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As a medical tech aficionado, I understand the hectic nature of healthcare scheduling and its impact on your work-life balance, patient care, and overall productivity. The right software can transform this daily juggling act into a streamlined process. Enter medical staff scheduling software - an innovative solution designed to automate, optimize, and simplify staff scheduling tasks in a healthcare setting.

With these tools, you'll experience benefits like improved efficiency, reduced scheduling errors, slash labor costs, and better resource management. They help tackle critical pain points such as miscommunication, double bookings, staff shortages, and administrative burdens. Remember, a well-rested healthcare team results in happier patients, and these software solutions can pave the way. So, without further ado, let's explore the options together and find the one that fits your needs the best. Trust me, you won't look back!

What Is Medical Staff Scheduling Software?

Medical staff scheduling software is an innovative technological solution specifically designed to streamline the process of scheduling healthcare professionals. Used primarily by hospital administrators, nursing managers, caregiver managers, and medical office managers, this software serves to assign shifts, manage time-off requests, track staff availability, and ensure optimal staffing levels.

Whether it's a large hospital, small clinic, or home healthcare agency, these software tools help ensure that there is always a balanced distribution of medical staff on duty, facilitating better patient care, improving operational efficiency, and reducing administrative workloads.

Best Medical Staff Scheduling Software Summary

Tools Price
When I Work From $2/user/month
Softworks Pricing upon request
Shiftboard From $45/user/month
Findmyshift From $1.75/user/month
Petal Health From $40/user/month
QGenda Pricing upon request.
Thryv From $15/user/month
StaffReady Pricing upon request
Roosted Pricing upon request
5280 Clinic From $5/employee/month (billed annually)
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Best Medical Staff Scheduling Software Reviews

Best for simplifying shift management across multiple locations

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $2/user/month
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Rating: 4.3/5

When I Work is a user-friendly web-based scheduling software designed to simplify shift management. It excels particularly in environments where shifts span across multiple locations, such as in large healthcare facilities or chains.

Why I Picked When I Work:

I chose When I Work for its ease-of-use and robust functionality, particularly for businesses operating in multiple locations. Its ability to streamline shift management across diverse locations sets it apart. This is the rationale behind its standing as the best for simplifying shift management across multiple locations.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Key features include easy shift swaps, open shift management, team messaging, and advanced reporting. When I Work also integrates with popular payroll providers, which simplifies payroll processing and management.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Offers a free plan for small teams
  • Robust functionality for managing shifts across multiple locations
  • Affordable pricing structure

Cons:

  • Some features, like payroll integrations, may require additional setup
  • Might be overkill for single-location businesses
  • Advanced features require a paid plan

Best for time and attendance tracking in healthcare facilities

  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 4.1/5

Softworks provides a workforce management solution, specializing in time and attendance tracking. It's particularly applicable in healthcare facilities, where accurate time tracking is crucial for operational efficiency and compliance purposes.

Why I Picked Softworks:

I chose Softworks for its robust time and attendance tracking features. Compared to others, it offers a high degree of customization and detailed reporting that makes it different. Considering the unique demands of healthcare facilities, such as shift rotations and overtime management, Softworks is best suited for this scenario.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Key features of Softworks include comprehensive time and attendance tracking, absence management, and a self-service portal. The system can also integrate with various payroll systems, HR systems, and access control systems, making it adaptable to various healthcare facility setups.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Multiple integrations with payroll, HR, and access control systems
  • High degree of customization and detailed reporting
  • Comprehensive time and attendance tracking

Cons:

  • Setup might be complex for small healthcare facilities
  • Pricing information not transparent
  • No free plan available

Best for workforce optimization in large-scale healthcare organizations

  • Free demo available
  • From $45/user/month

Shiftboard is a comprehensive workforce management tool that focuses on optimizing operations for large-scale healthcare organizations. It provides an efficient way to manage shifts, track employee work hours, and ensure that staffing needs are always met.

Why I Picked Shiftboard:

I chose Shiftboard for its robust feature set and specific tailoring towards large-scale healthcare organizations. Its commitment to workforce optimization and efficient shift management, even in complex environments, really stood out to me. That's why it's the tool I determined to be best for large-scale healthcare organizations needing workforce optimization.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Shiftboard shines with its workforce optimization features such as shift swapping, overtime control, and advanced scheduling. It also integrates with major HR and payroll systems, supporting a more streamlined workflow.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Tailored for large-scale healthcare organizations
  • Integrates with major HR and payroll systems
  • Comprehensive workforce optimization features

Cons:

  • May be too complex for smaller organizations or those with simpler needs
  • Does not offer a free tier
  • Higher starting price than some competitors

Best for cost-effective shift planning in hospitals

  • Unlimited free trial
  • From $1.75/user/month
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Rating: 4.8/5

Findmyshift is a dedicated shift scheduling platform, with a particular emphasis on simplicity and affordability. The software is known for its cost-effectiveness and ease of use, making it an ideal choice for hospital environments where managing staff rotations can be complex and cost-sensitive.

Why I Picked Findmyshift:

I selected Findmyshift for this list because of its focus on providing an affordable solution for shift scheduling. This tool is different in that it maintains a simple, straightforward user interface while offering competitive pricing, which is particularly important for hospitals operating on tight budgets. Based on this, I determined that Findmyshift is best for cost-effective shift planning in hospitals.

What Do You Get for Free?

Findmyshift offers a free trial that allows users to experience the platform before committing to a paid plan. However, this free trial has limitations, including a limited number of shifts that can be scheduled.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Findmyshift's most notable features include its drag-and-drop schedule interface, automatic shift reminders, and time-off request management. In terms of integrations, Findmyshift can sync with calendar apps like Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCal, which can be useful for keeping track of shifts outside of the platform.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Ability to sync with popular calendar apps
  • User-friendly scheduling interface
  • Affordable and straightforward pricing model

Cons:

  • Some users may find the interface overly simplistic
  • Lacks some advanced features found in more expensive platforms
  • Limited functionality in the free trial

Best for streamlining physician scheduling in multi-specialty clinics

  • From $40/user/month

Petal Health provides a robust web-based platform for managing physician schedules. It's tailored to meet the complexities of multi-specialty clinics, where coordinating physician schedules can be a significant challenge.

Why I Picked Petal Health:

I picked Petal Health because of its focus on solving the unique scheduling challenges faced by multi-specialty clinics. Unlike generic scheduling tools, Petal Health has specialized features for managing physician availability, vacation, and rotations, making it stand out from others.

Its powerful algorithm can handle the complexities of physician scheduling in such a diverse clinical setting, making it the best tool for this purpose.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Petal Health's platform is packed with specialized features like automated schedule generation, vacation management, on-call scheduling, and shift trade. It also offers integrations with many leading electronic health records (EHR) systems, ensuring a seamless flow of information across different platforms in a healthcare setting.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Automated schedule generation reduces administrative burden
  • Integration with leading EHR systems
  • Specialized features for physician scheduling

Cons:

  • Potential steep learning curve for staff not familiar with digital scheduling solutions
  • Pricing details are not transparent
  • No free plan available

Best for nurse scheduling with robust reporting capabilities

  • Pricing upon request.

Qgenda is a comprehensive healthcare staff scheduling software widely used in healthcare settings, notably for nurse scheduling. The platform stands out due to its robust reporting capabilities, which provide valuable insights for workforce optimization in a nursing context.

Why I Picked Qgenda:

In choosing Qgenda for this list, I noted its excellent reporting features. The tool's capacity to track various metrics and present detailed reports makes it a standout option. Given this capability, I believe Qgenda to be particularly effective for nurse scheduling needs where understanding shifts, workload distribution, and productivity data is paramount.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Among Qgenda's key features are its automated nurse scheduling app, workload balancing, and robust reporting tools. As for integrations, Qgenda can sync with major EHR systems like Epic and Cerner, enhancing workflow continuity within healthcare organizations.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Integrations with major EHR systems
  • Automated scheduling and workload balancing
  • Robust reporting capabilities

Cons:

  • May be over-complex for small organizations
  • Pricing information not transparent
  • No free plan available

Best for wellness businesses seeking an all-in-one management solution

  • Free demo available
  • From $15/user/month
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Rating: 5/5

Thryv is a comprehensive management software tailored for wellness businesses. It offers a holistic approach to management, providing features for staff scheduling, marketing, invoicing, and client communication, among others.

Why I Picked Thryv:

In my assessment, I selected Thryv due to its comprehensive feature set that fits the multifaceted needs of wellness businesses. Its all-in-one template, which integrates everything from scheduling to invoicing, makes it a standout choice. This comprehensive approach is why I believe Thryv is the best for wellness businesses that require more than just a staff scheduling solution.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Thryv's standout features include automated appointment scheduling, reminders, and client communication tools, along with features for CRM, invoicing, and marketing. It also integrates with a number of popular platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Google, QuickBooks, and more, facilitating seamless data sharing across different aspects of your business.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Customizable based on business needs
  • Seamless integration with popular platforms
  • All-in-one management solution

Cons:

  • Might be too complex for businesses seeking a simple scheduling solution
  • Pricing information is not readily available
  • No free plan or trial available

Best for ensuring compliance with built-in competency assessments

  • Pricing upon request

StaffReady is a robust staff scheduling tool specifically designed for the complex healthcare environment. Its powerful features streamline not only staff scheduling but also competency assessment, a crucial element in maintaining compliance in the medical field.

Why I Picked StaffReady:

After extensive comparison and judgment, I picked StaffReady for its seamless integration of staff scheduling and competency assessments, a unique offering that sets it apart. It excels in automating these often tedious tasks, ensuring a streamlined workflow and optimal compliance. StaffReady truly stands out as the best for organizations that prioritize competency assessments as a part of their scheduling and staff management, allowing managers to have all necessary information in one place.

Standout Features and Integrations:

StaffReady offers a suite of features including automated staff scheduling, competency assessment, document control, and quality retention. Its real-time dashboard provides an at-a-glance view of staffing levels, competency status, and other key metrics. The tool also integrates seamlessly with major HR systems, allowing for streamlined data sharing and improved workflow.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Integrates with major HR systems
  • Includes competency assessments for improved compliance
  • Specializes in healthcare staffing needs

Cons:

  • The interface may have a steep learning curve for some users
  • Pricing is not transparent, provided upon request
  • No free trial or plan available

Best for automating healthcare staff scheduling tasks

  • Pricing upon request

Roosted is a scheduling tool specifically designed for healthcare providers. It aims to alleviate the burden of staff scheduling by automating as many tasks as possible. Its potential to significantly reduce the time and effort spent on scheduling makes it ideal for automating healthcare staff scheduling tasks.

Why I Picked Roosted:

I picked Roosted because of its focus on automation. While many tools offer scheduling capabilities, Roosted stood out because it is designed to automate as many of these tasks as possible. This unique focus makes it the best choice for healthcare organizations seeking to streamline their scheduling processes.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Roosted includes comprehensive scheduling features with an emphasis on automation. These include automatic schedule generation, easy shift swapping, and real-time availability updates. For integrations, it can seamlessly connect with major HRIS and payroll systems to streamline data flow across different platforms.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Real-time availability updates for effective schedule management
  • Seamless integration with major HRIS and payroll systems
  • Emphasis on automation for staff scheduling tasks

Cons:

  • May be more features than some smaller organizations need
  • Pricing is not transparent
  • No free tier or trial

Best for managing coverage and pairing providers with MAs

  • Free trial available
  • From $5/employee/month (billed annually)

5280 Clinic is an advanced scheduling software specifically designed for medical clinics, leveraging OpenAI's ChatGPT technology to streamline shift management.

Why I Picked 5280 Clinic:

I chose 5280 Clinic for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. This intuitive design allows healthcare providers to easily create and adjust schedules without the need for extensive training. The software supports various scheduling options, including weekly, pattern, and individual shift scheduling, which provides flexibility to accommodate different staffing needs. Additionally, 5280 Clinic's provider pairing calendar allows clinics to easily view and manage which providers are paired with medical assistants side by side, ensuring optimal staff coverage and efficient scheduling.

Standout Features and Integrations:

Key features include multiple calendar views, time off management, shift swap requests, a functional dashboard to manage data and track key performance indicators, and extensive training resources for learning the platform. As for integrations, 5280 Clinic doesn't list its offerings on the website and may require direct inquiry.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Time-off and shift swap features
  • Ability to view schedules using multiple views
  • Drag-and-drop scheduling interface

Cons:

  • Could offer more robust features like time tracking
  • Despite extensive training materials, the platform may still come with a small learning curve

Other Medical Staff Scheduling Software

Below is a list of additional medical staff scheduling software that I shortlisted, but did not make it to the top 10. Definitely worth checking them out.

  1. OnShift

    Best for reducing staff turnover with predictive analytics

  2. TheraNest

    Best for mental health providers with integrated practice management features

  3. Connecteam

    Best for improving team communication in healthcare settings

  4. SimplyBook.me

    Good for offering online bookings to patients

  5. Deputy

    Good for scheduling shifts for healthcare workers

  6. Pabau

    Good for combining patient management with staff scheduling in clinics

  7. DaySmart Appointments

    Good for managing healthcare appointments on the go

  8. AMN Healthcare

    Good for managing workforce of large healthcare institutions

  9. BookJane

    Good for flexible shift filling in healthcare organizations

  10. Casetabs

    Good for coordinating surgical case scheduling in real-time

  11. 10to8

    Good for reducing no-shows with automated appointment reminders

  12. EMR Bear

    Good for combining patient scheduling with electronic medical record keeping

  13. ShiftWizard

    Good for streamlining healthcare staff scheduling with cost control

  14. Odoo

    Good for integrating staff scheduling with other business functions

  15. Aladdin.me

    Good for tracking and scheduling healthcare assets

  16. Symplr Workforce

    Good for comprehensive healthcare workforce management

  17. TherapyNotes

    Good for integrated note-taking and scheduling for therapists

  18. Inovalon

    Good for combining workforce management with healthcare data analytics

  19. NurseGrid

    Good for optimizing nurse staffing and communication

  20. ShiftWise

    Good for large-scale staffing in healthcare organizations

Selection Criteria For Medical Staff Scheduling Software

Choosing the right medical staff scheduling software is a crucial task. Through rigorous testing and research, I have evaluated over twenty tools, focusing on specific functionalities that are critical in healthcare staff management. I'll detail those key criteria below.

Core Functionality

  • Staff Scheduling: The software must allow for easy creation and modification of staff schedules.
  • Role-Based Access: The tool should allow for role-based access to ensure that employees only access relevant information.
  • Compliance Monitoring: It should aid in tracking work hours and ensure adherence to labor laws and healthcare regulations (HIPAA).
  • Shift Swapping: A built-in system for staff to swap shifts, subject to approval.

Key Features

  • Automated Scheduling: The tool generates optimal schedules automatically based on specified constraints such as staff availability, skills, and labor laws.
  • Mobile Access: A mobile app or mobile-friendly interface (Android/iOs) is crucial for staff to check their work schedules on the go.
  • Notifications and Alerts: The tool should provide real-time notifications about scheduled last-minute changes or upcoming shifts.
  • Reporting and Analytics: The software should provide insights into staff utilization, shift patterns, and potential issues.

Usability

  • Intuitive Interface: Given the time-sensitive nature of healthcare work, the tool should have a clear, intuitive interface that makes scheduling tasks quick and easy.
  • Easy Onboarding: The software should be straightforward to learn and use, minimizing disruption during the transition.
  • Drag-and-Drop Scheduling: The tool should allow administrators to make schedule changes easily, such as through a drag-and-drop calendar interface.
  • Customer Support: Quick, responsive customer support is essential to address any issues promptly, ensuring the smooth operation of scheduling processes.
  • Training Resources: The tool should provide comprehensive resources for training and onboarding users, especially for more complex software solutions.

Most Common Questions Regarding Medical Staff Scheduling Software (FAQs)

What are the benefits of using medical staff scheduling software?

Utilizing medical staff scheduling software offers numerous benefits:

  1. Improved Efficiency: These tools can automate the scheduling process, eliminating the need for manual, spreadsheets and paper-based systems, thus saving time and reducing errors.
  2. Increased Staff Satisfaction: With transparent and fair scheduling, employees can better manage their personal time, leading to increased job satisfaction.
  3. Compliance Management: Such software ensures adherence to labor laws and healthcare regulations, mitigating risk and enhancing patient safety.
  4. Better Resource Utilization: These tools allow for optimal allocation of staff, minimizing overtime costs and reducing under or overstaffing.
  5. Enhanced Communication: Many tools include built-in communication features, ensuring staff are notified promptly about schedule changes.

How much does medical staff scheduling software cost?

The pricing of medical staff scheduling software can vary significantly depending on the features, the number of users, and the specific needs of the healthcare facility. Some tools offer pricing per user, while others may have a flat monthly or annual fee.

What are the typical pricing models for medical staff scheduling software?

The most common pricing models are per-user-per-month, where each staff member using the software constitutes a user, and flat rate, which is a fixed price irrespective of the number of users. Some tools may also offer volume discounts for larger organizations or long-term contracts.

What is the typical range of pricing for these tools?

The price for medical staff scheduling software generally starts around $10 per user per month and can go up to $100 per user per month or more for premium features and larger organizations.

Which are the cheapest and most expensive medical staff scheduling software?

The cheapest software like Deputy starts at around $2.50 per user per month, while more premium options like AMN Healthcare can reach upwards of $100 per user per month, depending on the specific features and services offered.

Are there any free options for medical staff scheduling software?

Yes, some tools like SimplyBook.me offer a free version of their software. However, these free versions are often limited in features and functionality, so they may not be suitable for larger or more complex healthcare facilities.

Other Medical Practice Management Software Reviews

Summary

In summary, choosing the right medical staff scheduling software can significantly streamline your staffing processes, improve employee satisfaction, and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. The array of software options each comes with a distinct set of features and pricing models, and the best choice largely depends on your healthcare facility's specific needs.

Key Takeaways:

1. Identify Your Needs - Before you start your search, it's essential to understand your healthcare facility's specific requirements. This could include the size of your staff, the complexity of your schedules, or any regulatory requirements you must meet.

2. Evaluate Features - Not all software offers the same features. Some excel in automated scheduling and communication, others focus on robust reporting capabilities, while some cater to multi-specialty clinics. Ensure the software you select aligns with your operational needs.

3. Consider the Cost - While pricing shouldn't be the sole factor in your decision, it's still a significant consideration. Determine your budget beforehand and look for software that offers the best value for your money, considering both the immediate cost and the potential long-term savings through improved efficiency and resource utilization.

What Do You Think?

I've endeavored to provide a comprehensive guide to help you find the best medical staff scheduling software for your specific needs. However, there may be other great options out there that I haven't discovered yet. If you're using a tool that you think should be on this list, I'd love to hear about it. Please don't hesitate to share your recommendations and experiences with us.

John Payne
By John Payne

John Payne is the co-founder and company director of Symphony Health. With over 20 years of management experience John is working alongside his wife, Dr. Kate Payne to build a multi-site Medical Practice where staff work collaboratively for the good of their patients. John is passionate about improving access to quality Healthcare in North Vancouver and sharing best practice with other people managing medical practices.