In-house medical personnel scheduler: a computerized on-call scheduling program

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Healthcare Management
• Operations Research

Background:

• On-call scheduling for healthcare professionals is a complex and labor-intensive administrative process.
• Inefficiencies in scheduling can lead to significant time consumption and staff dissatisfaction.
• Perceived inequalities in on-call duties can negatively impact morale and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a computer program for automating the creation and correction of on-call schedules.
• To reduce the administrative burden associated with manual schedule generation.
• To address and mitigate issues of perceived inequity in on-call assignments.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel computer program utilizing algorithms for schedule optimization.
• Implementation and testing of the software in a healthcare setting.
• Data collection on time spent creating schedules and staff feedback on fairness.

Main Results:

• Significant reduction in the time required for creating and correcting on-call schedules.
• Demonstrable decrease in complaints related to perceived call inequalities among staff.
• Successful automation of a previously manual and time-consuming task.

Conclusions:

• The developed computer program effectively streamlines the on-call scheduling process for healthcare professionals.
• Automation through this software leads to improved efficiency and greater perceived fairness in call assignments.
• This tool offers a practical solution for healthcare institutions seeking to optimize resource allocation and enhance staff satisfaction.