4 Ways Scheduling Software Reduces Physician Stress

Four Ways Physician On-Call Scheduling Software Reduces Physician Stress

Physician on-call scheduling software can….

Let you schedule up to a year in advance

Physicians are used to working long, irregular hours. They’re definitely not strangers to working nights and weekends. As a result, physicians face an increased risk of burnout. At a minimum, they feel that work and leisure time are imbalanced, which contributes to high physician stress and turnover rates. Understandably, this also takes a toll on family members and friends.

One way to help physicians achieve better work-life balance - and thereby reduce physician stress and increase retention - is to let them know when they’re due to work and when they’re on call. With MDsyncNET’s physician scheduling software, facilities can develop on-call schedules up to one year in advance. This lets physicians access up-to-the-minute schedules, and plan their lives accordingly.

Provide you with real-time updates

Virtually any type of physician scheduling software is a step in the right direction, but it can feel like one step forward and two steps back if you are still disseminating schedules via email or by posting the current paper version on staff bulletin boards. Plus, it puts a physician in the position of having to constantly check their email for the latest schedule or make a detour to the bulletin board. Neither add to productivity, and both increase frustration.

On-call scheduling software makes real-time schedule updates available on a smartphone or tablet, accessible from any location with internet access. Up-to-date schedule information for on-call practitioners eliminates constant questions about schedule accuracy, as well as the need for middle-of-the-night scheduling phone calls.

Balance on-call schedules to reduce physician stress

Physician on-call scheduling needs to incorporate a number of factors, including holiday and weekend policies, days off, and tally policies. Manually juggling competing policies and interests can be daunting, and can lead to dissatisfaction after the fact. In contrast, on-call scheduling software can take into account preferred patterned assignments, can accommodate schedule rotation, and can integrate a hospital’s various scheduling policies. Plus, it’s easy to conduct a retrospective analysis to ensure that physicians’ scheduling concerns were addressed.

Eliminate manual processes

Manual methods of creating on-call schedules - phone calls, emails, handwritten notes, and faxes - is time-consuming and depletes valuable human resources. By eliminating manual processes in favor of the real-time web-based automation provided by on-call scheduling software, staff is freed for other tasks. At the same time, physicians can directly access accurate schedules at anytime from inside or outside the hospital. 

On-call scheduling is a balancing act. When done right, it supports efforts to retain physicians, frees up other staff time, and actualizes hospital policies. See how MDsyncNET can streamline your on-call scheduling by setting up a demo today.