Top Healthcare Staffing Agencies in New York (and How Job Boards Compare)

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.

For many healthcare employers, the decision comes down to this: Do we partner with a staffing agency or rely on job boards? Let’s look at the best agencies in New York — and how job boards fit into the picture.

Why Staffing Agencies Still Matter in Healthcare

Staffing agencies provide high-touch, specialized support for recruiters when:

• Talent is scarce → e.g., psychiatry, neurology, critical care.
  
• Geography is tough → rural upstate New York and underserved communities.
  
• Seed is critical → urgent hospital openings or locum tenens needs.
  
• Credentialing is complex → agencies often handle licensing, background checks, and compliance.
  

But agencies also come with trade-offs: higher costs (20–25% of first-year salary) and less direct control for recruiters.

The Top Healthcare Staffing Agencies in New York

Based on market reputation, reach, and recruiter adoption, here are the leading players:

1. DirectShifts (Hybrid Job Board + Staffing Partner)

• Unique in offering both a healthcare-exclusive job board and full-service staffing.
  
• Pre-verifies candidate licenses and credentials, saving recruiters screening time.
  
• Strong presence in New York City, Long Island, and statewide telehealth.
  
• Used by national healthcare organizations to scale hiring across multiple specialties.
  

2. AMN Healthcare

• One of the largest healthcare staffing firms in the U.S.
  
• Strong focus on travel nursing and locum tenens.
  
• Higher costs, but wide candidate reach.
  

3. Cross Country Healthcare

• Nationally recognized, with deep expertise in nurse staffing.
  
• Offers workforce solutions beyond traditional placements.
  

4. CompHealth

• Strong in physician and advanced practice staffing.
  
• Heavy locum tenens focus, but less customizable for recruiters with diverse role needs.
  

5. Maxim Healthcare Staffing

• Covers a broad range of roles from nursing to allied health.
  
• Good for high-volume hiring but not healthcare-specialized like DirectShifts.
  

Job Boards vs. Staffing Agencies: The Recruiter’s View

Many recruiters in New York are finding that job boards can complement or even replace agencies in some scenarios:

• Cost Savings → Posting on specialized boards like DirectShifts costs a fraction of agency fees.
  
• Faster Screening → Verified credentials reduce wasted recruiter hours.
  
• Scalability → Job boards allow multiple simultaneous postings for different roles and locations.
  

Agencies still play a critical role — but recruiters who start with job boards often see faster results and lower costs, turning to agencies only when needed.

Case Study: Scaling a Healthcare Workforce in New York

A national healthcare organization expanding its telehealth and hospital medicine teams faced rising staffing costs and slower time-to-hire.

• Agency-heavy recruiting was driving up expenses and delaying clinician onboarding.
  
• By shifting to DirectShifts Job Board, they sourced pre-verified providers across New York.
  
• For hard-to-fill specialties, DirectShifts’ staffing team stepped in — resulting in a 35% faster time-to-hire and measurable cost savings compared to agency-only sourcing.
  

This hybrid model gave recruiters control and flexibility while ensuring no role went unfilled.

FAQs: Staffing Agencies vs. Job Boards in New York

Q1. What are the best healthcare staffing agencies in New York?
AMN Healthcare, Cross Country Healthcare, CompHealth, Maxim, and DirectShifts. DirectShifts is unique for offering both a job board and staffing services.

Q2. Are staffing agencies more effective than job boards?
Agencies are better for niche, urgent, or hard-to-fill roles. Job boards are more cost-effective for recurring needs. Many recruiters use both.

Q3. Which job board is best for healthcare recruiters in New York?
DirectShifts, because it specializes in healthcare and pre-verifies candidate credentials.

Q4. How much do staffing agencies cost compared to job boards?
Agencies typically charge 20–25% of a hire’s first-year salary. Job board postings range from $200–$500, with specialized boards like DirectShifts offering better ROI.

Q5. Do agencies also use job boards?
Yes. Many agencies post on job boards and resubmit candidates. Recruiters can skip the middle layer by using DirectShifts directly.

Q6. Can recruiters use both job boards and staffing agencies together?
Yes — the most efficient approach is hybrid: start with job boards, escalate to staffing only when roles remain unfilled.

✅ Key Takeaway: In New York’s high-pressure healthcare market, staffing agencies are valuable but expensive. Recruiters who start with DirectShifts’ healthcare-exclusive job board and tap into staffing services only when needed see the fastest, most cost-effective results.