Time for some fun facts and insights based on the raw data behind the various communications channels in a Clinical Communications & Collaboration (CC&C) deployment. Here is the relevant data for this real world installation:

Number of users: 440
Number of Communication Events Processed: 70,000+
Time frame: 6 weeks

Who is using the CC&C system? Nurse and MD usage made up the bulk of the messages with over 50%, however, there were a few surprises. For nurses, the number of phone calls initiated and texts sent was very close, with texts surpassing voice by only 22%. But, for MDs, texts were sent five times more often than phone calls were initiated. Clearly, the MDs value the quick convenience of texts. An even bigger win for the MDs was our new feature – the ability for the MH-CURE smartphone application to receive traditional pages from within the app. This enables users to consolidate devices and carrying a separate pager is no longer needed. MDs received a whopping 5,800 pages during this period!

Now some insights on “who is texting who.” The top 4 connections for text messages were expected – among the RN, Unit Coordinator and MD users. Coming in at a strong #5 though was Nurse Practitioner to Physical Therapy messages. This was a real surprise and illustrated some of the hidden benefits of deploying a CC&C system. Along that same line, here are a few more eye openers:

  • Pharmacists were #2 in calls made, behind RNs. When a pharmacist needs to reach someone, it must be immediate.
  • Unit coordinators love the Broadcast Message capability to quickly message an entire group. They led that usage category by a wide margin.
  • Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy were surprisingly strong users, but they made almost no phone calls – they relied nearly completely on texts.

I’m not much of workflow analyst, but having this level of operational data is invaluable to anyone looking to improve communication and introduce “lean thinking” to the hospital. With data-driven metrics now at your fingertips, we can help you decode and optimize the intricate communications patterns in your hospital.

So, who ya textin’?