Time-to-Sign Used to Be a Bottleneck. It Is Not Anymore.
In healthcare staffing, the gap between "candidate accepted" and "candidate starts" is often lost in contract administration. You send a contract. The clinician reviews it slowly. You follow up. You wait. You lose the candidate to a faster employer.
DirectShifts solved a material part of this problem in 2025.
Clinicians who signed contracts through the platform's e-signature system averaged 4.0 days to sign in 2025, down from 12.9 days in 2024. That is a 69% reduction in signing time in a single year.
E-Signature Performance: 2024 vs. 2025
Both sides of the contracting process got faster. Clinicians improved more dramatically, but the internal review and counter-sign process also accelerated. The result is an end-to-end contract cycle that is significantly tighter than the industry standard.
Volume: E-Signatures Grew 79%
It was not just speed that improved. Volume grew sharply too. Clinician-side e-signatures went from 1,716 in 2024 to 3,076 in 2025, an increase of 79%. On the DS side, signatures grew from 642 to 1,648, up 157%.
More contracts are being executed faster. Both numbers moving in the same direction confirms this is a platform-wide improvement, not an artifact of one large account.
What Faster Contracting Means for Employers
Every day between offer acceptance and contract execution is a day the clinician can accept a different offer. In a competitive market for locum and per diem talent, the employer who gets a signed contract in four days wins over the employer whose process takes two weeks.
DirectShifts has built the contracting workflow directly into the platform. There is no separate DocuSign account to manage, no emailing PDFs back and forth, no manual chase. The clinician receives a contract through the system, reviews it, and signs. You see it in real time.
The Compound Effect on Time-to-Fill
When you combine faster e-signature turnaround with the platform's credentialing workflow, you get a material reduction in total time-to-fill. A clinician who applies, credentials, receives a contract, and signs within a compressed timeline can be starting shifts weeks ahead of an equivalent hire through a traditional agency process.
For urgent coverage needs, this is not a nice-to-have. It is the difference between a covered shift and an uncovered one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take a clinician to sign a contract through DirectShifts?
In 2025, the average time for a clinician to sign was 4.0 days, down from 12.9 days in 2024.
Does DirectShifts have a built-in e-signature system?
Yes. Contract generation, delivery, and e-signature are part of the DirectShifts platform. Employers and clinicians manage contracts within the same system used for job posting, applications, and credentialing.
Can I customize contracts on DirectShifts for different role types?
Contact DirectShifts directly for specifics on contract template customization. The platform supports different engagement types (locum, per diem, permanent) which typically require different contract structures.
How many contracts were signed through DirectShifts in 2025?
Clinicians executed 3,076 e-signatures in 2025, up from 1,716 in 2024. This represents a 79% year-over-year increase in contract volume.
Is the DirectShifts e-signature system legally binding?
E-signatures executed through recognized platforms carry legal weight under the ESIGN Act and UETA in the US. Verify the specific legal framework with DirectShifts and your legal counsel for your jurisdiction and contract type.
What happens if a clinician does not sign within the expected timeframe?
The platform allows employers to monitor contract status and follow up within the system. Specific escalation workflows depend on your account configuration.
How does faster contracting affect my cost-per-hire?
Shorter contracting cycles reduce the risk of candidate dropout between offer and start. They also reduce administrative hours spent chasing signatures. Both effects lower the effective cost of each completed hire.
Does DirectShifts handle contract renewals for ongoing locum engagements?
Contact DirectShifts for details on renewal workflows. For ongoing per diem or locum engagements, contract management within the platform is part of the broader scheduling and workforce management capability.
Source: DirectShifts 2025 Year in Review. E-signature data reflects platform records for 2024 and 2025.
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