How can HR Software transform the Healthcare sector of Pakistan?

In Asia, Hong Kong has the best healthcare system according to the 2023 statistics. But why does it matter?

Because any country’s healthcare system is one of the most important factors impacting its growth and sustainability. A good healthcare system offers everyone the best possible healthcare in a timely yet affordable manner.

Despite the advances in technology, the healthcare system in Pakistan still faces several challenges, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Lack of healthcare facilities
• Shortage of healthcare experts, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics
• Inefficient use of human resources
• Mistakes leading to waste of time and money

These challenges have led to approximately 78% of the Pakistanis paying for their healthcare expenses themselves. This leads to financial burdens.

Is Transformation a Possibility?

One of the main factors causing the slow healthcare transformation is when the authority prefers manual work instead of automation. This means that the processes are slower, prone to errors, and costly in the long run; both time and money-wise.

HR Software: Improving Systems & Solving Workforce Challenges

This article will discuss how HR software in Pakistan can help the healthcare sector in overcoming workforce-related challenges and improving the delivery of healthcare services.

Challenges Faced by the Health Sector of Pakistan

According to a study from The Lancet, Pakistan’s healthcare system currently ranks at 154 out of 195 countries. So, the question is, why is the healthcare system so poor?

Improper HR Management is a major contributing factor. Many challenges are responsible for this, but here we try to narrow down the issues and provide a possible solution for some of the major problems:

• Insufficient Learning and Development

One of the reasons for the poor healthcare system in Pakistan is the lack of properly trained and competent healthcare professionals like doctors and nurses. The problem here is that many professionals need more skills or trust in the continuous learning process. Meanwhile, they also lack the opportunities for training programs that can help them fill the gap.

• Poor Recruitment Process

The truth is, that the healthcare sector is facing a lot of saturation for professionals and new graduates. There are a limited number of vacancies while the number of applicants is huge. And what else do you expect when annually more than 32k doctors graduate in Pakistan?

One issue that has caused this problem to prevail is the ineffective recruitment processes. This situation creates a mismatch between supply and demand, resulting in an uncertain job market.

• Retention of Employees

High employee turnover can be expensive for organizations, as they must invest resources in recruiting, hiring, and training new employees. This is also the case in Pakistani healthcare centers, where employee turnover is high. 

Furthermore, the healthcare system’s performance is impacted as hospitals and healthcare organizations struggle to maintain a stable workforce and provide consistent care to patients.

• Compliance

Ensuring compliance in the healthcare industry is challenging, as HR professionals handle a significant amount of sensitive data and must meet reporting requirements outlined by Pakistani labor law. 

From handling regular certifications to conducting thorough background checks and managing complex licensing documents, HR software is a blessing for HR professionals helping in saving their time and effort along with cost and mistakes.

How is HR Software Helpful?

The challenges shared above increase the pressure on HR professionals in the healthcare industry. So, if you really want to reduce this pressure utilizing HR software solutions can play a vital role. 

Because, Implementing suitable HR software simplifies and automates every HR operation, from onboarding to offboarding. This significantly improves employee experience and satisfaction, which is vital for healthcare workers.

Here are some ways in which HR software can help the healthcare sector to overcome:

• Effective Learning and Development

HR software features a learning and Management system that enables healthcare facilities to track and manage employee training, certifications, and ongoing education. This ensures that healthcare professionals stay updated on the latest medical practices.

• Ease of Compliance

HR software provides features to monitor and maintain compliance with healthcare regulations. It keeps track of certifications, licenses, and regulatory changes, minimizing the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties.

• Streamlines Recruitment Processes

Efficient Applicant Tracking System integrated into HR software simplifies the recruitment process. They streamline various tasks such as posting job openings, conducting interviews and evaluations, reducing the time it takes to fill positions, and improving the quality of new hires.

• Staff Retention

HR software increases employee engagement and satisfaction surveys, enabling healthcare organizations to identify issues, implement changes, and increase retention rates.

Success Stories

• Shifa International Hospital:

Shifa International Hospital used HR software to manage employee training, resulting in a 30% decrease in certification errors.

• Aga Khan University Hospital:

Aga Khan University Hospital started using HR and CRM software to improve employee and patient satisfaction. Within one year, the stakeholder satisfaction level increased by 35%, collectively.

Future Trends and Innovations

Innovations such as predictive analytics for burnout prevention, and blockchain for secure data management are on the horizon, and the use of AI-powered recruitment and candidate screening. 

With the help of AI, healthcare organizations can identify the right candidates for healthcare positions more efficiently.

Final Thoughts

Although the healthcare sector in Pakistan faces complex challenges, yet HR software has become a crucial tool to tackle these issues. 

This tool is going to not only help in improving employee retention and improve satisfaction and engagement levels of all stakeholders, but such tools also can help in training and development along with faster recruiting and better onboarding, etc.

The best part is that your employee and customer data remains secure. 

If implemented properly and effectively, this tool can solve major problems in the healthcare sector in Pakistan. Service industries have a lot of potential in the future and using the right software will help a great deal.

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