I-Corps: Clinical Workforce Schedule Optimization Technology

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project will be that a novel clinical schedule optimization technology developed based on a prior NSF funded research project can be used to reduce staffing costs in health systems. The technology will also help improve patient safety. Results from prior analysis suggest that significant joint operational and safety costs savings are possible using the system. Since staffing costs, specifically clinical workforce costs, constitute a significant portion of healthcare costs, a large impact on overall health care costs can result from successful implementation of the schedule optimization technology. Additional safety benefits will offer potential further savings. This I-Corps project with help explore the processes used in making staffing and scheduling decisions for the clinical staff, and how the developed clinical schedule optimization technology can potentially be leveraged to improve these decisions in real operational settings. The findings from this exploration will help the investigator team to understand the market readiness for this technology, and the viability of potential products and services to help improve hospital systems. This will inform the technology's further development by determining the target market and understanding of current staffing products and solutions.