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Creating an efficient and workable emergency doctor schedule is not an easy task. You can find yourself sitting for hours on end when it's done by hand either with paper and a pen or on a spreadsheet. You have so many variables to consider during schedule creation — for example, sick days, vacation and shift preferences.
It’s essential to strike the right balance in order to have enough happy and well-rested staff scheduled to work at any one time. And it’s vital to have an effective schedule of emergency department staff to serve the critical needs of your patients.
These five best practices should help you if you're currently struggling to create an efficient emergency doctor schedule:
Keep abreast of department needs. A busy ER has a vast number of challenges to face on a daily or even hourly basis. There will be times when you need either more or less staff. For example, in the winter months when flu is rife or if there is a big alcohol-fueled event on in your locality, the needs of your ER department will likely be greater.
Communicate with your staff. If you’re approachable, you’ll find that you have a lot less hassle with your staff. Make sure they know that you’re their first point of contact if they have an issue with their schedule.
Use emergency physician scheduling software. Physician scheduling software is a crucial aspect of many modern and busy ER departments. The software takes all the hard work out of scheduling. Additionally, staff can access their schedules and notify you of any changes anywhere they can access the internet. Emergency medicine scheduling software warns of potential scheduling conflicts. It also calculates pay for extra duty, overtime and more.
Be clear. Always ensure you are clear with regards to the schedule. It’s best practice to send it out on a certain day of the week, well in advance of working times. Ensure your schedule is easy to read and can be fully understood. If you opt to use scheduling software this will take care of any issues with clarity.
Be aware of physician burnout. Even though emergency physicians stand to benefit from substantial awards, working long and often undesirable hours in the ER can be exhausting. It’s, therefore, crucial to distribute shifts as fairly as possible. Using physician scheduling software takes all the hard work out of doing this manually and can be done in a matter of minutes.
Emergency medicine scheduling is a very challenging area. Communication is key. So, is the ability to make swift schedule changes. Using shift scheduling software is arguably one of the best ways you can work as efficiently as possible and meet the critical needs of both your patients and physicians.
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