The staff of a LTC facility is vital to its success. In order for an LTC facility to be both efficient and effective, the staff has to work together to provide proper care to its residence. In a bad economy with federal regulations crashing down, how does management handle the tough logistical issues of a large staff? If they are smart, they will use a staff scheduling and shift management software program that takes all of the guess work out of the equation.
The first area of concern is controlling labor costs. Labor costs make up a majority of the budget for an LTC facility. Some estimates are that as high as 70% of LTC operating budgets are eaten up by labor. Reducing overtime and scheduling effectively are ways to reduce these costs. There is software on the market that can dramatically help.
The second area of concern is trying to be more efficient. Much time is spent on scheduling and shift management. There is only so much time in a day, and most of it should be spent on providing high quality care to residents. Reducing time spent on scheduling can go a long way in reducing internal costs.
The third area of concern is the management of staffing. Historically, schedules were dealt with on a reactive level. With pressures for cost control, LTC facilities must be proactive in their strategy for staffing requirements. This means having a system that you can see live data on every employee and shift as far as coverage and hours worked. There is software that will prevents shortages as well as overtime in regards to scheduling.
The last concern has to do with the quality of care. An unorganized fly-by-the-pants method of scheduling and shift maintenance leads to a stressed and frustrated staff which leads to poor care for residents. A happy staff will ensure longevity of work for your facility, avoiding high turnover, but more importantly will come out in the work the staff does and how they interact with the residents.






