Shari Dingle Sandifer, founder and CEO, Avant Healthcare Professionals

Shari Dingle Sandifer, founder and CEO, Avant Healthcare Professionals

FINALIST – Health Care
Shari Dingle Sandifer
founder and CEO
Avant Healthcare Professionals
Shari Dingle Sandifer didn’t always plan to start her own business, much less as a staffing agency. It was her experience as a nurse that drove her to fill a key industry need — the need for quality foreign health care professionals.
As the head of a foreign short-term nurse sourcing division, Sandifer saw a major gap between the supply and demand of medical professionals.
At the time, the United States was experiencing one of the largest shortages of nurses in its history. This inspired her to found Avant Healthcare Professionals, a health care professional staffing company that creates a global pipeline of talent for health care organizations.
Leading the company as CEO, Sandifer uses her strong communication skills and industry expertise to overcome the many challenges of operating in the health care field.
For example, because Avant’s business model depends on foreign-based workers navigating the complex government regulations over immigration is a major area of focus for the organization.
Sandifer not only invests significant resources toward health care reform, she supports industry practices that support foreign health care practitioners.
Sandifer attributes much of the company’s success to the quality of the company’s professional people.
Before the company sends its professional practitioners to a work site, it ensures that they undergo a four- to six-week long orientation at the company’s headquarters. This training includes technical and personal skills training.
By ensuring foreign professionals learn skills such as how to drive in the U.S., the company promotes a better job experience for clients and medical professionals.
Sandifer finds that transparency about the company’s expectations with foreign nurses also helps them make a smooth transition, creating a happier work environment.
HOW TO REACH: Avant Healthcare Professionals, www.avanthealthcare.com