5 Ways to Relieve Doctor Burnout with On-Call Scheduling Software

If your facility is experiencing doctor burnout and staff stress about the hassles associated with emergency department scheduling processes, you’re not alone. Unpredictable and inaccurate manual on-call schedules can take a toll on staff members up and down the organizational ladder. Thankfully, physician on-call scheduling software can relieve stress by automating time-consuming processes and delivering accurate, real-time EMTALA schedules.

1. Less Juggling: Traditionally, the person or team responsible for a facility’s on-call schedule has to keep dozens of balls in the air at once. The scheduler is inundated with handwritten notes, faxes, phone calls, and emails from departments and clinics. Then, the scheduler is tasked with tracking scheduling requests and changes, and then updating, printing, and disseminating a master schedule. With physician on-call scheduling software, groups and departments can create and update their own schedules. For schedulers, less juggling means less stress.

2. Fewer ER Interruptions: At night and on the weekends, emergency department personnel often become switchboard operators for facilities with old-style on-call schedules. Physicians who believe they have obsolete schedules may phone in to see who’s on call or to request a last-minute switch, adding to doctor burnout. Stressful emergency department interruptions can trigger distractions that have the potential to undermine patient safety. With physician on-call scheduling software, doctors inside and outside the facility can access accurate schedules from any internet-connected device.

3. Sounder Sleep: Manual on-call schedules are almost immediately obsolete, leading staff to mistakenly call the wrong physician in the middle of the night. Physician scheduling software fuels accurate calls, which in turn help ensure better-rested and more satisfied physicians. An added benefit is that staff members don’t have to hold their breath wondering if they’ll get called on the carpet for contacting the wrong doctor.

4. Real-Time Updates: It’s a hassle for everyone involved if on-call schedules are distributed via email or posted on bulletin boards. Both the staff members responsible for updating the schedules and the physicians checking to see whether or not they’re on call always feel a step behind. With physician on-call scheduling software, however, updates are made in real-time and can be viewed on a web-based portal. As a result, the stress associated with checking for email updates, or wondering whether a schedule is accurate or obsolete, disappears.

5. Improved Work-Life Balance: Starting with medical school and continuing on through internships and residencies, physicians struggle with work-life balance. When that balance is absent, stress ratchets up. On-call scheduling software enables scheduling up to a year in advance, providing physicians with the information they need to plan family time, vacations, and continuing education. The result is less burnout and increased physician satisfaction.

If your hospital or healthcare facility is ready to relieve stress and supercharge on-call scheduling practices, MDsyncNET can help. MDsyncNET’s cloud-based physician on-call scheduling software helps boost staff efficiency, increase physician retention, and improve patient safety.