Self-rostering lets clinicians choose or rank their own shifts inside limits the department sets, and the software fills the rest. It is the fastest way to cut roster-building time and the complaints that follow a roster, because most of the allocation is done by the people who have to live with it. HosPortal has run self-rosters for Australian hospital departments since 2017 and supports both the selection and the preference model.
Selection-based. The roster opens for a window; staff pick shifts directly, first come first served or in rounds, within quotas (no more than two weekends, at least one night). Fast and transparent, suits departments where there are few shifts per user, and no complex patterns.
Preference-based. Staff rank shifts, mark days they cannot work and days they would like, and block out leave. The roster builder then allocates to satisfy as many preferences as possible while meeting cover, skill-mix and fairness rules or quotas. Suits departments with complex rules or patterns, many shifts per user, sub-specialty skills, where a free-for-all would leave gaps or break rules.
Related reading: How long should your self-roster window be?, How to introduce self-rostering in a hospital department, What are self-roster block-outs?
A rostering method where staff choose or rank their own shifts within rules and quotas the department sets, and the software allocates whatever is left. It shifts most of the work from the administrator to the roster itself.
Yes. HosPortal runs self-rostering for consultant groups and for junior doctors in the same department.
Most departments run windows of one to two weeks per roster period, with reminders in the last 48 hours.