In the News

The Importance of Evaluating Critical and Clinical Messaging Technologies Separately

In November we outlined the most important elements of a successful group messaging strategy. Today we share a brief update regarding the market for healthcare communication services.

Group Messaging

We left off discussing the importance of synchronizing your on-call scheduling applications with critical messaging workflows ensuring messages are delivered to recipients that are on-call and available to respond. This post will focus on the key attributes of an efficient and effective group messaging strategy for urgent and time sensitive messages. At the core of healthcare messaging is the ability to communicate with groups or teams within your environment. Examples include rotating clinical teams, codes, and mass notification workflows that

Synchronize your rotating schedules with Schedule Sync

Our last post provided information regarding the benefits of implementing active directory enabling administrators to manage permissions and access to network resources. Today we will discuss the importance of integrating your rotating scheduling application with your messaging workflows. When implementing a critical messaging solution, the #1 priority is to deliver the right messages to the right people at the right times. When seconds count, sending the right message to the wrong recipients can severely impact response times during urgent events

Active Directory Integration

We left off outlining the benefits of implementing Single Sign-on allowing users to access multiple applications with a single set of credentials. This post will provide the benefits of utilizing Active Directory, “AD”. Active Directory enables administrators to manage permissions and access to network resources. The primary benefits of AD include centralized management of user accounts, permissions, and policy settings. Accounts are established by administrators in a centralized location allowing employees to login once and access their authorized resources. Through

Single Sign On

We left off relaying the importance of implementing end-to-end security for your critical messaging solution. Our next set of posts will focus on several integrations that will improve the security, convenience, and overall value of your messaging solution. The first integration we recommend is single sign-on, “SSO”. SSO allows users to login to multiple applications with a single set of credentials. Since users with SSO are only required to remember one password, they are more likely to select a stronger password

Critical Messaging – Security

Our last post provided valuable information to ensure you are receiving dependable service and support from your messaging vendors. Today we will focus on the importance of implementing end-to-end security for your critical messaging solution. Within the healthcare environment there are many clinical and non-clinical workflows addressed with various types of messaging solutions. Some include patient health information, and many do not. To protect yourselves from messages with PHI inadvertently being sent over unsecure technologies, it is recommended that all

Critical Messaging – Service Delivery and Support

We left off discussing the importance of having distinct alerts notifying users of messages that are critical and time sensitive. In this post we discuss important things to consider regarding vendor customer service and support. Products and services can only solve problems if they are available and work as expected. We all wish technology was flawless, but experience indicates that unforeseen issues will arise. Without a proven process for delivery and support, the user experience can suffer diminishing the value

Critical Messaging Alerting Strategy

In our last post we discussed best practices for implementing a connection strategy to deliver critical messages from internal and external messaging solutions. Today we discuss the importance of having distinct alerts notifying users of messages that are critical and time sensitive. We all live in a world where messages, notifications and alerts come from many different people, places, and things. In a healthcare environment these can be personal, or care related and arrive on smart phones with various combinations

Critical Messaging Connection Strategy

We left off discussing the importance of having a primary and secondary wireless network for your most critical messages. In this post we discuss connections utilized to send messages from internal and external messaging solutions. There are several types of protocols available to send messages from internal messaging systems to wireless networks with varying levels of security and reliability. The most prominent include SMTP, SNPP, WCTP and TAP. When developing your connection strategy, the following attributes are imperative to consider.

Critical Messaging Network Reliability

As discussed in our previous post, having an independent strategy and solution for clinical and critical messaging provides the most efficient and effective method of addressing healthcare communication workflows. The next several updates will provide the essential attributes associated with a critical messaging solution. In our view the most important element is network reliability. Implementing a solution relying exclusively on public broadband and Wi-Fi provides significant risks. These networks can easily become overwhelmed causing message delays and are subject to