|
The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) conducted a survey that asked 2,550 hospitalists from 396 hospital medical groups (HMG) for insights about the way hospitalists spend their time and what type of challenges they have balancing work and their personal lives. This data provides a certain context for schedule creation.
According to the data received to the survey, the impact scheduling has on hospitalists' lives continues to be a big problem. The data showed 42% of HMG leaders said it was difficult to balance their personal lives and working hours. Twenty-nine percent were worried about their day-to-day workloads, 23% claimed the demands and expectations placed on hospitalists were increasing, 15% had concerns about retaining hospitalists and sustainability of their career and 11% said scheduling was challenging.
A growing trend among HMGs is replacing traditional block schedules with more flexible schedules. HMGs are seeking a competitive advantage in retaining and attracting physicians. When you can offer schedule flexibility, it could provide some advantages in a competitive field. A great way to do this while staying organized is by implementing a hospitalist scheduling program to create the schedules.
Benefits of an Automated Physician Scheduling Software Program
1. Better Optimized Schedules
Emergency medicine scheduling software can help set certain work week hours on the days and weeks a physician starts their rotation, as well as optimize the schedule with variable or uniform continuity of care.
2. Prevents Confusion
A scheduling program can help keep you from making errors and prevent confusion by enabling you to make changes online. It also provides hospitalists with their schedules in real-time from anywhere they're at inside or outside the hospital on any type of internet-connected device. They can always have access to their schedules to avoid mix-ups and confusion.
3. Divides Hospital Work Fairly
Automated shift scheduling software will take each physician's qualifications into account and where they're capable of working as well as what their schedules looked like in previous weeks. This will help prevent doctors from receiving the same schedule every week in the hospital's particularly stressful areas, reducing physician burnout.
4. Reduces Costs
Scheduling software will reduce expenses on moonlighters and locums by offering physicians with the opportunity to work additional shifts to meet their quotas or for more pay.
5. Considers Physician Preferences
By taking physicians' preferences into account with your hospitalist scheduling program's rules engine, the scheduling system will become more consistent and will likely work better for your doctors. While you are probably already trying to meet as many physician requests as you can while still meeting the hospital's needs, shift scheduling software will make it easier and more attainable.
When you can accommodate your hospitalists' needs and preferences, it helps to create a flexible work atmosphere, happy staff, and ensures health care providers are performing their very best during their shifts.
|