Because a shift, a medication schedule, or an incident report often needs to be read unambiguously by someone who wasn’t there when it happened. “0200” is always 2 AM and “1400” is always 2 PM, there’s no room for the kind of AM/PM mix-up that can matter when the stakes are a patient’s medication timing or an official incident log.
Why do hospitals and the military use this format instead of AM/PM?
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About the Author: Brian Zurawski
Brian Zurawski is a Product Manager at TimeTrakGO with 29 years of experience in the time and attendance industry. He works closely with customers to understand how businesses actually use time clock and workforce management software, and applies that insight to guide what TimeTrakGO builds next. Brian also writes for the TimeTrakGO blog, covering practical topics like time clock options, payroll integration, and overtime compliance for small and mid-sized businesses.
