Why the Best First Step in the Retailization of Healthcare is a More Efficient Scheduling Solution

As consumers, we have all become used to the convenience and rapid service that retailers provide through e-commerce. But when it comes to healthcare, patients don’t always experience the same convenience. That’s why many healthcare facilities are looking to retail best practices to help their operations meet the increasing demand for quick and easy service.

The “retailization of healthcare” is a phrase used to explain the current shift occurring in the healthcare industry. It means that if healthcare providers wish to keep their patients satisfied, they would be wise to take some cues from their counterparts in retail. Much like how retail goods and services are delivered to customers, healthcare facilities will need to meet new service expectations in a more convenient and patient-friendly manner. This includes providing distributed settings of care, localized services, less capital-intensive care delivery systems and more.

But before healthcare facilities can make the necessary changes in their operations, they first need to be sure that they have an organized clinical staff ready to provide more personalized care. Many healthcare facilities rely on manual or disparate scheduling systems that take focus away from patient-facing responsibilities. In fact, according to Zebra Technologies’ recent healthcare survey report of more than 300 nurses, nearly 60% of all nurse managers reported spending more than one day of their work week managing the schedule. That is too much time spent scheduling staff and too little time dedicated to providing next-level care.

When healthcare facilities invest in a modern scheduling solution, they are helping nurses and nurse managers stay more focused on patient health and creating a better overall healthcare experience. An easy way to bring the retailization of healthcare from strategy to reality is by investing in key technology that helps create an environment that puts the patient first.

Taking the First Step

If healthcare facilities wish to amplify their patient-service, then old staffing methods must change. Since patient experience is primarily in the hands of nurses, it is important for healthcare facilities to first ensure that they have the right staff member, with the right patient, providing the right personalized care. To maximize the potential of their nurse’s ability to provide higher-level service, facilities most first focus on overcoming these scheduling challenges:

• Reliance on cumbersome and time-consuming employee scheduling processes
• Outdated systems that can’t factor in employee availability and work preferences
• Inadequate support for allowing automated shift swaps based on employee skills and other critical attributes
• Inability to make quick system-recommended changes to fill potentially open shifts when staff request time-off
• Difficulty in filling shifts to match surges in online customer demand
• Technical inability to track compliance rules—which can lead to labor law or policy compliance violations

When the goal is to improve patient experiences, it is crucial that the correct number of caregivers with the proper credentials are available to provide this higher level of care. Aspects of staff optimization include the ability for caregivers to access schedules on mobile devices, swap shifts and self-manage on their own time. Healthcare facilities should also consider using mobile employee self-service tools to simplify changes and maximize employee availability, much like many retailers do today. This approach helps engage staff, mitigate the impact of call-outs, and will help reduce attrition.

Beneficial to Both Patients and Staff

While a modernized scheduling process helps bring the focus back to the patient, it also has a direct and positive impact on job satisfaction for staff members. When healthcare facilities give their team members more visibility into their work schedules, they are giving them the ability to be a part of how, when and where they provide their best healthcare services. A healthy and satisfied work environment translates to the patient. So why not help improve employee satisfaction while simultaneously giving patients an efficient environment they can trust.  

Next Steps

As more hospitals join in on the retailization of healthcare, it is time for facilities to consider the best first step- finding a more efficient scheduling solution. When healthcare facilities find a better way to effectively manage their staff, they can spend more time focusing on what matters—serving those in need. Helping staff do their job better with an efficient scheduling solution will enable healthcare providers to improve employee satisfaction and -most importantly—put their patients first. To learn more about how workforce management software can help hospitals, visit our website here.