Unisoft has added a Scheduling Module to its GI Reporting Tool.  If you would like this module enabled at your own hospital please call Unisoft on 0208 367 2103.

The latest features now involve logging in and rules.  There are three different log ins - Administrators, Regular users and Read Onlys.  When the scheduler is used for the first time all users, bar ADMIN, are created as read-only.  Admin can then go in and start changing the permissions for the schedulers. 

Then there are rules. Firstly there are rules for the rooms, e.g ERCPs can only be done in X-ray and not rooms 1 or 2. Then there are rules for endoscopists, e.g a given nurse endoscopist can only do diagnostic OGDs and sigmoidoscopies and (say) just banding of piles and injection of varices.

You can then set templates for each list. This includes the start and end times, the list consultant and endoscopist, the fact that the first two hours in room 2 on Wednesdays are given over to in patients, and you have an evening list on Thursdays in room 1 and on Friday mornings, room 2 is out of action. You can even specify that a GP endoscopist, say, always does the first Monday of the month in room 2, mornings only.

You can then specify the time limits for each type of booking, say 6 weeks ahead for normal bookings.

Given these rules, regular users can then add and move patients about the lists providing they are within the rules. If a move (or a new patient) breaks any of the rules then the regular user is forced to send an automated "e-mail" to an administrator with the request. The administrator then has buttons for "Do it now", "I will reschedule" or "Reject". Whichever action the administrator takes, the originator is informed of the action.

So, for example, when searching for next available slots, the software automatically takes account of the search criteria, e.g. non-urgent therapeutic colonoscopy. So if a patient phones up to reschedule the person searching for a suitable slot is able to specify which days of the week are to be excluded and whether it has to be with the same consultant or not. They are then presented with a list of slots within the acceptable time frame as can be seen in the screenshot below.

(Click to view larger image)

The user then co-ordinates the time with the patient and pastes the moved booking into the new list.

The next screen shot shows that this module has been designed for ease of use. The rooms are on tabs down the left hand side, and the dates across the top. In the main body of the screen you have the morning and afternoon slots. You can even configure evening slots for particular days.

There are padlocks at the top right of each list. Once a list is fully booked it can be locked by any regular user, and only administrators can unlock a list.

(Click to view larger image)

You can easily

• change the List Consultant or Endoscopist for a give list
• move an entire list from one day to another
• add or delete a patient from a list 

At any time you can print the list on A4 paper in landscape mode, ready to paste up on the wall in the endoscopy room.  It can show the patient call-in times, the type of procedure to be performed and any relevant notes.