API Healthcare, which specializes in healthcare-specific workforce management solutions, has introduced the Electronic Employee Record, a technology that enables hospitals to improve patient care through best-practice talent optimization.
As healthcare reform finds providers caring for more patients with fewer resources, the Electronic Employee Record seeks to enable a patient-centered, end-to-end workforce management strategy.
The storing, managing and maintaining of all employee information throughout the entire cycle of employment allows for streamlined workflows, resulting in a seamless data flow that makes it possible to track trends and create forecasts that improve staff utilization. This improved efficiency can help increase employee morale, resulting in a more satisfied and empowered nursing staff.
“The Electronic Employee Record provides a crucial link between the financial and clinical sides of the business,” said J.P. Fingado, president and CEO of API Healthcare. “With real-time readily accessible information about actual patient care needs and the staff available to provide that care, hospitals are better able balance the financial realities of healthcare with their commitment to providing outstanding patient care.”
Under healthcare reform, hospitals seeking Medicare/Medicaid funds will be held to higher patient care quality metrics. Effective scheduling, including matching specific nurse skills with specific patient needs in the most cost effective manner, is vital to achieving the best possible clinical and financial results.
Leveraging a comprehensive end-to-end workforce management strategy that allows for consistent management of employee information from the time he or she is hired until they retire or leave an organization, provides a significant advantage when it comes to protecting crucial federal reimbursements, say API execs.
The Electronic Employee Record can be put to use in several areas:
- Controlling overtime. Complete insight into an employee’s schedule enables organizations to project overtime and take the appropriate measures to avoid it before it occurs. In addition, the use of data from an integrated labor resource management system allows for the analysis of incidental overtime patterns, enabling the development of policies that eliminate the unexpected and unnecessary instances of incidental overtime without violating the Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Managing supplemental and contingency staff. Many providers are turning towards contingency staffing to fill gaps either as additional resources or as an alternative to hiring permanent staff. When both agencies and providers use a single integrated workforce management system to fill open shifts, providers can be sure their contingent staff has the right credentials and skills to provide the high quality patient care required.
- Staffing based on true patient care needs. Bridging the gap between patient needs and the staffing plan is essential to affordable, high-quality care, and setting nurses up for success is essential to maintaining a satisfied workforce. When patient classification information is linked with staffing and scheduling information in realtime, staffing adjustments can be made before the beginning of a shift, ensuring optimal patient care.
- Synchronizing productivity and budget numbers. With a complete end-to-end workforce management system, managers and staffing coordinators can find the nurse with the right qualifications to most cost-effectively staff each shift. That empowers healthcare providers to make both cost and quality part of the staffing equation.
