EMS Staff Saves Time & Fuel by Switching to Online Scheduling

Along with servicing approximately 10,000 people in and around Shallowater, Texas, the Shallowater EMS department is also one of the agencies that service UMC Health Care System in Lubbock...the region's only level one trauma center. Shallowater's slogan is, Where Texas Pride Runs Deep, that pride runs deep throughout the EMS department as well.

The Plan:
To find a new method of scheduling employees that is quick, easy and efficient.

"I was frustrated, to say the least with our old method. We used a dry erase board for employees to sign up for shifts on. It was difficult, sometimes impossible, to read people's handwriting and at times parts were erased when someone bumped up against it," explained Andrew Ochoa, Manager, EMS Department. "When I became manager I looked for a better system, and I found it."

The Product:
Andrew Ochoa had heard of the EMS Manager online scheduling system and when he discovered there was a 30 day free trial he gave it a try. "Within two weeks of my free trial, I knew I wanted it," stated Ochoa. "I just had to have it." Ochoa said the employees were very receptive to the change and they appreciated being able to submit their availability from the comfort of their own home via the internet. He also indicated the staff is saving a lot of money on gas...many were driving 15 to 20 miles one way to sign up on the white board.

The Applications:
Ochoa has found it to be a breeze filling open shifts with EMS Manager. He even monitors the schedule by receiving sign-up approval requests by email via his cell phone.

Previously, Ochoa kept all employee records, such as immunizations, certifications, etc. in a filing cabinet. He said his filing days are over, because he now keeps these records within the EMS Manager system. It notifies him when certificate expirations are approaching. "I love having all employee information in one place, each employee's file is in the system so there is no risk of error or losing a file," he states.

Ochoa uses the editable home page to post memos along with deadlines for shift submissions & special events. In the past he would post notices in the office and just hope people would see it, or he'd make phone calls to all the staff members which really cut into his time.

A feature Ochoa really likes is the color coding of the staff's availability. They indicate green if they want to work certain days, yellow if they are available if needed and red if they are not available at all. "It takes the guess work out of whether they really want a shift or if they may take it if it is offered to them," Ochoa said.

"The system has allowed me to cut my scheduling time by half. I can not say enough great things about this program," stated Ochoa. "EMS Manager has been a life saver to me while we are saving lives."

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