{"id":19728,"date":"2023-12-23T11:07:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-23T17:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lightningbolt.wpengine.com\/?post_type=blog&p=19728"},"modified":"2024-08-16T10:28:30","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T15:28:30","slug":"improving-hospital-productivity-through-optimized-physician-scheduling","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.lightning-bolt.com\/blog\/improving-hospital-productivity-through-optimized-physician-scheduling\/","title":{"rendered":"How Optimized Physician Scheduling Boosts Hospital Productivity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Reducing costs and improving hospital productivity remain high on the list of yearly objectives for hospital executives thanks to an ongoing physician shortage, declining operating incomes, lowering reimbursements, and smaller patient volumes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, the average cost of labor budgets hovered at more than 50% of hospital expenses.1<\/sup> Many hospitals in the US use contract labor (think contract nurses and locum tenens providers) to close gaps caused by consistent staffing shortages.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 2019 to 2022, contract labor expenses for hospitals exploded by 258%.3 <\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The combination of high labor demands and low supply can lead to increased provider frustration and elevated burnout rates<\/a>, and it can also strain a hospital\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the underlying themes here is that your scheduling system better be able to keep up with the pace of change. If you\u2019re using an outdated or inefficient system that hands out inequitable schedules when resources are strained, the consequences will be very real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health systems need a scheduling solution that builds equitable schedules that account for provider preferences to cut costs and boost hospital productivity as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Ways Optimized Provider Scheduling Improves Hospital Productivity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hospitals and health systems that optimize provider scheduling<\/a> can see increased productivity across their organization by way of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Reduced time spent creating increasingly complex clinical schedules<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Improved provider satisfaction and a decrease in costly clinical turnover<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. A greater understanding of clinician supply and patient demand<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Reducing Time Spent Creating Complex Schedules<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Many factors contribute to the time it takes to build schedules:<\/p>\n\n\n

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    Manually creating clinical schedules based on these factors can take hundreds of hours per year, not to mention the added complexity of scheduling locum positions across multiple locations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Simply put, without technology, this is an understandably taxing and risk-heavy endeavor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even so, 45% of US hospitals still create schedules with workflows that involve some combination of spreadsheets, note pads, and fax machines.4<\/sup> Often, this falls on the shoulders of a senior physician, which diverts their time away from direct patient care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Automating this process reduces the headache of manual scheduling and gives time back to physicians and schedulers. As just one example, PerfectServe Lightning Bolt Scheduling helped UK HealthCare\u2019s hospitalist division rebuild their scheduling process and reduce time spent managing schedules by 82%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Increase Provider Satisfaction and Decrease Costly Turnover<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Poor scheduling practices often leave providers unsatisfied, working inequitable shifts, and lacking a sufficient amount of control over their schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This can easily lead to a decrease in provider satisfaction and a higher likelihood of turnover, which costs health systems an average of $1.2 million per physician.5<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The growing cost of physician recruitment shows no signs of slowing down. New data projects a shortage of up to 122,000 physicians by 2032.6<\/sup> Hospitals and health systems need to consider how optimized scheduling can create a better practice experience for providers by giving them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n