Ep. 398 Scheduling Strategies for Clinicians: Flexibility and Transparency with Dr. Brandon St. Amant
Dec 29, 2023
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Dr. Brandon St. Amant, an interventional radiologist, and Dr. Michael Barraza discuss scheduling strategies in the medical field. They delve into the challenges of manual scheduling, transitioning to online scheduling with QGenda, handling holiday schedules, implementing a buy-sell system for shifts, and providing final tips for effective scheduling.
Transitioning to a computerized scheduling process takes time and effort, but it offers benefits such as transparency, flexibility, and reduced errors.
Using a hybrid approach of manual and automated scheduling allows for greater customization and efficiency.
Deep dives
Transitioning to an Automated Scheduling Process
It is crucial to build trust and understand that transitioning to a computerized scheduling process takes time and effort to perfect. The initial rule sets and configurations must be carefully crafted to ensure accurate scheduling. It is important for the entire group to buy into the transition and not expect immediate perfection. The benefits of an automated system include transparency, real-time updates, and synchronization with mobile calendars. It allows for greater flexibility, enables auditing of the schedule, and reduces scheduling errors.
Manual and Automated Scheduling Combination
A hybrid approach of manual and automated scheduling works best for practice efficiency. Using Microsoft Excel, the scheduler creates the shell of the schedule by determining the required number of doctors for each day based on workflow demands. Manual scheduling is done to prioritize vacation weeks and specific preferences. Kijaenda, the chosen scheduling solution, takes over to fill in gaps according to the rule sets and requirements set by the practice. This combination allows for greater customization while benefiting from automated scheduling.
Addressing Holiday Scheduling Challenges
Holiday scheduling poses unique challenges that Kijaenda may not handle effectively due to variations in holidays among different groups. To tackle this, the practice integrated holiday scheduling into call schedules. By assigning shifts on holidays and incentivizing with additional pay, parity and coverage are ensured. The scheduler, in collaboration with the buy/sell system, manages the distribution of shifts, allowing doctors to buy and sell shifts according to their preferences and workload. This system promotes flexibility and fairness in handling holidays.
Considerations for New Hires and Vacation Scheduling
Integrating new hires into an existing schedule can be challenging, especially when schedules are made months in advance. However, by incorporating X-Man, a fictitious placeholder, shifts can be sold or assigned until the new hire joins. Vacation scheduling considers factors such as contractual obligations, work-life balance, and overall workload. By tailoring the vacation allotment according to the prescribed work quotient, practices can ensure proportional vacation time for all doctors. The option to swap shifts, buy and sell shifts using the buy/sell system, provides additional flexibility for doctors to tailor their schedules to their preferences.
In this episode of The Backtable Podcast, host Dr. Michael Barraza and guest Dr. Brandon St. Amant have an in-depth discussion about QGenda, an online scheduling solution. Both doctors practice interventional radiology at Radiology Associates in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
They discuss the initial setup process, from rule setting to managing shift assignments and creating transparency among the team. The key points of the conversation include the concept of the ‘holiday schedule’, the ‘buy sell system’ for open shifts, and making ‘longer schedules’ for predictability. The episode emphasizes the ongoing role of the scheduler and the need to build trust when transitioning to an electronic system like QGenda.
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SHOW NOTES
00:00 - Introduction
03:08 - The Challenges of Manual Scheduling
05:00 - Transition to QGenda
09:34 - The Role of Excel in Scheduling
22:06 - Handling Holiday Schedules
26:50 - Buy-Sell System for Shifts
33:17 - Final Tips for Effective Scheduling
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RESOURCES
QGenda:
https://www.qgenda.com/
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