In any healthcare setting, it is clear that surgery scheduling can be extremely difficult and time-consuming. A lot of the work involved in scheduling surgeries must be performed specifically by a surgery scheduler, but some facilities do not have them. At MedCore Solutions, we specialize in helping organizations hire remote workers and can help your healthcare facility hire the people it needs for all scheduling purposes.
Why You Need to Hire Surgery Schedulers
As was already mentioned, the surgical scheduling system frequently depends substantially on the toil of lone surgical schedulers. Since it is controlled by only one individual, a lot of the information is compartmentalized. Additionally, it is considerably more difficult to explain complicated surgery plans, deadlines, and resource requirements in major healthcare facilities due to the widespread use of paper or email forms.
Because of this, information is missed and details may be handled improperly. Therefore, adding unnecessary work to the scheduler’s and occasionally the surgeon’s plate. The problems brought on by paper-based, antiquated surgical scheduling could end up in cancellation and delaying of operations. Wasted block time, disappointed patients, general case mismanagement, and increased inefficiency also may occur as a result of delayed, paper-based surgery scheduling.
In fact, a patient may well seek surgical care from another physician due to scheduling conflicts, resulting in lost income or damage to the reputation of various healthcare facilities. The surgery schedulers staffed by MedCore Solutions can bring positive change to issues like this.
Schedulers Have Too Much Work
One of the biggest issues facing schedulers in the healthcare industry is that physicians rely too heavily on surgical schedulers. As a result, unanticipated absences (i.e. illness) can bring the entire operating room to a standstill. The scheduler is also managing a massive workload. This involves keeping all parties informed, making sure the patient has the best experience and care possible, coordinating phone calls with a hectic surgical staff, and performing numerous manual duties.
Shifting to an online format is the easiest solution to this problem. By shifting to an online platform, the scheduler can safely and remotely access electronic posting sheets. Thus, the practice is able to continue providing patients with treatment even if the scheduler is unable to work—say, in the case of a quarantine.
At MedCore, our surgical schedulers perform a variety of duties remotely and can help your organization in any way necessary. The surgery schedulers at MedCore enhance patient satisfaction while helping medical facilities plan and schedule treatments.
Absence of Explicit Responsibilities for Case Management
Furthermore, a large issue amongst surgery scheduling is a lack of understanding in terms of someone’s clear roles in managing a case. This is largely caused by a hospital’s dependence on paper forms or emails for scheduling surgeries. Tired and stressed staff may send messages or change material regarding surgical scheduling or participation from stakeholders that are not received by all parties involved in the surgery.
How can this be fixed? It’s time to replace your paper-based scheduling system with automated scheduling software. This allows you to manage the information flow for each case from beginning to end.
An Influx of Unfinished Forms or Information Missing
The final issue is the lack of essential data required for surgical procedures. Due to missing patient information, incomplete documents, and other mishandled details, countless surgeries have been postponed or even canceled. These supposedly small mistakes can lead to major case mismanagement and drastically lower the effectiveness and profitability of the operating room.
However, these difficulties are not specific to paper-based scheduling forms. Surgery order forms are typically integrated into electronic medical record systems. Unfortunately, completing these static, lengthy digital forms is just as unpleasant as completing paper ones, and for many surgeons, it can even be more difficult and time-consuming. Overworked schedulers who are frequently tasked with completing these EMR forms on behalf of the surgeon inevitably complete the bare minimum to record the case. The ultimate outcome is case information that is insufficient.
Looking to Add Surgery Schedulers in your Healthcare Practice?
MedCore Solutions can help your practice tackle staffing shortages and bring more surgery schedulers to your team. They are an industry leader in streamlined medical billing and administrative services. MedCore’s specialists offer a solution to industry-wide staffing shortages while helping your practice run smoothly. MedCore tailors solutions to the needs of each medical practice so providers can focus on what matters most: taking care of their patients. Learn more at https://medcoresolutions.com/.
References
MedCore Solutions. Surgery Schedulers. (2023, April 25). Retrieved from https://medcoresolutions.com/surgery-schedulers/
Medovate Technologies, INC. (2022, December 22). The 4 most common issues in surgery scheduling and how to overcome them. Retrieved from https://blog.casectrl.com/the-4-most-common-issues-in-surgery-scheduling-and-how-to-overcome-them