Streamlining Emergency Department Specialists On Call

Under the Emergency Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA), emergency departments that accept Medicare reimbursement are required to examine a presenting patient in order to determine whether an emergency medical condition exists. If so, the ED is required to either treat the condition or stabilize the patient and transfer them to another hospital. In another vein, a hospital with specialized services, such as a trauma center, is required to accept transfers unless the hospital is at capacity.

Specialists on call can provide immediate and specialized care to patients who need it. This is especially important in emergency situations, when patients may not be able to wait for a specialist to come to the hospital. While EMTALA does not require specialists to be on call around the clock, it is in a hospital’s best interest to have specialists at the ready. By having specialists on call, the hospital can not only serve patients, but can also avoid patient transfers that negatively impact the organization’s revenues.

Specialists on call can also help to improve the quality of care that patients receive. They can provide their expertise and advice to the emergency department physicians, and they can help to ensure that patients receive the correct treatment. Finally, specialists on call can help to reduce a patient’s risk of complications. When patients receive timely and specialized care, they are less likely to develop complications that result in readmission.

The benefits of having on-call specialists include:

• Improved patient care: On-call specialists can provide immediate and specialized care to patients who need it, which can improve their overall health outcomes.
• Reduced risk of complications: When patients receive timely and specialized care, they are less likely to develop complications from their illness or injury.
• Increased efficiency: On-call specialists can help to reduce the amount of time that patients spend in the emergency department, which can free up beds for other patients.
• Improved patient satisfaction: Patients who receive care from on-call specialists are often more satisfied with their care than those who do not.

The challenges that hospitals face in having specialists on call include:

• The high cost of on-call coverage: Hospitals must pay specialists for their time, which can be a significant expense.
• The difficulty of finding specialists who are willing to be on call: Many specialists are reluctant to be on call because it can disrupt their personal and professional lives.
• The shortage of specialists in some areas: In underserved areas, there is a shortage of specialists, which makes it difficult for hospitals to find on-call coverage.

On-call scheduling software can help hospitals in a number of ways, including:

• Automating the scheduling process. Scheduling software can automate the process of creating and distributing on-call schedules, freeing up administrative staff to focus on other tasks.
• Providing real-time updates. Scheduling software can provide real-time updates to on-call schedules, ensuring that everyone involved is always up-to-date on who is on call and when.
• Ensuring compliance with regulations. Scheduling software can help hospitals with EMTALA compliance.
• Improving communication. Scheduling software can improve communication between on-call physicians and hospital staff, making it easier to coordinate care for patients.
• Reducing stress and burnout. Scheduling software can help reduce stress and burnout among on-call physicians by providing them with fair and equitable schedules.

Scheduling software can be a valuable tool for hospitals that are looking to streamline their specialists on call scheduling process.

MDsyncNET’s cloud-based on-call scheduling software delivers four advantages: low set-up fees, simple to learn, a single source of truth, and painless scheduling swaps. Call 888-506-5061 to see how MDsyncNET can help you streamline your hospital’s on-call scheduling.