Shift Planning Challenge

Creating good staff schedules at hospitals is a time-consuming and complicated process. The very nature of medical staff scheduling demands the utmost efficiency when it comes to managing shift plans for doctors, nurses and other hospital staff.

With many positions, functions and skill requirements to meet, legislation, accounting of work hours, off hours, budgets, etc. there is need for an intelligent and powerful decision support system – especially when the number of staff reaches hundreds and even thousands of employees, operating 24/7.

At the same time, Danish hospitals and prehospital providers face the challenge of both attracting and retaining committed doctors, nurses, and paramedics.

With PDC Plan, hospitals in Denmark achieve fair, uniform, compliant and transparent shift planning. This is followed by lower labor costs, increased productivity, less administration and supports attraction and retention of happy employees.

Great results from Central Denmark Region

Central Denmark Region is the second largest region, and PDC Plan streamlines staff scheduling for all +25,000 hospital staff members. PDC’s solution has been in use for many years but the latest developments and features that empower the individual staff member to influence his/her own work plan have resulted in greater recruitment and retainment of nurses along with improved productivity in surgery.

Recruitment and retainment of nurses

The vicious circle of work pressure on nurses, unfilled positions, sick leave, postponed operations, waiting lists, and absenteeism has been broken at the Regional Hospital in Randers.

Documented in an article published July 2024 by a national Danish broadcaster, it has become easier to recruit and retain nurses.“It means a lot that we are able to influence when and how we work. We have what we call a ‘wish plan'”, says Fatima Krogsgaard Skov, anesthetist nurse and trade union representative. ”There is a great deal of freedom in the employee group to accommodate work-life balance.”

Improved productivity in surgery

The regional hospital in Randers expects to be able to make 180 more artificial knees and hips in 2024 than previously expected. And there is a very special reason why the hospital can make more knees.

They have managed to both recruit and, not least, retain the sought-after nurse anesthetists. They are the ones who monitor and treat vital functions such as breathing and oxygen supply while the patient is under anesthesia.

At the hospital in Randers, they have significantly reduced the need to cancel patients due to lack of nurse anesthetists. That is a great feeling for the staff – not to mention patients.

It is not only the employees and patients who are happier that there are enough staff. It also reflects the economy. The total costs for the extra operations, including extra employees, are cheaper than if Randers hospital was forced to send the patients to a private hospital.

Challenges and Opportunities from PPP

From PDC’s perspective, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) present a range of both opportunities and challenges. One of the primary benefits of engaging in PPPs is the potential for revenue growth. Through long-term contracts with hospitals, PDC can establish a stable financial foundation, providing a steady stream of business and revenue. These partnerships also open up new markets, such as municipalities, helping expand PDC’s client base and reputation.

PPP gives PDC a platform to showcase our roster planning technologies to a broader audience. Additionally, working with hospitals on large-scale projects allows us to scale operations and refine our solutions based on real-world feedback. Successful PPPs can lead to long-term relationships with hospitals who are more likely to return to vendors who deliver proven value.

However, along with these opportunities come some challenges. One of the primary difficulties lies in the complex buying process including tendering and contract negotiations with Danish regions, which can be complex and time-consuming. Integration of PDC’s roster planning systems into hospitals’ existing infrastructure may require extensive customization and adaption, posing technical difficulties.

Furthermore, ensuring our solutions meet healthcare regulations and standards adds to the complexity of the design and implementation process. Handling sensitive data like staff schedules requires robust security measures, presenting ongoing data protection concerns. Lastly, hospitals have high expectations for PDC’s performance, including system reliability, accuracy in roster planning, and quick response to issues. Meeting these expectations consistently can be demanding.