How to Model Optimal Rosters Based on Client Requirements.

In Platform for Care, effective rostering goes beyond simply filling empty slots. Optimal roster modeling ensures that every shift is aligned with specific client care plans, funding constraints, and worker suitability. By using the system’s modeling tools, administrators can create stable, high-quality schedules that reduce travel costs and improve care continuity.

1. Defining Roster Requirements from Care Plans

Before a shift is even created, the system uses the Client Care Plan as the foundation for the roster.

• Service Types: Link each roster to the specific service required (e.g., Personal Care, Community Access, or Domestic Assistance).
• Mandatory Skills: Identify specific competencies required for the client, such as Medication Administration or Hoist Training.
• Preferred Workers: Tag specific staff members who have a positive rapport with the client to encourage continuity of care.

2. Using "Roster Templates" for Consistency

For clients with recurring needs, Roster Templates are the most efficient way to model a perfect week.

1. Navigate to Client > Roster Templates.
2. Build a "Master Week" that reflects the client's ideal schedule.
3. Conflict Checks: The system will flag if your template exceeds the client’s allocated NDIS or aged care funding hours.
4. Publishing: Once the model is perfect, you can "push" this template out for weeks or months in advance, automatically assigning preferred workers where they are available.

3. Optimizing for Proximity and Travel

A major part of roster modeling is reducing "dead time" between shifts.

• Geographic Grouping: When modeling rosters for a specific day, use the Map View to see where workers are already scheduled.
• Shift Clustering: Aim to assign a worker to multiple clients in the same suburb. This minimizes travel claims and ensures workers spend more time on care and less time in transit.
• The "Gap" Logic: Model your roster to include sufficient "buffer" time between services to account for local traffic and handovers.

4. Balancing Funding and Roster Budget

Optimal rostering requires a balance between clinical need and financial sustainability.

• Funding Tracking: Use the Budget Tracker within the roster view to see the "Planned vs. Actual" spend.
• Award Interpretation: The system automatically calculates the cost of the roster (including weekend loadings and evening rates). Modeling allows you to see the cost-impact of a shift before you formally publish it.

Best Practices for Roster Modeling

• Rotation Planning: To prevent worker burnout, model rosters that rotate "heavy" personal care shifts with lighter community access shifts.
• Shadowing: For complex clients, model "Shadow Shifts" into the schedule where a new worker joins an experienced one to ensure a smooth transition.
• Review Cycle: Monthly, compare your Modeled Roster against Actual Timesheets to identify patterns of late starts or overruns that may require a permanent schedule adjustment.