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If your ER department's doctors, nurses and other staff members are stressed out because of emergency medicine scheduling, rest assure you're not the only one going through this. Inaccurate and unpredictable manual on-call scheduling can really put on added stress to your staff. Fortunately, scheduling software that can deliver real-time, accurate doctor schedules and automate the time-consuming process will relieve this stress.
Here are seven ways physician scheduling software can help take the stress out of your ER Department.
1. Prioritizes Shifts
Set limits on off requests and ensure you fill the harder shifts first by prioritizing shifts. Balance the number of nights, weekends and other provider-assigned, undesirable shifts. Use flexible rule settings that offer autonomy and more options in completing the schedule to minimize open shifts.
2. Lightens Your Shift Scheduling Responsibility
Typically, the scheduling administrator who’s responsible for the ER department's on-call schedule has to juggle many tasks all at once. You're overwhelmed with faxes, emails, handwritten notes and emails from clinics and departments. You have to track scheduling changes and requests and update, print and distribute the master schedule. Emergency medicine scheduling software gives departments and groups the ability to make and update their own schedule. This means less stress on you, the scheduler.
3. Provides Real-Time Updates
When on-call schedules are posted on bulletin boards or sent through email, it's a hassle for all involved. Both you who has to update the schedules and the doctors who have to constantly check to see if they're on call or not always feel one step behind. Shift scheduling software produces the schedule updates in real-time where all staff members can view online through a web-based portal. Because of this, stress due to wondering if the schedule is obsolete or accurate or constantly checking for email notifications, goes away.
4. Offers Auto-Scheduling
Use auto-scheduling or template scheduling along with manual tasks to manage and accommodate rotational work schedules.
5. Better Sleep for Physicians
Manual on-call schedules are out-of-date or in many cases, no longer used which leads staff to call the wrong doctors mistakenly in the middle of the night. ER scheduling software promotes accurate calls, helping to ensure all doctors are well-rested and more satisfied. Also, staff members in charge of calling physicians in the middle of the night no longer have to worry about contacting the wrong physician.
6. Tracks Compensation
Guarantee your extra hours and hourly pay is recorded accurately.
7. Improves Work-Life Balance
Doctors have been struggling with work-life balance from the first days of medical school and on through internships and residencies. This work-life balance is even more off-kilter as a physician. When there's no balance, it increases stress. ER on-call scheduling software allows you to schedule staff up to a year in advance, allowing doctors to gain access to their future schedule so they can plan vacations, family time or continuing education, resulting in increased doctor satisfaction and less stress and burnout.
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