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While there may be many changes in hospitalist work schedules regarding what shift type is commonly available and how many shifts providers work per month, one thing remains unchanged: most hospitalists are always clamoring for fewer work shifts.
This can be solved by using physician scheduling software in healthcare organizations to replace the traditional method of scheduling that involves inks, sticky notes, and pin-its.
However, the benefits gotten from the use of hospitalist scheduling software are numerous compared to the use of the traditional method of scheduling. As such, you can only enjoy these benefits when you use emergency scheduling software. Highlighted below are some of these benefits:
It Assists Physicians In Balancing Their Work And Social Lives
It's safe to say that most doctors prefer to work for a hospital that provides them with the best work-life balance. While many factors contribute to this balance, a variety of shift and scheduling options can play a significant role in reducing physician burnout. Providers who are happier are better equipped to provide the highest level of patient care, which benefits everyone involved.
Access Anywhere, Anytime
Hospitalist scheduling software helps avoid mistakes and confusion by aiding staff and providers to make changes online. Hospitalists can access schedules in real-time from within or outside the healthcare facility as long as they can access an internet-connected device.
Guideline for Scheduling Software
To continually get the best out of hospitalist scheduling software, there are specific guidelines they must follow. Some of these guidelines are listed below:
1. All shifts – rounding and admitting – are sorted into blocks of seven to fourteen days.
2. Rounding blocks have a spacing of three weeks in between them.
3. Residents are allocated a specific number of hours per quarter, while full-time employee (FTE) providers are allocated a specific number of shifts per month.
4. Night and weekend shifts are balanced for all FTE staff.
5. Using variable or uniform continuity of care, optimize schedules. Use a specific work shift for new work weeks, especially when a provider starts a new rotation.
6. Allocate set targets for each shift type and staff to ensure each provider meets their figures as specified by their contracts.
7. Monitor shift figures based on contracts to ensure pay corroborates shifts.
8. Bring down empty shifts by scheduling rotations before filling in with choices of flexible providers (night shifts and last-minute shift scheduling)
9. Reduce locum tenens physicians' costs by allowing permanent providers to work extra shifts for more pay or fill up their monthly targets.
10. Make the schedule, statistics, and quotas available to corresponding providers.
Takeaway
While many hospitalists and healthcare providers will not like the switch to physician scheduling software, if it proves to be a more efficient way of scheduling physicians and hospitalists, the time for change is now. Getting used to these guidelines will become a thing of the past. However, only time will tell if these emergency medicine scheduling guidelines and patterns can keep being efficient or evolving.
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