A good doctor schedule is critical for all emergency departments. The benefits go far beyond the budgetary problems associated with scheduling too many, or too few, physicians on any given shift.
A good rotation that takes the needs of the physicians on staff into account while also ensuring that all shifts are covered leads to happier doctors, lower burnout rates, greater job satisfaction, physician loyalty, and low turnover.
These are just a few ways shift scheduling software can help you with your physician scheduling needs.
Reduces Circadian Rhythm Interruptions
Physicians may appear, to the rest of the world, to have super powers when it comes to saving lives. The truth of the matter is that they are mere mortals who need an adequate amount of sleep and are vulnerable to interruptions to their natural circadian rhythms. Shift scheduling software can help alleviate the impact shift work has on the body’s natural rhythm.
Improves Wait Room Times for Patients
Scheduling software plays an important role in keeping the entire emergency department operating at maximum efficiency. Doctors are more alert, having had an adequate amount of time away from work between shifts, and are more effective when dealing with patients quickly and accurately as a result.
A recent study reported in Medicine found that analyzing historic trends monthly, daily, and hourly for emergency doctor scheduling can help to ensure you have appropriate staff on hand on any given day.
Increases Job Satisfaction Among Physicians
Providing physicians with the ability to make adjustments to their schedules, pick up shifts, and request time off on their own helps your emergency room doctors avoid the burnout that is so common in emergency departments everywhere.
Knowing that their schedule requirements will be met gives them greater flexibility when trying to maintain a work-life balance, which creates happier physicians. It works with all emergency medicine scheduling too – not just physician scheduling.
Prioritizes Shift Coverage Needs
One other great thing about using software for the tricky problem of scheduling physicians is that it allows you to set priorities to ensure adequate coverage for tough shifts, holiday shifts, etc.
Software can take care of the tough shifts first then move on to provide appropriate coverage for shifts that are traditionally less difficult to cover or that typically have lower physician demand.
Provides Fair Rotation of Shifts
One thing that software is able to do more efficiently than humans is to review historic data to ensure that all physicians are being treated fairly when it comes to rotations for things like weekends, unwanted late shifts, and holidays.
It can review historic data as well as those for each scheduling period in order to provide a fair rotation for all physicians involved. This goes a long way towards job satisfaction and perceptions of fairness as well.
Every little step emergency departments can take to streamline the scheduling process can provide greater efficiency, ensure adequate patient care, and ultimately save time, money, and frustration for emergency departments. Shift scheduling software can do all these things and more.
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