Physician workforce management has become increasingly complex as health systems balance cost pressures, coverage demands, and clinician expectations in a fragmented staffing landscape.
For David Durbin, President of Trio Workforce Solutions, that complexity illustrates the need for a more intentional, vendor-neutral approach.
Trio Workforce Solutions recently unified its workforce management and vendor management offerings under a single brand. The move was designed to reduce confusion in the marketplace and clearly position Trio as a platform partner rather than a staffing agency.
“We oftentimes get lumped in with agencies,” Durbin says. “We’re not an agency. We are 100 percent vendor neutral on the physician or locum side.”
A Platform Designed for All Three Constituents
Durbin describes Trio’s role as supporting what he calls the “three-legged stool” of healthcare staffing: health systems, staffing agencies, and clinicians. According to Durbin, Trio’s responsibility is to enable better outcomes across all three groups by removing friction and increasing visibility.
“Our vision is to be the platform of choice,” he says. “We want our customers in all of those dimensions to have the easiest path of engagement with us and ultimately with their talent.”
By remaining vendor-neutral, Trio aims to help health systems focus on finding the best available physician rather than prioritizing any one agency relationship. That neutrality, Durbin explains, also benefits agency partners by creating a level playing field based on performance rather than exclusivity.
Moving Beyond Reactive Staffing
Durbin believes many health systems have historically operated under a reactive staffing model, responding to immediate needs without examining the root causes driving those needs.
“I think our health systems have been stuck in ‘get a need, fill a need,’” he says. “There’s been less time invested in understanding why they’re dependent on short-term or long-term resources.”
He notes that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift toward more intentional workforce planning, particularly on the physician side, which has not always been managed with the same rigor as other clinical staffing areas.
Trio’s platform is designed to help organizations better understand utilization patterns, evaluate staffing options earlier, and make decisions that balance coverage with cost sustainability.
“I think our health systems have been stuck in ‘get a need, fill a need.' There’s been less time invested in understanding why they’re dependent on short-term or long-term resources.”
Visibility, Time, and Better Cost Control
One of Trio’s core strengths, Durbin conveys, is helping clients understand where the market is and how timing impacts cost.
“If you give us the window of time and clear guidance on what you need, we’re really good at giving partners rate guidance,” he says. “That allows us to deliver talent at market or slightly below market rates.”
By making rate bands, assignment data, and workforce trends visible on the platform, health systems can make informed decisions rather than reacting to last-minute needs that often carry premium costs.
Transparency for Agencies and Health Systems
Vendor neutrality alone is not enough without transparency, according to Bill Pavlou, Vice President of Marketing at Trio Workforce Solutions. He says Trio has invested heavily in performance visibility for both clients and agency partners.
“Our belief is that if we are going to be the platform of choice, our customers want to do business with us,” Pavlou continues. “We make visible how agencies are performing, not just holistically, but very specifically at a client level.”
That visibility helps health systems identify which partners are invested and responsive, while agencies gain insight into how they can improve performance and deepen client relationships.
“We make visible how agencies are performing, not just holistically, but very specifically at a client level.”
Measuring Meaningful Results
Durbin states that Trio evaluates success using indicators that reflect both utilization and cost efficiency.
“‘Days worked’ is such a leading indicator,” he says. “When days worked go up, average bill rate goes down, and total cost of ownership trends in the right direction.”
Across client engagements, Trio has reported outcomes including increased physician coverage days and reduced average bill rates. In one engagement, a health system saw a measurable reduction in contingent labor spend within a single quarter after implementing a centralized workforce strategy supported by Trio’s platform.
A Practical Approach to Technology
While artificial intelligence continues to attract attention across healthcare staffing, both Durbin and Pavlou emphasize a measured approach focused on improving workflow rather than replacing human judgment.
“We talk a lot about applied AI,” Pavlou says. “It should remove administrative friction, not override clinical judgment.”
Durbin echoes that sentiment, noting that technology is most effective when embedded into repeatable processes that improve the experience for providers, agencies, and health systems alike.
Looking Ahead
Durbin expects health systems to continue seeking greater control over physician staffing, including by building internal programs and offering clinicians more flexibility in where and how they work.
“The more control health systems have,” he adds, “the better off we’re all going to be.”
For Trio Workforce Solutions, the path forward remains centered on transparency, neutrality, and partnership. In an industry often driven by urgency, the company’s strategy is rooted in helping organizations make clearer, more informed workforce decisions.
