Regional Hospital System: 300-Bed Facility
How a regional hospital saved $105,650 annually while improving N95 compliance from 67% to 98% in just 3 weeks
425
Staff Members
79%
Cost Reduction
$105K
Annual Savings
3 weeks
Implementation
Company Overview
A 300-bed regional medical center is an acute care hospital serving a population of 180,000. The facility includes a Level II trauma center, cardiac catheterization lab, full surgical suite, and 24-bed intensive care unit.
The hospital employs 425 clinical staff members who require N95 respirator clearance: registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nursing assistants, and emergency department staff.
As a Joint Commission-accredited facility, the hospital must maintain full compliance with OSHA 1910.134 respiratory protection requirements and Joint Commission infection prevention standards.
Quick Facts
- 300-bed acute care hospital
- 425 clinical staff requiring N95s
- Joint Commission accredited
- 24/7 emergency department
The Challenge
Low Compliance Rate
Only 67% of clinical staff had current N95 medical clearance certificates (285 of 425 staff members).
Annual renewals lapsed due to scheduling difficulties with local occupational health clinic. Joint Commission surveyors noted this deficiency in the previous accreditation survey.
High Costs & Administrative Burden
Clinic evaluations cost $175/employee (total: $74,375 annually for 425 staff).
Employee Health nurse spent 15 hours/week scheduling appointments, coordinating with clinic, tracking certificates, and following up on overdue renewals.
Staffing & Productivity Impact
Clinic visits required 3-4 hours per employee (travel to off-site clinic, wait time, evaluation).
Annual total: 1,275-1,700 hours of lost clinical time. Night shift and weekend staff faced scheduling conflicts, delaying compliance.
The Solution: RespiratorTest.com Online Evaluations
The hospital's Employee Health department implemented RespiratorTest.com's online medical evaluation platform to streamline N95 compliance across all clinical departments.
Week 1: Setup & Launch
- Employee Health nurse created organizational account
Imported 425 clinical staff members via CSV file (names, employee IDs, departments, emails)
- Configured N95 respirator type for all staff
Selected 3M 1860/1870+ N95 models used at the facility
- Customized email invitations with hospital branding
Sent batch invitations to all 425 staff members
Week 2-3: Rollout & Completion
- Staff completed evaluations on any device, any time
Average completion time: 12 minutes per employee
- PLHCP reviews within 24 hours
Board-certified occupational medicine physicians reviewed all questionnaires
- Automatic certificate distribution
Clearance certificates emailed to staff + uploaded to employee records
- 98% completion rate in 3 weeks
417 of 425 staff members completed (8 on medical leave)
The Results
98%
Compliance Rate
Up from 67% (140 staff cleared in 3 weeks)
$105,650
Annual Savings
79% cost reduction vs. clinic evaluations
1,530
Clinical Hours Saved
Staff completed on-site in 15 min vs. 3-4 hr clinic visits
90%
Admin Time Saved
From 15 hrs/week to 1.5 hrs/week
Detailed Cost Breakdown
| Cost Category | Previous (Clinic) | Current (Online) | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Evaluation Cost | $74,375 (425 × $175) | $20,825 (425 × $49) | $53,550 |
| Staff Time (Clinical Hours) | $91,800 (1,530 hrs × $60/hr avg) | $5,100 (85 hrs × $60/hr) | $86,700 |
| Administrative Time | $39,000 (780 hrs/yr × $50/hr) | $3,900 (78 hrs/yr × $50/hr) | $35,100 |
| Travel/Mileage | $8,500 (avg $20/employee) | $0 | $8,500 |
| Documentation/Tracking Software | $2,400/year (spreadsheets + manual tracking) | Included in platform | $2,400 |
| TOTAL ANNUAL COST | $216,075 | $29,825 | $186,250 (86%) |
"RespiratorTest.com solved our biggest N95 compliance headache. We went from 67% compliance to 98% in three weeks—and saved over $100,000 annually. Our staff love that they can complete evaluations in 15 minutes between shifts instead of driving across town to the clinic. When Joint Commission showed up for our survey, I pulled up our compliance dashboard and showed them 98% current clearances with expiration tracking. Zero findings. This platform is a game-changer for hospital respiratory protection programs."
Sarah Martinez, RN, BSN, COHN-S
Employee Health Manager
Regional Medical Center
Key Takeaways for Healthcare Facilities
Implementation Best Practices
- Phase rollout by department
Allows time to address questions and build momentum
- Engage department managers as champions
Get buy-in from nursing leadership, respiratory therapy, ED managers
- Set completion deadlines
Give 1-2 weeks per department wave with clear expectations
- Track completion rates daily
Use dashboard to identify stragglers and send reminders
Joint Commission Preparation
- Instant audit-ready reports
Generate compliance reports in 60 seconds showing all current certificates
- PLHCP credentials documented
All clearances signed by board-certified physicians (meets TJC standards)
- 30-year record retention automatic
OSHA 1910.1020 compliance built-in (no manual file storage)
- Expiration tracking prevents lapses
Automated 90/60/30-day alerts ensure continuous compliance
Ready to Transform Your Hospital's N95 Compliance?
Join 200+ healthcare facilities that have streamlined N95 medical clearance with RespiratorTest.com. Achieve 95%+ compliance, save $100,000+ annually, and be Joint Commission survey-ready 24/7.