Molly O’Neil, co-founder of Superb, owned a nursing home and knew there had to be a better way to do senior living and medical staffing. In response to the pain points felt in her own experiences, she initiated Superb’s platform development and performed market research surrounding the staffing and communication barriers of senior care. (Superb Website).
28% of healthcare workers left the industry in 2021, and Superb aims to ease pain points in order to maximize retention and reduce attrition in the market. Superb believes this can be achieved by transitioning away from agencies and utilizing technology to save money. This creates savings for facilities and allows them to control their pricing which maintains transparency between the facility and health care workers. There are other platforms that allow facilities to post open shifts, but their service fees and models are just as expensive as agencies. Through important partnerships with facilities and healthcare workers, Superb aims to remain transparents, open, and transform the way shifts are handled in this industry.
With the marketing expertise of co-founder Anousone Souvannasoth, the initial version of the platform has generated enough buzz to entice local healthcare workers and facilities to jump on board. Now, with the help of funds from the Nebraska Prototype Grant, Superb is able to launch a new version of their product in Q1 of 2023. This version will be built in code which allows customization of features, automation of payment processing, and will enable Superb to scale.
One key innovation is the ability to manage payments more efficiently. Finding workers is challenging, but being able to pay them within three days of working their shift has been shown to be a key differentiator for some employers. This innovation allows part-time or traveling personnel to jump into and get paid for shifts more efficiently and in a way that lends itself to the expectations of today’s healthcare workers.
When asked about the work ethic and passion put into Superb O’Neil stated, “When you step into this arena as a mom, wife, and entrepreneur you will constantly be called crazy. For example, I’m often asked how do you do it all, how do you have time to see your family, you’re crazy! I’ve never known if people are using this as a term of endearment, as by definition crazy means not mentally sound. So just know it’s okay to not fit the mold, it’s okay to very literally do it all, it’s okay to be crazy.” The founders believe this crazy dedication will allow Superb to see 300% growth in the number of facilities they partner with via expansion into Lincoln, Nebraska.
The platform posts open shifts and healthcare workers can find the shifts that best align with their schedules. Superb currently serves 100 nurses, 10 facilities in Omaha, Gretna, Papillion and Bellevue, and thus affects thousands of patients. Superb’s differentiation aspects are that it advocates for healthcare workers by not charging them to use the platform, all service fees go towards the facilities, cuts don’t come from their pay, and they are paid within 3 business days of working their shift.
Facilities have put budgets towards agencies anyway, and facilities have been shown to be willing to pay healthcare workers a higher price because it goes directly toward the healthcare worker. Molly has been impressed with how facilites want to advocate for workers as well, and has unlocked a super solution that creates a new playing field in this industry.
As proof of concept, the owners at Hillcrest Health Services meet with Superb monthly to discuss what works and what doesn’t work within the Superb platform and in health care staffing overall. A main pain point is frustration with agency companies who charge high rates and have a longer turnaround time for payment processing. By partnering with Hillcrest, Superb is able to determine how to streamline processes and adjust the design aspects of the platform for maximum efficiency and engagement. When someone calls in to give away a shift through Superb’s platform, it is automatically posted as open so be picked up as quickly as possible.
Revenue is generated through charging service fees to facilities. With the launch of the new platform in a few months, a technology fee will be implemented through monthly subscriptions because Superb is a 24 hour service line which requires a recurring revenue model. This will allow Superb to add job boards, easily advertise open shifts, and a host of other new features.
Engage with Superb
Superb engages with the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Omaha by speaking at events such as 1 Million Cups, Avenue Scholars Program, and involvement in the Pipeline Entrepreneurship Program. Molly will also be speaking at Leading Age and Nebraska Healthcare Assoication’s events and conferences in the upcoming months. In order to attend these events, you must be registered as a business associate.
For more information about Superb, visit their website at https://www.superbshifts.com/, read their blog at https://www.superbshifts.com/blog , email them at [email protected] and sign up for their newsletter by clicking this link and scrolling all the way down to the bottom of the page.
