Modern healthcare faces numerous challenges that need to be addressed in order to improve the quality of patient care. One of the most significant challenges is the shortage of healthcare workers, particularly nurses. Slovenia is no exception. This problem seriously affects the efficiency and quality of the healthcare system. However, a revolutionary solution is on the horizon – the use of artificial intelligence.
With the help of advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, it is possible to achieve better organization of nurses’ work schedules, significantly reducing overload and improving employee satisfaction. Smart systems, such as Woshi, enable automated scheduling and adjustment of schedules based on employees’ needs. This helps reduce overtime, improve working conditions, and ensure quality patient care.
Good Practice in Slovenia
Fortunately, we have some excellent examples of hospitals in Slovenia that have successfully implemented such digital solutions. One such example is the psychiatric hospital in Idrija, where the use of artificial intelligence systems for organizing nurses’ work schedules was successfully implemented in just a few months.
“We recognized the need for an efficient and optimized scheduling process that would allow us to better utilize our staff. Prior to implementing the WoShi system, the process of creating schedules for our 110 employees required a significant amount of time and intellectual effort. On average, we spent about seven working days to create an optimal schedule, facing challenges in finding the most suitable solutions for each employee. With WoShi, we managed to reduce the time spent on scheduling to approximately one working day. WoShi has taken over the majority of the work and, after six months, it handles around 90% of the tasks that we previously did manually. This allows us to focus on other important tasks,” says Urban Bole, MSc in Nursing and Assistant Director for Nursing at Idrija Psychiatric Hospital. “In addition to automated scheduling, it has been shown that the most useful feature of WoShi for supervisors is the ability to quickly experiment with different ideas and suggestions that employees have or that the workflow itself requires. This functionality provides us with flexibility in adjusting the schedule according to changing needs and employee preferences. WoShi uses advanced algorithms to find solutions that are difficult for a person, regardless of their knowledge and experience, to achieve,” Bole added.
Systematic Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the Healthcare Sector is Essential
To harness the benefits of artificial intelligence in healthcare, it is crucial for healthcare institutions’ leadership to take a leading role in the adoption and support of these technologies. It is important to raise awareness about the potential of artificial intelligence and its advantages while addressing any potential fears. In order to ensure their readiness for the use of new technologies, systematic training for nurses in working with smart systems must be implemented. Leadership must take responsibility for promoting changes that will contribute to a more efficient and advanced healthcare system.
WoShi has taken over the majority of the work and, after six months, it handles around 90% of the tasks that we previously did manually.
The ability to quickly experiment with different ideas and suggestions allows for greater flexibility in accommodating employee preferences.
