How Healthcare Providers Use Walkie Talkies
As noted in our introduction, the healthcare industry is under attack financially from many different fronts. Providers are pressed to lessen the quality of care because of reduced reimbursements. How do you keep Patient Care at an all time high while being forced to see more patients? How do you see more patients without working more hours? The simple answer is efficiency.
Two way radios are a proven tool to improve efficiency. In restaurants, we help Proprietors turn more tables. In schools, we help Administrators multi-task and manage issues on different parts of the campus at the same time. For Churches, we help keep the production on time and safe. For Healthcare Providers, we can help you find five to seven minutes per hour to spend with your Patients. Here’s How.
Reduce Wait Time. Two Way Radios allow Physicians to move efficiently between patients by coordinating with Nurses. The patient in exam room 3 may be next on the list to be seen but has additional needs being met by nursing whereas the patient in exam room 1 is ready to go. Getting the Physician to the next reduces wasted time, creating happier patients and providing the Doctor needed extra minutes.
Coordinating Care. The Doctor needs a cast set or an additional blood test run. Minutes are saved simply by making the request in the room versus having to go speak to the Nurse. Some facilities even use walkie talkies to dictate notes. Use caution when doing this to not violate HIPPA Laws.
Turning Rooms. Getting the room cleaned up and ready for the next patient wastes valuable minutes. Save time by coordinating with House Keeping immediately to get a room cleaned and prepped for the next patient. If you can save 3 minutes per hour, you can see one more patient a day.
Finding Help. Patients often need extra assistance, and this typically requires the Physician or Nurse to leave the treatment room to summon the extra assistance. Using two way radios, you simply press the button and ask for assistance without leaving the room. You’ll save valuable minutes.
Two way radios aren’t going to increase your efficiency by 10% but walkie talkies will increase your entire team’s efficiency. The goal is to find 20 minutes of efficiency per practicing Physician. That 20 minutes can be used to see another patient, complete chart work, or do research.
Two way radios are easy and affordable to implement. We suggest using Business two way radios to ensure you’re not getting interference from consumer radios. Consumer radios are branded FRS or GMRS and are designed for kids and outdoorsmen. Headsets must be worn in a healthcare setting and HIPPA regulations should always be considered when using walkie talkies.
