Northridge Hospital Medical Center Implements Selfscheduling with RESQ Software to Give Employees More Control over their Sch



RES-Q Healthcare Systems announced that Northridge Hospital Medical Center, a 425-bed hospital in Northridge, Calif., has adopted self-scheduling with the RES-Q Labor Resource Management system. Northridge has used the RES-Q system since 1999 to manage staffing and scheduling for 1,200 employees. The RES-Q software produces clinically sound, skill-matched and financially optimized staffing in efficient schedules. The optional Self-scheduling Module enables staff to view their department's schedules and then select their own shifts or propose exchanging shifts with colleagues.

"We added self-scheduling with RES-Q to make scheduling more convenient for all our nurses and to ensure that the process for requesting shifts is consistent and fair across departments," said Cheryl Witt, manager of nursing operations, Northridge Hospital Medical Center. "Self-scheduling helps us attract and retain nurses by giving them greater control over their schedules."

Registered users sign on to the RES-Q Self-scheduling Module with their personal passwords and access a security-controlled console, designed to be as simple as a bank ATM interface. The console presents three options: My Personnel Record, which users can access to update basic personnel information (such as addresses and phone numbers); Schedule Requests to view and choose shifts; and Class Registration for self-registration in continuing medical education (CME).

With shift codes and descriptions specific to each department, Schedule Requests presents a grid that displays all shifts and all employees who can be scheduled. Cells within the grid are color-coded, and shifts short of staff are highlighted in red. Employees can quickly view their department's schedules and click on the shifts they want to request. RES-Q Labor Resource Management applies department-specific scheduling rules (for example, to prevent more than two employees to schedule vacations on any given day). If an employee is scheduled to work a shift that they would like a colleague to cover for them, they right-click on that cell in the grid. A "shift pick-up" request is automatically e-mailed to all employees in their department, and the shift changes color on the grid.

The department manager signs on to the Management View in the module to review and approve requests and finalize schedules. E-mail messages are then automatically formatted and sent to employees' work and home e-mail addresses with their schedules.

RES-Q Healthcare Systems will demonstrate its hospital staffing and scheduling software solutions at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Annual Conference & Exhibition. HIMSS will be held on February 24-28, 2008 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. RES-Q will be at booth #3317.

About RES-Q Healthcare Systems

Since 1979, RES-Q Healthcare Systems (Calabasas, Calif.) has pursued one mission: advancing resource management and scheduling software for hospitals. RES-Q Labor Resource Management produces clinically sound, skill-matched, financially optimized, and productive staffing in schedules that account for staff preferences. RES-Q Perioperative Resource Management reviews and verifies surgeon needs and preferences, personnel and equipment requirements, supply lists and inventory, and operating room availability and then establishes surgery schedules that minimize conflicts and maximize productivity. RES-Q's management team, with an average of 15 years with the company and decades of front-line experience in hospital administration, helps hospitals set their schedules for today and set course for success tomorrow. For more information, call (800) 572-1911 or visit www.res-q.com.

Note to Editors: To schedule a HIMSS editorial appointment with RES-Q Healthcare Systems, kindly contact David Aquilina.





Northridge Hospital Medical Center Implements Selfscheduling with RESQ Software to Give Employees More Control over their Sch