Virtually every industry has benefitted from the use of technology including the healthcare world. Digitizing electronic health records (EHRs), for example, has proven to be a transformative tool for countless healthcare organizations. Similarly, technology can also help hospitals modernize their HICS strategies as evidenced by the Mayo Clinic which has been transforming their world class operations by digitizing HICS to-do lists and automating compliance steps. The result has been streamlined workflows, permission-based real time communication, and the flexibility to seamlessly handle any situation that arises in or around nearly 600 Mayo Clinic centers.
Transforming emergency communication
During an emergency, up-to-date information is not only important for getting first responders up to speed, it’s essential for keeping stakeholders informed as the situation evolves. When employing a traditional HICS approach, hospitals that rely on one or a limited number of channels to get critical emergency information out can run into trouble if workers are on the move and not in proximity to those communication channels.
Hospitals need a robust mass notification system that extends beyond SMS messages, emails or intranet sites. Emergency notifications should also factor in PA announcements, desktop alerts, digital signage and other modalities to get messages out quickly. For example, in the healthcare worker safety survey noted earlier, those that work in health systems indicated they would feel more prepared for emergency events if they were notified via panic button technology, customized text alerts or a safety app.
Transforming compliance
When hospitals utilize more robust, integrated and automated mass notification systems, they not only efficiently inform personnel about emergencies, they can also track everything. Another benefit of digitizing HICS processes is the ability to see how and when things transpired. Healthcare safety and security leaders can see when notifications were sent, who received them, which members of the incident command staff completed assigned roles, or if a responsibility was assumed by a next-in-line colleague when the task was not immediately accomplished. This level of detail not only helps in the moment and when meeting compliance expectations, it can identify where improvements and greater efficiencies might be needed moving forward.
Transforming emergency management for today
The last few years have undeniably impacted the healthcare industry and workers. From Covid-19 to natural disasters to increasingly hostile working environments, healthcare employees are seeing greater personal safety challenges these days. With so much volatility in hospitals today, digitizing HICS plans just makes sense for greater emergency management efficiencies and safer healthcare settings.
About the author: Dave Sinkinson is the VP of mobile at Rave Mobile Safety.Back to HCB News
