For any business, but particularly healthcare, fast, effective communication and efficiency is essential. For most businesses it means the difference between success and failure and in healthcare, it can mean the difference between life and death.
Unified communications (UC) is a communications system that integrates all mediums of contact and devices into one service, allowing greater real time and contact efficiency by simplifying processes.
Take a look at five ways UC can have a positive effect on health care employee efficiency rates.
Real time communication
Many healthcare providers still rely on outdated communication such as overhead and receive-only paging. Not only are these methods slower, they’re more likely to contain errors. Your employees have to answer the page and spend time having conversations to sort out the mistakes before any care can be carried out.
With UC, real-time voice and text communication can give clearer, more accurate overviews of the situation much faster. If an employee is at another facility or not on the premises at all, using a device with a camera can allow a doctor to see a patient and assist with care without having to rush back into work - making the whole process faster and more efficient.
Platform flexibility
As UC integrates all mediums of communication, it is possible to send a voicemail to a colleague which can be received through another platform. If that person can’t physically answer the voicemail at that time, it can be picked up as an email or a text through any connected device. This means that not having your device with you is no longer an obstacle to receiving your messages.
An added bonus to this is that both the sender’s and the receiver’s status is available to be seen through presence information - cutting down the time it would normally take to track someone down if they’re not at their desk and responses can be sent immediately.
Collaboration
Efficiency depends on the effectiveness of your team collaboration, especially in a healthcare setting. Changes can happen extremely quickly in healthcare, and with UC, relevant people can be alerted immediately and simultaneously, making redeploying professionals and resources where they are needed the fastest and most efficient method.
Using the presence status feature, an employee’s presence can be linked to their calendar so that their availability becomes a schedule function and information on the best way to contact that person can be added to make collaborating easier and faster.
BYOD
Many people are more comfortable and work faster using their own devices. Unification systems can provide secure access to the healthcare network and make communication more secure. No more waiting to use secure lines or devices owned by the healthcare setting.
Cost effective
Improved communications provided by a UC means more up to date information on each patient which means less scope for error. The up to date information makes staff more efficient, and as a consequence, patient turnover is faster and more thorough.
If you’re looking for more information regarding a unified communication system, Stratosphere Networks can help. Contact us to speak with one of our experienced professionals about how your healthcare practice and patients will benefit from UC.
