Council seeks detailed breakdown of agency nurse costs as Gracedale agency staffing remains high

Council members asked county staff on July 9 for a detailed report on nursing-agency usage and costs at Gracedale Nursing Home, citing concern over high reliance on contract agency staff.

Committee members requested a multi-year breakdown of agency usage and fees (2023'025 year-to-date), the number of agency and county-employed nurses and aides, rate variability among agencies, and copies of executed agency contracts. Committee members also asked for counts of vacancies so they could see agency staff relative to total authorized positions.

County staff said they will provide an accounting of how many agency staff were used, which agencies supplied them, and the rates paid for 2023'025; staff said some contract documents are retained at Gracedale and that the human-services committee could assist obtaining executed contracts and staffing reports from Gracedale administrators. The finance representative said he would provide the requested financial detail to the finance committee in writing.

Committee members also asked the Gracedale administrator to provide staffing and vacancy data. The Gracedale administrator had prepared a report for the Human Services Committee but staff said copies could not be distributed in full the same day; council members asked for printed copies in advance of the next meeting so they could review numbers before the Human Services session.

Officials said high agency usage has been a significant operating cost driver; one council member cited prior peaks near an 80/20 agency-to-staff ratio and said the rate had recently fallen to roughly 70% agency staffing. County staff said they would provide current and historic counts and cost summaries for council review.