Overview
Figure 1. The Patient Volume Planner View
The Patient Volume Planner (PVP) compares Expected Patient Volume (the expected number of patients) and Total Provider Productivity (the number of patients a provider can manage) hourly and daily, displaying the results as ratios. It presents gaps in coverage in color-coded cells, allowing you to adjust assignments and address overstaffing or understaffing. The PVP is updated automatically when assignments are changed in other views.
To use the PVP, certain settings must be configured in the Intrigma Scheduling Studio (ISS), including location names, open times, and expected patient volume. Additional features like Patient Volume Projections and Productivity Split can also be configured.
Configuration
Intrigma Scheduling Studio (ISS)
Prior to using the Patient Volume Planner view, you must set up the following in the ISS.
Create at least one Location in the Settings dialog, and add at least one Area and one Section to each Location.
Figure 2. Add a Location and at least a single Area and Section to the Location
Set the office hours/operating hours for each Area under the Open Times sub-tab.
Figure 3. Set the operating hours for the Location
Set the expected patient volume per Location under the Patient Volume sub-tab.
Figure 4. Set the expected patient volume for the Location
Set the average productivity rate per hour for each user and the user’s hourly rate under the Organization Info sub-tab in Settings > Users.
Figure 5. Set the user’s average hourly productivity rate
Note: This information may also be managed within Intrigma Scheduler+ (see Managing a User's Average Hourly Productivity Rate).
Additional configuration related to the PVP is performed in the ISS, with help from Intrigma Support required, for the following:
Show Overflow: This feature allows you to see cumulative staffing deficits for each day in the schedule.
Patient Volume Projections: This feature lets you copy expected Patient Volume from one period to another based on average total hours and a configurable adjustment.
Productivity Splits: Designed primarily for use in telemedicine organizations, this feature shows the distribution of provider workload efficiency across regions, states, or other geographic areas.
Example: Dr. Smith’s provider efficiency is 10 patients per hour. Dr. Smith is licensed in 5 states (AL, AK, IL, NY, TX). If we distribute her efficiency (10 divided by 5), Dr. Smith can see 2 patients per location— this is her productivity split.
Note: Productivity splits may also be managed in Scheduler+ (see Managing a User's Productivity Splits).
Scheduler+
Managing a User’s Average Hourly Productivity Rate and Productivity Splits
Together with the required configuration in ISS, you will need to set the average productivity rate per hour (number of patients per hour) for each of your users.
Click the Settings hamburger menu on the top left of the Dashboard.
Under Users, either select the user from the list or search for the user by entering their full name, or part of it, on the Search bar.
Select the Work productivity tab to the right of the Users list, then enter the user’s average hourly productivity rate.
Figure 6. Setting a user’s average hourly productivity rate.
Managing a User’s Productivity Splits
Designed primarily for use in telemedicine organizations, a Productivity Split shows a user’s workload efficiency across regions, states, or other geographic areas. Productivity splits may also be managed from within the ISS (see Productivity Splits).
Click the Settings hamburger menu on the top left of the Dashboard.
Under Users, either select the user from the list or search for the user by entering their full name, or part of it, on the Search bar.
Select the Work productivity tab to the right of the Users list.
Under the Productivity splits section, select an area where the user is licensed to provide their services, then enter the percentage of the user’s productivity split for that area. For example, if a user sees five (5) patients from Area 1 out of a total of 10 patients on a typical working day, then the user’s productivity split for Area 1 is 50%, with the rest apportioned to other Areas.
Click the + button to add another area where the user is licensed to practice and set the user’s productivity split for that area.
Repeat Step 5 to enter additional areas and their productivity splits.
Figure 7. Setting a user’s productivity splits.
Walkthrough
Accessing the Patient Volume Planner
Once configured (see Configuration), click the grid icon on the right-side panel to open the PVP.
Figure 8. Click the button with the grid icon to open the Patient Volume Planner.
Interpreting the Data in the Patient Volume Planner
Expected Patient Volume versus Total Provider Productivity
The Patient Volume Planner is used to compare the Total Provider Productivity (TPP) with the Expected Patient Volume (EPV), for each hour of each day within the selected period. It presents the results as a ratio, e.g. 7/7, where the first number reflects the TPP of everyone assigned and the second number reflects the EPV for the hour. At the bottom of the grid, the Total TPP and EPP for each day is displayed.
The PVP allows you see at a glance whether there is adequate coverage for your patients. If the TPP is higher than EPV, you may want to look at your schedule to see where else you can assign excess providers to address excess patient volume elsewhere. Conversely, if EPP is higher than TPP, you may have to assign more providers to ensure that there are enough to cover the excess patient volume.
As assignments are changed from other views such as the Calendar and Shift Grid, the Patient Volume Planner is automatically updated to reflect the new data.
The cost of the entire schedule for the selected areas is shown on the top center of the PVP, as well as the average cost per patient.
Color-Coded Cells Show Gaps in Coverage
Cells are color coded to reflect gaps in coverage. The shading of the green cells represent the level of overstaffing of providers relative to the expected patient volume for a specific time, while red cells indicate that a specific hour is understaffed. These colors are reflected using a gradient, for example: the more green a cell is, the more overstaffed that specific time is.
Unshaded cells reflect periods when Total Productivity and Expected Volume are equal. Mousing over an item will bring up a tool tip providing further details.
There will be an item for each hour in the block and for each site, ignoring shifts that do not count for presence rules.
Figure 9. A tooltip with the item details appears when you hover your mouse over a cell.
Exporting the PVP to Microsoft Excel
You can also export the PVP as an Excel file for further data analysis or some other custom requirement. To export the PVP into Excel, click the three-dot icon on the top-right of the PVP, then click Export as XLS to save it into your system’s default download location.
Figure 10. Exporting the PVP as an MS Excel file
Related Features
Capacity Explorer: Compares the number of credentialed providers assigned to the schedule with the coverage requirements set in the Credentialing and Licenses module.
Credentialing and Licenses: Allows management of licenses and qualifications of your providers.
Tracker: Displays a statistical overview of the assignments within the period and year to date.
More information about these features are available in the Intrigma KB. If they are not available to your organization, but you want them enabled, contact [email protected], or reach out to your representative.