[May 23, 2013] Avantas Gets 20 Year Patent for Smart Square Technology Tweet May 23, 2013 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Avantas, a provider of strategic labor management technology, services, and strategies for the healthcare industry, said that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent for the company's Smart Square technology. The patent, "Electronic Scheduling for Work Shifts," applies to Avantas' shift scheduling solution, the Company noted in a release. Avantas said that the U.S. Patent Office awarded Patent No. 8,401,884 to the company on March 19. The patent covers Smart Square's self-administering system which is accessible from remote computer locations. The now patented technology enables healthcare provider organizations to proactively determine labor needs based on forecasted demand, automatically post unfilled shifts, and utilize a calendar methodology to fill the shifts with qualified staff. Employers can also attach incentives to unfilled shifts, decreasing those incentive amounts as open shifts are filled and severity of the need decreases. "Having a patented technology is another demonstration of the unique value of Smart Square, the only comprehensive scheduling and productivity solution on the market that was built for the specific needs of healthcare professionals," said Chris Fox, CEO, Avantas. "Smart Square is so much more than scheduling software; it's a proactive technology solution built to automate best practice work strategies across an entire health system - inpatient, ancillary, and medical practice groups." Since labor comprises a large portion of a hospital or health system's operating budget, optimization of staff can drive savings and improvements to quality across the entire organization. Avantas said that its solutions and services save its clients millions of dollars annually, providing tremendous ROI for provider organizations including Alegent Creighton Health, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Mountain States Health Alliance, and SSM Health Care - St. Louis. Avantas said that its SaaS-based solution, Smart Square, is the only healthcare scheduling and productivity software that combines demand forecasting with scheduling functionality, enterprise transparency, and business intelligence tools all in one application. The platform can interface with third party IT systems including a client's existing HRIS, EMR, Time & Attendance and Payroll systems, providing users timely access to actionable data they can leverage to drive significant improvements to clinical, operational, and financial outcomes. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]