Recruiters and staffing agency professionals face a constant challenge: filling healthcare roles quickly without overspending. Understanding the cost dynamics between traditional staffing agencies and DirectShifts’ hybrid model — job board + staffing services — is critical to building an efficient hiring strategy.

When you’re trying to fill a critical healthcare role, deciding where to post your job is as important as writing the posting itself. Should you choose a job board (like DirectShifts) or a job aggregator (like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, or SimplyHired)?

Healthcare is already the fastest-growing job sector in the U.S., projected to add 2.3 million jobs by 2032 (BLS). But supply isn’t keeping up — especially in specialties like psychiatry, nursing, and advanced practice.

New York is one of the most competitive healthcare markets in the U.S. With over 600 hospitals and health systems across the state and a clinician shortage expected to worsen over the next decade, recruiters and staffing agencies are under immense pressure to fill roles quickly and cost-effectively.

The healthcare hiring landscape is tougher than ever. The U.S. is projected to face a shortage of over 124,000 physicians by 2034 (AAMC), while nurse turnover hovers around 20–25% annually (NSI Nursing Solutions).

The reality is, job boards and staffing agencies each serve a purpose. The best recruiters know how to leverage both strategically.