Software program for, system for, and method of facilitating staffing of an opening in a work schedule at a facility

• US 20040225550A1
• Filed: 05/06/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interactive Clinical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Interactive Clinical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bauer, Timothy Ray, Helander, Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/431,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225550A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

A software program for facilitating staffing of an opening in a work schedule at a facility comprises subroutines capable of: receiving a listing regarding the opening via the Internet; storing the listing; broadcasting or otherwise transmitting the listing via the Internet to a plurality of recipients; receiving a plurality of acceptances of the listing via the Internet from the plurality of recipients; storing the plurality of acceptances; transmitting the plurality of acceptances via the Internet; receiving a confirmation of a first one of the plurality of acceptances via the Internet from a first one of the plurality of recipients; storing the confirmation; and transmitting the confirmation via the Internet to the first one of the plurality of recipients.

Claims

1. A software program for facilitating staffing of an opening in a work schedule at a facility, the software program comprising:

a first subroutine capable of receiving a listing regarding the opening via the Internet;

a second subroutine capable of storing the listing;

a third subroutine capable of transmitting the listing via the Internet to a plurality of recipients, the plurality of recipients comprising;

a plurality of staffing agencies;

a first plurality of resources, each one of the first plurality of resources associated with at least one of the plurality of staffing agencies; and

a second plurality of resources, each one of the second plurality of resources associated with the facility;

a fourth subroutine capable of receiving a plurality of acceptances of the listing via the Internet from the plurality of recipients;

a fifth subroutine capable of storing the plurality of acceptances;

a sixth subroutine capable of transmitting the plurality of acceptances via the Internet;

a seventh subroutine capable of receiving a confirmation of a first one of the plurality of acceptances via the Internet, the first one of the plurality of acceptances received from a first one of the plurality of recipients;

an eighth subroutine capable of storing the confirmation; and

a ninth subroutine capable of transmitting the confirmation via the Internet to the first one of the plurality of recipients.

2. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the first subroutine receives the listing from the facility;

the sixth subroutine transmits the acceptance to the facility; and

the seventh subroutine receives the confirmation from the facility.

3. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the third subroutine is further capable of;

simultaneously transmitting the listing to the plurality of recipients, each one of the plurality of recipients subscribing to listings of openings in the work schedule at the facility.

4. The software program of claim 3 wherein:

the third subroutine is further capable of;

simultaneously transmitting the listing to the plurality of recipients, each one of the plurality of recipients authorized by the facility to subscribe to listings of openings in the work schedule at the facility.

5. The software program of claim 1 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of receiving a rescission of the confirmation via the Internet;

an eleventh subroutine capable of storing the rescission;

a twelfth subroutine capable of re-transmitting the listing via the Internet to the plurality of recipients after receiving the rescission;

a thirteenth subroutine capable of receiving additional acceptances regarding the listing via the Internet from the plurality of recipients after re-transmitting the listing;

a fourteenth subroutine capable of storing the additional acceptances; and

a fifteenth subroutine capable of transmitting the additional acceptances via the Internet.

6. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the first subroutine is further capable of;

receiving information for the listing comprising at least one of;

a quantity of resources for the opening;

a type of resource for the opening;

a department needing the resource for the opening;

a beginning date for the opening;

a beginning time for the opening; and

a duration from the beginning time for the opening.

7. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the first subroutine is further capable of;

receiving a pre-determined time at which to transmit the listing to the plurality of recipients.

8. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth subroutines are further capable of;

receiving the listing, storing the listing, transmitting the listing, receiving the plurality of acceptances, storing the plurality of acceptances, transmitting the plurality of acceptances, receiving the confirmation, storing the confirmation, and transmitting the confirmation, respectively, in real time.

9. The software program of claim 1 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of receiving a first user name and a first password via the Internet; and

an eleventh subroutine capable of verifying the first user name and first password to permit creation of the listing and confirmation of the one of the plurality of acceptances;

a twelfth subroutine capable of receiving additional user names and additional passwords via the Internet from the plurality of recipients; and

a thirteenth subroutine capable of verifying the additional user names and the additional passwords to permit the plurality of acceptances of the listing.

10. The software program of claim 1 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of transmitting a message regarding an action item related to the opening via the Internet to at least one of the plurality of recipients.

11. The software program of claim 1 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of grouping a plurality of action items according to one or more of a first plurality of pre-determined criteria;

an eleventh subroutine capable of ranking the plurality of action items according to one or more of a second plurality of pre-determined criteria; and

a twelfth subroutine capable of transmitting a message regarding the plurality of action items to be displayed according to the grouping and ranking, via the Internet to at least one of the plurality of recipients.

12. The software program of claim 1 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of associating files with the first and second plurality of resources.

13. The software program of claim 1 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of receiving a report comprising information related to work performed during the opening, wherein the information comprises one or more of;

a number of hours worked during the opening;

a fee due for each hour worked during the opening;

an arrival time during the opening;

a departure time during the opening; and

an evaluation of work performed during the opening; and

storing the report.

14. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the fourth subroutine is further capable of;

receiving a first acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of recipients; and

receiving a second acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of recipients,

the first one of the plurality of recipients is one of the plurality of staffing agencies; and

the first one of the plurality of acceptances is the first acceptance.

15. The software program of claim 14 wherein:

the fourth subroutine is further capable of;

receiving the first acceptance before receiving the second acceptance.

16. The software program of claim 14 wherein:

the fourth subroutine is further capable of;

receiving the second acceptance before receiving the first acceptance.

17. The software program of claim 14 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria; and

an eleventh subroutine capable of transmitting the first and second acceptances to be displayed according to the pre-determined criteria before receiving the confirmation.

18. The software program of claim 17 wherein:

the first acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources;

the second acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources that is different from the resource associated with the first acceptance; and

the tenth subroutine is further capable of;

ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria comprising one or more of;

an hourly wage of the resource;

an evaluation of previous work experience with the resource; and

a staffing agency with which the resource is associated.

19. The software program of claim 14 wherein:

the fourth subroutine is further capable of;

receiving an acceptance of the listing from a first one of the first plurality of resources;

storing the acceptance of the listing from the first one of the first plurality of resources; and

transmitting the acceptance from the first one of the first plurality of resources to the first one of the plurality of staffing agencies associated with the first one of the first plurality of resources; and

receiving the first acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of staffing agencies occurs after transmitting the acceptance from the first one of the first plurality of resources to the first one of the plurality of staffing agencies.

20. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the fourth subroutine is further capable of;

receiving a first acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of recipients; and

receiving a second acceptance of the listing from a second one of the plurality of recipients; and

the first one of the plurality of acceptances is the first acceptance.

21. The software program of claim 20 wherein:

the fourth subroutine is further capable of;

receiving the first acceptance before receiving the second acceptance.

22. The software program of claim 20 wherein:

the fourth subroutine is further capable of;

receiving the second acceptance before receiving the first acceptance.

23. The software program of claim 20 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria; and

an eleventh subroutine capable of transmitting the first and second acceptances to be displayed according to the pre-determined criteria before receiving the confirmation.

24. The software program of claim 23 wherein:

the first acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources;

the second acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources that is different from the resource associated with the first acceptance; and

the tenth subroutine is further capable of;

ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria comprising one or more of;

an hourly wage of the resource;

an evaluation of previous work experience with the resource; and

a staffing agency with which the resource is associated.

25. The software program of claim 20 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of receiving a third acceptance of the listing from a third one of the plurality of recipients after transmitting the first and second acceptances.

26. The software program of claim 25 further comprising:

an eleventh subroutine capable of ranking the first, second, and third acceptances based on pre-determined criteria; and

a twelfth subroutine capable of transmitting the first, second, and third acceptances to be displayed according to the pre-determined criteria before receiving the confirmation.

27. The software program of claim 1 further comprising:

a tenth subroutine capable of transmitting the listing, the plurality of acceptances, and the confirmation to automatically update a computer screen display at one or more pre-determined intervals.

28. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

receiving the listing occurs within one week of a beginning time of the opening.

29. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

receiving the listing occurs within twenty-four hours of a beginning time of the opening.

30. The software program of claim 1 wherein:

the facility comprises a hospital; and

the work schedule is for health care workers.

31. A computer system for facilitating staffing of an opening in a work schedule at a facility, the computer system for use with a global information network and comprising:

a computer comprising;

a processor having logic capable of manipulating data entered into the system;

a memory controlled by the processor capable of storing data entered into the system;

a data-entry device coupled to the computer capable of entering data into the system;

a display coupled to the computer capable of displaying data entered into the system;

a data-output device coupled to the computer;

a connection between the computer and the global information network; and

a software program embodied on the memory, the software program comprising;

a first subroutine capable of receiving a listing regarding the opening via the global information network;

a second subroutine capable of storing the listing;

a third subroutine capable of transmitting the listing via the global information network to a plurality of recipients, the plurality of recipients comprising;

a plurality of staffing agencies;

a first plurality of resources, each one of the first plurality of resources associated with at least one of the plurality of staffing agencies; and

a second plurality of resources, each one of the second plurality of resources associated with the facility;

a fourth subroutine capable of receiving a plurality of acceptances of the listing via the global information network from the plurality of recipients;

a fifth subroutine capable of storing the plurality of acceptances;

a sixth subroutine capable of transmitting the plurality of acceptances via the global information network;

a seventh subroutine capable of receiving a confirmation of a first one of the plurality of acceptances via the global information network, the first one of the plurality of acceptances received from a first one of the plurality of recipients;

an eighth subroutine capable of storing the confirmation; and

a ninth subroutine capable of transmitting the confirmation via the global information network to the first one of the plurality of recipients.

32. A method of facilitating staffing of an opening in a work schedule at a facility, the method comprising:

receiving a listing regarding the opening via the Internet;

transmitting the listing via the Internet to a plurality of recipients;

receiving an acceptance of the listing via the Internet from a first one of the plurality of recipients;

receiving a confirmation of the acceptance via the Internet from the facility; and

transmitting the confirmation via the Internet for viewing by the first one of the plurality of recipients.

33. A method of facilitating staffing of an opening in a work schedule at a facility, the method comprising:

receiving a listing regarding the opening via the Internet;

storing the listing;

transmitting the listing via the Internet to a plurality of recipients, the plurality of recipients comprising;

a plurality of staffing agencies;

a first plurality of resources, each one of the first plurality of resources associated with at least one of the plurality of staffing agencies; and

a second plurality of resources, each one of the second plurality of resources associated with the facility;

receiving a plurality of acceptances of the listing via the Internet from the plurality of recipients;

storing the plurality of acceptances;

transmitting the plurality of acceptances via the Internet;

receiving a confirmation of a first one of the plurality of acceptances via the Internet, the first one of the plurality of acceptances received from a first one of the plurality of recipients;

storing the confirmation; and

transmitting the confirmation via the Internet to the first one of the plurality of recipients.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the listing comprises receiving the listing from the facility;

transmitting the acceptance comprises transmitting the acceptance to the facility; and

receiving the confirmation comprises receiving the confirmation from the facility.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein:

transmitting the listing comprises;

simultaneously transmitting the listing to the plurality of recipients, each one of the plurality of recipients subscribing to listings of openings in the work schedule at the facility.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein:

simultaneously transmitting the listing comprises;

simultaneously transmitting the listing to the plurality of recipients, each one of the plurality of recipients authorized by the facility to subscribe to listings of openings in the work schedule at the facility.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

receiving a rescission of the confirmation via the Internet;

storing the rescission;

after receiving the rescission, re-transmitting the listing via the Internet to the plurality of recipients;

after re-transmitting the listing, receiving additional acceptances regarding the listing via the Internet from the plurality of recipients;

storing the additional acceptances; and

transmitting the additional acceptances via the Internet.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the listing comprises;

receiving information for the listing comprising at least one of;

a quantity of resources for the opening;

a type of resource for the opening;

a department needing the resource for the opening;

a beginning date for the opening;

a beginning time for the opening; and

a duration from the beginning time for the opening.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the listing further comprises;

receiving a pre-determined time at which to transmit the listing to the plurality of recipients.

40. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the listing, storing the listing, transmitting the listing, receiving the plurality of acceptances, storing the plurality of acceptances, transmitting the plurality of acceptances, receiving the confirmation, storing the confirmation, and transmitting the confirmation further comprises;

receiving the listing, storing the listing, transmitting the listing, receiving the plurality of acceptances, storing the plurality of acceptances, transmitting the plurality of acceptances, receiving the confirmation, storing the confirmation, and transmitting the confirmation in real time.

41. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

receiving a first user name and a first password via the Internet; and

verifying the first user name and first password to permit creation of the listing and confirmation of the one of the plurality of acceptances;

receiving additional user names and additional passwords via the Internet from the plurality of recipients; and

to verifying the additional user names and the additional passwords to permit the plurality of acceptances of the listing.

42. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

transmitting a message regarding an action item related to the opening via the Internet to at least one of the plurality of recipients.

43. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

grouping a plurality of action items according to one or more of a first plurality of pre-determined criteria;

ranking the plurality of action items according to one or more of a second plurality of pre-determined criteria; and

transmitting a message regarding the plurality of action items to be displayed according to the grouping and ranking, via the Internet to at least one of the plurality of recipients.

44. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

associating files with the first and second plurality of resources.

45. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

receiving a report comprising information related to work performed during the opening, wherein the information comprises one or more of;

a number of hours worked during the opening;

a fee due for each hour worked during the opening;

an arrival time during the opening;

a departure time during the opening; and

an evaluation of work performed during the opening; and

storing the report.

46. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the plurality of acceptances comprises;

receiving a first acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of recipients; and

receiving a second acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of recipients;

the first one of the plurality of recipients is one of the plurality of staffing agencies; and

the first one of the plurality of acceptances is the first acceptance.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein:

receiving the first acceptance further comprises;

receiving the first acceptance before receiving the second acceptance.

48. The method of claim 46 wherein:

receiving the second acceptance further comprises;

receiving the second acceptance before receiving the first acceptance.

49. The method of claim 46 further comprising:

ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria; and

transmitting the first and second acceptances to be displayed according to the pre-determined criteria before receiving the confirmation.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein:

the first acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources;

the second acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources that is different from the resource associated with the first acceptance; and

ranking the first and second acceptances comprises;

ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria comprising one or more of;

an hourly wage of the resource;

an evaluation of previous work experience with the resource; and

a staffing agency with which the resource is associated.

51. The method of claim 46 wherein:

receiving the plurality of acceptances further comprises;

receiving an acceptance of the listing from a first one of the first plurality of resources;

storing the acceptance of the listing from the first one of the first plurality of resources;

transmitting the acceptance from the first one of the first plurality of resources to the first one of the plurality of staffing agencies associated with the first one of the first plurality of resources; and

receiving the first acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of recipients occurs after transmitting the acceptance from the first one of the first plurality of resources to the first one of the plurality of recipients.

52. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the plurality of acceptances comprises;

receiving a first acceptance of the listing from the first one of the plurality of recipients; and

receiving a second acceptance of the listing from a second one of the plurality of recipients; and

the first one of the plurality of acceptances is the first acceptance.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein:

receiving the first acceptance further comprises;

receiving the first acceptance before receiving the second acceptance.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein:

receiving the second acceptance further comprises;

receiving the second acceptance before receiving the first acceptance.

55. The method of claim 52 further comprising:

ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria; and

transmitting the first and second acceptances to be displayed according to the pre-determined criteria before receiving the confirmation.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein:

the first acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources;

the second acceptance is associated with a resource from the first and second plurality of resources that is different from the resource associated with the first acceptance; and

ranking the first and second acceptances comprises;

ranking the first and second acceptances based on pre-determined criteria comprising one or more of;

an hourly wage of the resource;

an evaluation of previous work experience with the resource; and

a staffing agency with which the resource is associated.

57. The method of claim 52 further comprising:

receiving a third acceptance of the listing from a third one of the plurality of recipients after transmitting the first and second acceptances.

58. The method of claim 57 further comprising:

ranking the first, second, and third acceptances based on pre-determined criteria; and

transmitting the first, second, and third acceptances to be displayed according to the pre-determined criteria before receiving the confirmation.

59. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

transmitting the listing, the plurality of acceptances, and the confirmation to automatically update a computer screen display at one or more pre-determined intervals.

60. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the listing occurs within one week of a beginning time of the opening.

61. The method of claim 33 wherein:

receiving the listing occurs within twenty-four hours of a beginning time of the opening.

62. The method of claim 33 wherein:

the facility comprises a hospital; and

the work schedule is for health care workers.