The Importance of Fitting In

Raise your hand if you’ve already got more systems in place than you’d ideally like to manage. Now keep it up if you want to message with smartphones, but dread the idea of introducing yet another system with its own database. OK, you can put your hand down now.

Most of the systems out there designed to deliver messages to smartphones include some sort of web-based portal for inputting the message, and often this includes visibility to a full audit trail for the message path. However, where does such a system get its data? Does it integrate with something you’ve already got in place? Probably not - which means another database for someone to manage and keep current. Just what you need!

Your high-level goal then should be simple: being able to send a message to one or many people and have it be received simultaneously, regardless of the device each person is using. Sending the message should require a single system that pulls relevant contact information from a single database which supplies information to operator consoles, on-call schedules, and other related applications. The sender shouldn’t have to go from system to system to message to different types of devices. That wastes times and introduces errors and inefficiency, especially when tracking responses and monitoring escalation rules.

The good news is that with the right system, you can integrate smartphone messaging as a piece of your existing infrastructure. This makes everyone happy, including the IT team administering things on the back end. Integration also improves patient safety with the ability to reach staff quickly using the right contact information the first time around.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on the challenges you’re seeing within your hospital when it comes to physicians and other staff member going more mobile. Leave us a note below!