Hospitals and large acute-care health systems remain the largest end-user segment, consistently generating the majority of the market's revenue (often over 42%). The nature of hospital operations—high-acuity care, 24/7/365 operational demands, and regulatory requirements—makes them structurally dependent on external staffing.

Hospitals operate under a constant duality: the need to maintain critical service lines (like operating rooms and intensive care units) that generate high revenue, and the absolute necessity of maintaining safe nurse-to-patient ratios. Failure in either area results in severe consequences: revenue loss from canceled procedures or catastrophic regulatory penalties and negative clinical outcomes. Temporary staffing serves as the immediate risk mitigation tool against these twin threats. When a specialty hospital faces a sudden vacancy in a high-demand area, the cost of a temporary specialist is always outweighed by the revenue lost from having to stop accepting patient transfers.

A significant trend affecting end-user dynamics is the rise of Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) and specialized outpatient facilities. As procedures shift from costly inpatient hospital settings to more cost-effective outpatient centers, ASCs are experiencing rapid growth and, consequently, increasing staffing needs. While ASCs may require fewer staff than a large hospital, their demand is highly specialized (e.g., perioperative nurses, surgical techs). Staffing agencies, with their broad talent pool, are ideally positioned to supply this niche, high-acuity, non-hospital environment.

Furthermore, the end-user landscape is being shaped by the adoption of Managed Services Provider (MSP) programs. Hospitals, seeking to manage high temporary labor costs and gain vendor transparency, increasingly partner with a single MSP (often a large staffing firm). The MSP acts as the intermediary, managing all external staffing vendors, ensuring consistent bill rates, handling credentialing for all contracted staff, and providing consolidated reporting. This trend solidifies the relationship between major staffing firms and large health systems, locking in long-term revenue streams for the market leaders.

For a comprehensive analysis of end-user revenue contribution, the dynamics of service line management in hospitals, and the growing role of MSP programs in contingent workforce management, please consult the full report: Healthcare Staffing Market.