Staffing a healthcare facility has never been a piece of cake, to say the least. In fact, sometimes staffing a healthcare facility, especially if you are a nurse manager in charge of scheduling, feels like swimming upstream. 

Between workforce shortages, rising patient acuity, clinician burnout, and the ever-present surprise call out 5 minutes before a shift starts, healthcare leaders are under immense pressure to keep schedules full and care uninterrupted.

Traditional staffing agencies no longer provide facilities with what they really need: quick, flexible access to qualified clinicians without high costs or delays.

Nursing shortages are not going anywhere; in reality, they may even get worse in the coming years. 

Facilities need a solution more than ever that enables them to find qualified clinicians, experience a greater sense of security, and lower costs. 

If you are wondering how to choose a staffing platform for hospitals, here is a look at the 5 best healthcare staffing marketplaces for facilities looking for fast coverage.

1. Nursa: Built for Flexible Staffing and Last-minute Needs

Nursa is a healthcare staffing marketplace built for speed and simplicity. It enables facilities to post open shifts, connect instantly with qualified local clinicians, and secure coverage—often within minutes.

Designed specifically for per diem and short-term needs, Nursa helps facilities adapt quickly to unexpected schedule gaps while giving clinicians the freedom to choose when and where they work.

With Nursa, facilities post open shifts to the marketplace, connect instantly with local nurse talent, and secure coverage quickly. It’s a digital solution designed to make staffing fast, flexible, and reliable.

Here are some key advantages for facilities when they use Nursa: 

• Real-time notifications sent to local clinicians
• Built-in credential verification that reduces administrative overhead
• Real-time shift coverage tools that support same-day staffing needs
• Facility-set pay rates that enable more cost-effective staffing

Nursa’s direct connection model removes the traditional agency middle layer, giving facilities more autonomy and transparency. For organizations needing fast, on-demand staffing, Nursa offers a reliable and efficient digital solution. For facilities looking for a personalized touch, the platform also has local representatives that offer facility-tailored attention and support.

2. ShiftKey: Large-scale Marketplace with Broad Coverage

ShiftKey is one of the more established players in the healthcare staffing marketplaces and is often recognized for its extensive reach across states and care settings. The platform connects facilities with licensed professionals for per diem and short-term assignments.

As a piece of clinical staffing software, ShiftKey focuses on digital processes that reduce friction for both facilities and clinicians.

ShiftKey’s primary advantage is scale. Facilities with geographically diverse locations or high-volume staffing needs may benefit from its large clinician network.

Notable features include:

• A broad pool of clinicians across multiple disciplines
• Digital onboarding and credential verification
• Marketplace-style booking that supports on-demand staffing in healthcare

Large-scale platforms can sometimes feel less tailored to individual facilities. While ShiftKey offers reach, some facilities prefer marketplaces that emphasize tighter local networks or more customizable pricing structures.

3. Trusted Health: Intelligent Staffing Through Data and Design

Trusted Health takes a strategic approach to healthcare staffing, blending workforce analytics with a streamlined marketplace. The platform helps hospitals optimize internal resources before turning to external clinicians, creating a smarter, more balanced staffing model.

Its focus on data and user experience makes Trusted especially valuable for large systems managing complex scheduling demands.

Key capabilities include:

• Data-informed staffing insights for better decision-making
• Seamless integration with internal resources before sourcing externally
• Dashboard tools for visibility into staffing gaps and clinician availability
• Emphasis on clinician satisfaction and long-term retention

By combining marketplace access with workforce intelligence, Trusted Health supports hospitals looking to turn staffing from a reactive process into a proactive strategy.

4. Medely: Mobile-first Staffing for Speed and Simplicity

Medely has built its reputation on ease of use. Known for its clean mobile interface, the platform makes it simple for clinicians to find and book shifts, as well as for facilities to post their needs quickly.

It supports a wide range of roles and works well for organizations prioritizing speed and accessibility. Medely excels in scenarios where rapid posting and booking are most crucial.

Core benefits include:

• Intuitive, app-driven experience for clinicians
• Fast turnaround for open shifts
• Strong support for on-demand staffing in healthcare

However, follow-up through customer service and virtual chat may feel slow, leaving some users feeling somewhat unsupported. As one reviewer noted, “I keep getting the response that someone from their team will get back to me. It’s been 3 days – no response.” 

Medely is often praised for its usability, but some facilities note limitations regarding rate control or customization when compared to other per diem marketplace platforms. Still, for straightforward staffing needs, it remains a popular choice.

5. IntelyCare: A Compliance-driven Staffing Alternative

IntelyCare offers a slightly different staffing model by employing clinicians directly as W-2 employees while still functioning like a marketplace. This structure allows the company to emphasize training, consistency, and reliability.

For facilities focused on predictability and compliance, this approach can be appealing. IntelyCare excels in environments where quality assurance and clinician preparedness are top priorities.

Strengths include:

• Strong emphasis on training and compliance
• Consistent clinician availability
• Useful for planned or recurring coverage needs

Because of its employment-based model, IntelyCare may be less flexible for facilities that depend heavily on last-minute, real-time shift coverage. It also has strict policies and offers limited recourse for difficult facility experiences, which has made the platform challenging for some nurses.

However, it remains a dependable option within the broader landscape of healthcare staffing marketplace platforms.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Staffing Marketplace

With numerous platforms available, selecting a staffing platform for hospitals requires a thorough assessment of operational priorities. 

Not all marketplaces solve the same problems, and the “best” option depends heavily on context.

Here are some key questions to ask yourself:

• How quickly can the platform deliver real-time shift coverage?
• Does it offer reliable credential verification?
• How deep and specialized is the pool of clinicians?
• Does it support long-term scheduling optimization?
• Are pricing and fees transparent enough to support cost-effective healthcare staffing solutions?

Facilities should also consider how a platform integrates with existing systems and whether it aligns with broader staffing goals, not just short-term fixes.

The Role of Marketplaces in Modern Workforce Planning

Healthcare staffing marketplaces are no longer just emergency tools. Increasingly, they’re becoming core components of comprehensive healthcare workforce solutions.

By supplementing internal teams, reducing burnout, and enhancing access to qualified clinicians, marketplaces enable organizations to shift from reactive staffing to proactive planning. 

Many facilities now utilize multiple platforms simultaneously—one for internal optimization, another for per diem needs, and a third for compliance-heavy roles.

This layered approach reflects the reality of today’s labor market: flexibility is no longer optional.

Matching Platforms to Staffing Needs

Healthcare staffing challenges are complex. No single platform solves every problem, but they can make a facility manager’s life easier. 

The best marketplaces are those that align closely with a facility’s size, patient population, staffing volatility, and financial goals.

Nursa stands out for its facility-first approach, strong per diem focus, and emphasis on control and speed. Platforms like ShiftKey and Medeley offer scale and usability, while Trusted Health and IntelyCare provide more structured solutions for long-term planning and compliance.

Together, these healthcare staffing marketplace platforms illustrate how technology is transforming staffing. 

The world of nursing is going to change drastically over the next few years, and it’s best your facility is equipped to handle the changes. Some of these changes will be beneficial, while others will be challenging. 

As workforce pressures continue, marketplaces will play an increasingly central role in ensuring continuity of care, clinician satisfaction, and operational resilience.

For healthcare leaders tackling today’s staffing challenges, the right marketplace isn’t just handy. These platforms are game-changing tools that make staffing smarter, faster, and stress-free—which can sound like music to a nurse manager’s ears.