Update Clinical Tips Advice of Counsel Cityscape Advertiser’s Index Name It When In. . . It’s in the Bag Contest Rules Big Deals Tax Facts Going the Distance Allied Corner Classifieds Tales from the Road

Healthcare Traveler - November 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.