Internal Communication Blog

How the Proper Communication Tools can Save your Hospital Money

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

In bustling healthcare facilities, communicating quickly and effectively is key. However, because many hospitals still stick to outdated communication technology such as pagers, clinicians waste about 45 minutes every day, trying to get vital information across to their peers. A costly ordeal! According to a recent survey among more than 400 U.S. care providers, this daily waste of time costs the average hospital a whopping $1.7 million a year. But how can you reverse that cash flow? Learn how Communication tools can save your Hospital money.

Research shows that a more modern and digitalized approach to communication is needed to put a halt to this money drain. The following communication tools have been proven to be highly successful in healthcare facilities:

App: Reach everyone, everywhere

One of the biggest advantages of introducing an app in healthcare is flexibility. Oftentimes, medical staff like nurses or surgeons are not behind their desk, but need to walk around the facility to check up on patients. An app allows people to move around the facility more freely without being out of the loop. By getting news directly on their mobile device, they do not have to keep returning to a stationary desktop every single time to stay informed. A huge time saver! Even staff members outside hospital walls, like emergency workers, can stay up-to-date via their mobile devices.

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Screensaver: Important messages at every desk

Screensavers can make a world of difference at your healthcare facility. VCU Health, located in Richmond (VA), for example, uses a screensaver on all PCs to communicate with over 8000 employees at several sites across the city. “Before, we did not really have one single way of reaching everybody at the same time”, says Jenifer Murphy, Safety First Coordinator at VCU’s Performance Improvement Department. “Now, the screensaver automatically appears when a computer is not in use, allowing all personnel to take in the latest news and become involved. That way, we make maximum use of PCs that would otherwise just show an empty screen.”

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Digital Signage: inform staff during downtime

Digital signage is the ideal way to inform staff members about meetings, events, construction, maintenance and even room schedules, as even a quick glance at a digital signage screen keeps everyone in the loop. The George Washington University Hospital (GWUH), for example, uses it as a centralized method to communicate with its staff, physicians, visitors and patients. The latest hospital and healthcare news is broadcasted on large monitors in the staff elevator bays. Targeted presentations are also published on big screens in the visitor elevator bays, main lobby, and physician lounges. “Some of the staff did not have access to e-mail, but because there are now screens near the elevators, they are updated with the latest internal and external news, while waiting for the elevator”, says Gretchen Tegethoff, Director of Information Services, at GWUH. This approach has been proven to be successful. “Three months after the initial roll out phase, an internal survey showed employee satisfaction with hospital communication improved by 33 percent!”

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Are you ready to give the communication tools at your healthcare facility that much needed upgrade? Contact one of our experts here. Or download our free guide to find the right communication tools to reach your employees.

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Linda van Oppen

Linda is Netpresenter's Head of Operations. Her mission is to bring out the best in every organization by making new employees feel at home and trained. According to Linda, you are doing well when employee satisfaction and performance have increased.