One of your caregivers just called out sick, and your heart sinks because you know what not being able to fill this shift could mean for your patient, Mrs. Smith. For her, it’s so much more than an inconvenience. It means that Mrs. Smith won’t be able to get out of bed this morning. She won’t be able to shower or get to put on clean clothes. And she’ll most likely have to spend the day without any social interaction.
An efficient scheduling system does more than just improve operational efficiency for homecare providers— it ensures patients receive the critical care they need, even when unexpected events occur. Here we explore how you can use technology to streamline the scheduling process and improve the lives of your coordinators, caregivers, and ultimately patients.
People are complex, and not every caregiver is the right fit for every patient, and vice versa. Whether you’re dealing with language differences, care needs, proximity requirements, gender preferences, or even pet allergies — it’s important that caregivers and patients are well-matched and feel comfortable with each other.
That’s where a patient-caregiver matching system comes in. Instead of spending hours trying to figure out who is the best caregiver for each patient, let the software do it for you. Using a tool that has this matching capability will allow you to quickly pair caregivers and patients based on availability, needs, and preferences. Caregivers will know there was no scheduling bias involved, and hopefully both patients and caregivers will be satisfied that their preferences were heard and their needs were met.
The dreaded last-minute scramble. One of your caregivers calls in to let you know they can’t make a shift. Instead of taking time away from your work to call around to see who’s available to cover, use technology to fill the shift quickly.
With a broadcasting tool, providers can send shift alerts to all caregivers at once or communicate securely with select caregivers via text, email, or phone. With the HHAeXchange mobile app, caregivers can quickly raise their hand to show interest for available shifts that also match their availability.
Not only does this type of technology allow you to be more efficient, it also means that your patients won’t be left in the lurch.
Having a fully staffed homecare agency is essential to providing great care to your patients. Yet, this is easier said than done considering the ongoing caregiver shortage. To maintain your qualified caregivers, you need to provide them with technology that will make their jobs and lives easier. One way to do that is to give them greater control over their schedules. With an app like the HHAeXchange mobile app, caregivers can access their schedules in the palm of their hand. They have visibility into their day-to-day plans, can quickly and easily pick up desired shifts, get directions to their patients’ homes, and chat with the office if they have questions or issues.
This type of technology helps caregivers quickly resolve problems that might otherwise prevent them from getting to a client’s home on time for their shift.
Life happens and we all make mistakes, but with the help of technology, those mistakes can be caught and corrected early. A software with built-in alerting will warn you of scheduling errors and will ultimately save you a huge headache down the road. HHAeXchange alerts you to potential shift overlaps, overtime pay, vacation conflicts, and caregiver non-compliance or missed training. Additionally, you get real-time notifications if a caregiver is not present for a visit.
These alerts will save your caregivers and administrators frustrations over wasted time, and you’ll be alerted instantly if a patient’s caregiver isn’t present for their shift.
Your time is valuable, and an automated scheduling system allows you to focus on growing your business and helps you reduce operational costs. But at the end of the day, the most important thing it does is provide your patients with the best possible care, consistently. Automation can seem impersonable, but the truth is automating these administrative tasks gives providers the opportunity to care for their patients’ needs, match their preferences, and ensure their caregivers are there for them when they need them most.
Scheduling isn’t just calendars and time-consuming administrative tasks, streamlined scheduling is critical to providing patient care. Efficient scheduling means Mrs. Smith got to get out of bed, take a shower, and talk to her caregiver over a lovely cup of tea.
Contact us today to learn how you can save time, reduce your homecare agency’s operational costs, and improve patient care with HHAeXchange’s scheduling engine.
See More Blog