7 Workforce Management Platforms Revolutionizing Healthcare Scheduling
How to Choose the Right Healthcare Scheduling Software
Your healthcare facility is an essential part of your community, but managing the workload, schedule, and staffing can very quickly turn into a headache, especially as your team grows.
Having efficient schedules and effective management of your team is crucial not only for the smooth running of your facility but also for maintaining the morale of your healthcare professionals.
The good news is that there are software solutions available that can help automate some of the management and create a clear, organized schedule that both you and your staff can follow.
Scheduling software, or workforce management software as it is often called, helps you manage, adjust, and control your team's schedules, time-off requests, and ensures you are fulfilling the staffing requirements needed at any given time.
The bottom line is that you need to have the right skills available from the right staff members at the right time. This is where your scheduling software comes in.
Choosing the right healthcare scheduling software for your needs can feel daunting, particularly with so many options available.
To help you out, we've broken down what you should be looking for in healthcare scheduling software and provided an overview of some of our favorite options.
Let’s dive in.
What is Workforce Management or Scheduling Software?
As we’ve mentioned, scheduling software or workforce management software is essential for running a smooth healthcare facility, or indeed, any healthcare-related business.
These software solutions do far more than just schedule employee shifts. They also:
- Help manage your team
- Streamline communication
- Improve employee engagement
Your scheduling software is there to do the heavy lifting, make your life easier when it comes to shift management and time-off requests, and ideally provide insight into your staffing needs for the future.
How Scheduling Software Can Benefit Your Healthcare Facility
There are many benefits to using scheduling software for managing your team. Let’s break these down further.
Better Operational Efficiency – Streamlining scheduling management helps free up your manager's time and eliminates confusion around shifts, reducing potential issues from a lack of clarity.
Cost Savings – Being more efficient with your team, your time, and your scheduling will help reduce unnecessary costs and ensure you have the right team and the right skills available when needed.
Quicker Intra-Facility Communication – No need for multiple emails back and forth or forgetting to cc people for shift changes. These actions can all be done easily and cleanly within the software.
Transparency Across All Levels – A clear visual overview of the schedule for your entire team helps everyone stay on track regarding their shifts.
Higher Employee Engagement – Many scheduling software options encourage employees to engage actively with shift selection, update their availability, and generally be more involved in the scheduling process.
Better Job Satisfaction – This added level of communication and interaction makes employees feel heard and part of the process. Making employees feel heard is a proven way to increase job satisfaction and decrease staff turnover.
Consistent and Better Patient Care – What we all want is better patient experiences, and when your employees are happier, they are better at their jobs. This leads to better patient care—trust us, patients can tell when something is wrong.
What to Consider When Looking for Your Healthcare Scheduling Software
There are a few things to consider when looking for healthcare scheduling software. Your first step is to examine what your facility needs from the software.
What Are Your Productivity Needs?
Determining these needs is your first step. To do this, ask yourself a few questions:
- What do I need from the software: shift management, task management, automatic scheduling, etc.? You need to think about what tasks you want to run through the software.
- How big is my team? Some software solutions are better suited to smaller teams, while others work well for larger teams or individual facility needs.
- Where is my team located? Is your team based in one facility, or do they work remotely or across multiple locations?
- When are the down hours and peak hours? Your platform should be able to automate scheduling to ensure you are well-staffed during peak hours.
- Is our healthcare facility operational 24/7? You need your software to handle the hours you require seamlessly.
Do Your Research!
There are many options available, each with unique features. It is worth doing plenty of research to find the ones that best match your needs.
Here are some key things to consider when researching for the right software:
- Ease of Use – This is important for two reasons: 1. You want to be able to quickly implement it across your team without extensive training. 2. You want the software to be intuitive to use so that your employees and managers aren’t spending too much time just trying to change a shift.
- Shift Management in a Few Clicks – When looking at the shift schedule, you want to quickly and easily see and update who is working, when they started, what has changed, etc. The calendar should be simple to use and understand.
- Clear Communication – Scheduling software should streamline communication between your team members, both for managers and employees. Requesting shift changes or swapping shifts should be as simple as pressing a button, and everyone should be able to see the updated shifts in real-time.
- Multi-Location Access – Having teams located across multiple facilities or even remotely is becoming more common. This works well for healthcare providers that operate 24/7, and your software should be able to handle this effectively.
- Access Through Multiple Devices – Your employees should be able to quickly and conveniently check shifts on their mobile, tablet, or computer.
- Compliance with Healthcare Regulations – Access to remote workers is great, but this can mean being subject to different regulations around overtime, sick pay, and patient care. Your workforce management software should be able to handle compliance seamlessly.
There’s No Harm in Trying a Few
Once you’ve shortlisted a few potential candidates, there's no harm in conducting short, limited tests of each software to determine which fits your needs, how easy it is to use, and how well your team likes it.
Testing is key in making the final decision, and small trials are preferable to rolling out software across the whole facility, only to discover it isn’t fit for purpose.
Final Decision
When you find the right one, you’ll know. At this point, you can implement it across the whole team and reap the rewards of a more efficient workforce.
Top Workforce Management Solutions for Healthcare Scheduling
Efficient scheduling in healthcare is crucial for ensuring that patient care runs smoothly, staff workloads are balanced, and operational costs are kept under control. Healthcare organizations face unique challenges in workforce management, such as managing multiple shifts, staying compliant with regulations, and responding quickly to unexpected changes in staff availability. To address these challenges, many healthcare providers are turning to advanced workforce management platforms. Below, we provide an overview of seven platforms that are helping healthcare organizations revolutionize their scheduling processes and overcome common workforce challenges.
1. Soon
Soon offers an innovative approach to scheduling with its event card system, which allows for intuitive shift grouping and easy management of team schedules. This unique feature helps healthcare managers quickly create and adjust schedules based on changing needs. Soon also integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft ecosystem, enhancing productivity and communication within teams. Mobile accessibility means that healthcare staff can easily view their schedules, swap shifts, and stay updated on the go—a key feature for busy healthcare workers.
Key Features:
- Event card system for dynamic shift grouping
- Integration with Microsoft tools
- Enhanced communication features for teams
- Mobile access for convenient schedule management
2. Shifton
Shifton is a user-friendly workforce management platform that is perfect for healthcare teams. It provides automated scheduling features that save time and minimize errors. Shifton also helps managers keep track of employee availability and ensures optimal shift coverage. The platform’s simplicity and effectiveness make it ideal for healthcare facilities looking to streamline their scheduling processes.
Key Features:
- Automated shift scheduling
- Employee availability tracking
- Easy-to-use interface
- Real-time updates and notifications
3. Shiftboard
Shiftboard is well known for its flexible and scalable workforce management solutions, especially for larger healthcare facilities. The platform provides advanced scheduling tools, including demand-driven scheduling and compliance management. Shiftboard also offers real-time updates to help managers respond quickly to staffing changes, ensuring that patient care is never compromised.
Key Features:
- Demand-driven scheduling
- Compliance management tools
- Real-time updates for quick adjustments
- Scalable for healthcare facilities of any size
4. MakeShift
MakeShift is designed to help healthcare organizations manage their workforce efficiently while prioritizing employee satisfaction. It offers tools for easy shift swapping, availability updates, and clear communication between staff members. MakeShift also includes mobile accessibility, allowing healthcare professionals to access their schedules from anywhere, making it easier to stay informed and organized.
Key Features:
- Shift swapping and availability updates
- Clear communication between staff
- Mobile access for convenience
- User-friendly interface for quick adoption
5. ShiftWizard
ShiftWizard is a healthcare-specific workforce management solution that focuses on optimizing nurse and staff scheduling. The platform uses data-driven insights to forecast staffing needs and improve efficiency. ShiftWizard’s easy-to-use interface and healthcare-oriented features make it an ideal choice for hospitals and other medical facilities looking to enhance their scheduling processes.
Key Features:
- Data-driven staffing forecasts
- Healthcare-specific scheduling tools
- Easy-to-use interface
- Integration with existing healthcare systems
6. NurseGrid
NurseGrid is a popular scheduling app designed specifically for nurses. It allows nurses to manage their shifts, swap shifts with colleagues, and receive notifications about schedule changes—all from their mobile devices. NurseGrid’s focus on ease of use and mobile accessibility makes it a great tool for improving communication and flexibility among nursing staff.
Key Features:
- Mobile app for managing shifts
- Shift swapping with colleagues
- Notifications for schedule changes
- Specifically designed for nurses
7. Shifts by Everhour
Shifts by Everhour is a versatile workforce management solution that can be tailored to meet the needs of healthcare teams. It offers features like time tracking, shift scheduling, and employee availability management. Shifts by Everhour also provides reporting tools to help healthcare managers make informed decisions about staffing and resource allocation.
Key Features:
- Time tracking and shift scheduling
- Employee availability management
- Reporting tools for informed decision-making
- Customizable for healthcare teams
Conclusion
These seven workforce management platforms are transforming healthcare scheduling by simplifying complex staffing processes, improving compliance, and enhancing communication between team members. From automated shift scheduling to mobile accessibility, each platform offers unique features that address the specific challenges faced by healthcare organizations. By adopting these tools, healthcare providers can boost efficiency, reduce costs, and improve job satisfaction for employees—ultimately leading to better patient outcomes. The future of workforce management in healthcare looks promising, with technology continuing to advance the way teams operate and care is delivered.
