An Economic Approach to Human Resource Planning: Application of WISN for a Dialysis Centre Staffing

Background: By 2019, the estimated CKD prevalence in India was 7%–9%, and around 174,000 patients were on renal replacement therapy. India is likely to witness a rise in the number of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Studies have identified that millions of people die of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) every year in the world, while poor infrastructure and deprived staffing are affecting dialysis access for patients. Inadequate staffing has proven to cause burnout and therapeutic errors which affect the quality of care and increase the financial burden of the illness. Optimal human resources planning is, hence, inescapable for healthcare quality, low attrition and economic viability to patients. With that premise, this study was carried out to ascertain the staffing of a dialysis centre. Methods: We have applied the workload indicator of staffing needs (WISN) method to estimate staffing for a six-bedded dialysis centre of a public sector hospital in Pune, India, with the aim to improve healthcare delivery. Results: The staffing requirement was conclusively calculated to be more than the current employment of two dialysis technicians. Conclusion: Additional employment would prevent staff fatigue and improve hospital operations, reducing the cost burden, enhancing patient safety and improving healthcare indices. The WISN method can be used to assess accurate healthcare staffing and is recommended for all healthcare facilities.