BrightStar plans expansion to Springfield

BrightStar provides medical and nonmedical short- or long-term assistance so the aging population can remain at home rather than move to a nursing home or assisted-living facility. However, services aren’t available only to the elderly, as anyone with the need for assistance can become a BrightStar client.

Overall, 70 percent of BrightStar’s business is home care; the company also provides health care staffing for facilities.

While BrightStar stands to face plenty of competition in the health-care staffing arena, neither BrightStar nor officials from other staffing companies seem concerned about the increased competition.

“Springfield in particular has a large proportion of those over the age of 65 with a disability,” said Shelly Sun, BrightStar’s founder and president. “That means they would need our types of services. It’s a pretty significant percentage.”

Leah Frost, operations manager for Medical Employment Directory, added, “Springfield’s growing, the health care industry is growing, there’s always a need for health care.”

Medical Employment Directory has been providing health care staffing in Springfield for 11 years.

BrightStar Healthcare is targeting several Midwest states for expansion, and Sun said there are specific reasons Missouri and the Springfield area were chosen. Those reasons indicate that while there is plenty of competition in the health services and staffing arena’s, there’s also adequate and growing need.

Sun said there are approximately 40,000 seniors in the immediate Springfield area, and more than half of those are indicated to have a disability.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2006–2007 Career Guide to Industries, many of the fastest-growing occupations are in the health care industry. For example, the report states that between 2004 and 2014 the total employment of home health aides is projected to increase by 56 percent. The increase is attributed to several factors, including the growing percentage of the older population and increasing life expectancies.

By using a staffing agency, facilities and individuals can save time and effort. The agencies do background checks, conduct thorough job interviews and review references. The best applicant can then be sent out to the job.

The Springfield Nursefinders office, overseen by area director Shelly Young, provides per diem staffing for hospitals and other health facilities.

Young said she believes the staffing agencies in Springfield are meeting the current demand, but as the demand for health care grows in Springfield, so does the competition.

But not all health care facilities choose to seek outside help in finding staff members.

CoxHealth established CoxHealth Resource Extension Workforce, CREW, in January. CREW is an internal staffing resource that offers employees an alternative to a traditional full-time position.

“We chose to do it because we recognize that we are always going to have those short-term and intermediate-term staffing needs,” said Margo Jarrell-Hankey, director of human resources for CoxHealth.

What it takes

BrightStar’s Sun said that franchising of the company began in January 2005; currently, five franchises comprising 19 locations have been sold. Four corporate locations already are open, as are two of the franchises.

“We hope to find a franchisee (in Springfield) in the first quarter and have them open by the end of the summer,” Sun said.

The initial investment for a BrightStar franchisee ranges from $55,000 to $80,000. No medical experience is required, and the company provides training, marketing materials and a Web-based management system. [[In-content Ad]]