How Mercy modernized labor management through strategic system consolidation

Mercy Medical Center, a 378-bed acute care hospital with more than 3,400 employees, operates across a network of emergency departments, urgent care centers, and family practice clinics. With clinical operations dispersed across more than 20 sites, staffing and scheduling required a modern solution—one that could meet the complexity of clinical workflows without introducing new silos.

When their legacy HR and payroll systems were scheduled for decommissioning, Mercy recognized a broader opportunity: to simplify its operational systems while improving coordination and control.

A catalyst for change

Josh Enloe, ERP Program Manager, and Lori Frost, Labor Resource Analyst and ShiftWizard administrator, found themselves at the center of the project. Though they came from different parts of the organization, the work quickly brought them together. What began as parallel roles evolved into a tightly coordinated effort. The scope was large, the deadlines were aggressive, and both became intricately involved in every aspect of planning and rollout.

Mercy selected Workday as its enterprise system of record. For clinical scheduling, the evaluation was more nuanced. Leaders brought in nurse managers, operational directors, and the Chief Nursing Officer to assess needs. They considered cost, clinical capabilities, and integration fit. After extensive evaluation across departments, ShiftWizard™ by HealthStream® became the clear choice—purpose-built for clinical environments and fully compatible with Workday.

Selection & rollout: rapid but intentional

Implementation timelines were tight due to contract and budget cycles. While deeper discovery would have been ideal, Mercy prioritized clinical and operational voices at key points. ShiftWizard launched two weeks ahead of Workday, ensuring schedule continuity before the broader system went live.

The approach balanced speed with stability—an intentional strategy that helped build confidence across departments.

Early feedback that signaled success

During a demo session, Frost recalled sitting between two inpatient nurse managers who reacted immediately to the mobile app. “They looked at each other and said, ‘That mobile app would be great.’” That moment reflected a larger theme—end users saw tools that aligned with their day-to-day realities, not just leadership priorities.

Including clinical end users in the selection and rollout process proved pivotal. Too often, technology decisions in healthcare are made at the executive level and handed down to frontline teams. At Mercy, input from nurse managers shaped both the evaluation criteria and final decision. They provided practical insight into scheduling complexities, pain points with previous tools, and the functionality needed to manage real-world staffing challenges.

That early involvement paid dividends during implementation. Because frontline managers saw their needs reflected in the solution, they became advocates for adoption rather than reluctant users. Their buy-in helped teams transition quickly, reduce resistance to change, and identify small adjustments that improved workflows before go-live.

ShiftWizard’s phased training model amplified this effect. Managers had space to learn, test features in context, and refine processes based on lived experience. Combined with responsive support from the ShiftWizard team, this collaborative approach built confidence across departments—transforming a high-pressure rollout into a smooth launch with sustained engagement.

A measurable impact on scheduling efficiency

Today, ShiftWizard is widely used across Mercy’s inpatient and support departments. Several teams that initially piloted Workday’s native scheduling capabilities ultimately opted for ShiftWizard, citing usability and feature depth.

One notable improvement involved self-scheduling, a capability especially important in inpatient units. With the prior system, employees could only self-schedule up to their contracted full-time equivalent (FTE) hours. Any adjustments beyond that required manager intervention or manual changes, creating delays and administrative burden.

ShiftWizard introduced greater flexibility. Managers now control how many hours each employee can self-schedule, allowing them to adjust access based on individual staffing needs, unit dynamics, or shifting workloads. These controls are available directly to nurse managers—no IT ticket or workaround required—which streamlines scheduling decisions and gives teams more control in real time.

Other outcomes include:

• Six-week schedules that support complex weekend rotations and offer greater flexibility
• Built-in premium pay scheduling for roles like charge nurse and preceptor, reducing manual entry
• Real-time audit trails that clarify schedule changes
• Custom icons for training, certification, and orientation, streamlining visibility for OD teams

Managers report stronger autonomy and control—able to fine-tune schedules, respond to staffing changes on demand, and manage routine adjustments without escalation.

Coordinating across systems

Frost acknowledged the learning curve that came with managing two systems—Workday for timekeeping and ShiftWizard for scheduling—but emphasized that teams adjusted well. While interface timing differed from previous workflows, expectations were managed upfront, and adoption has been steady.

Enhancement efforts are already underway. Frost now participates in ShiftWizard’s enhancement and integration committee, offering input on upcoming product improvements. “It’s encouraging to know we can bring ideas forward and be part of that conversation,” she said. 

What’s next

With a new fiscal year underway, Mercy continues to evaluate additional Workday modules and plan for expansion into targeted care sites. Frost and Enloe remain closely engaged—focused on optimizing labor management through scalable systems, clearer workflows, and stronger alignment between enterprise technology and frontline practice.

Reflecting on their experience, they offer three pieces of advice to organizations considering a similar change:

• Engage end users early. Involving nurse managers and operational leaders throughout selection and rollout is essential to getting both the right system and real adoption.
• Balance technical fit with usability. Integration matters, but the solution must meet the day-to-day needs of frontline teams to deliver long-term value.
• Move fast, but prepare people. Compressed timelines can work if training is phased and support is accessible, allowing teams to adapt quickly without losing confidence in the transition.
  

The takeaway

Mercy’s success shows that technology upgrades in healthcare are rarely just about the system. They’re about people, processes, and alignment across leadership and frontline teams. By engaging end users early, selecting tools that fit clinical workflows, and empowering managers with real control, Mercy turned a high-pressure system change into a lasting operational improvement—one that gives its leaders and caregivers more flexibility, autonomy, and confidence in their scheduling decisions.