Miami Children's Hospital establishes unified communications foundation with amcom software
- Amcom suite will automate and create a more seamless flow of communications across the hospital
- Advanced communications technology will ensure patient care, safety, and satisfaction while improving staff efficiency
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – November 24, 2009 – Amcom Software, Inc., today announced that Miami Children's Hospital (MCH) is implementing its unified communications framework to ensure facility-wide information sharing is automated, efficient, and effective. This includes integrated capabilities for fast, accurate emergency notifications, contact center operations, on-call scheduling, and employee/patient directory access. The goal is to achieve new levels of patient care and safety, a more productive workforce, and more satisfied patients, family members, and staff.
MCH is moving from an environment of manual, paper-based processes for everything from on-call scheduling and employee directories to one based on the principle that rules-based automation is essential for efficiency. "Our hospital is undertaking a transformation in its overall technology strategy, and we needed the right communications foundation to realize our vision," said Ed Martinez, CIO, Miami Children's Hospital. "Amcom Software's unified communications solutions will break down information silos and eliminate communication problems that waste clinicians' time. This represents a quantum leap forward for our organization both in terms of technology and the way we'll be able to care for patients."
Unified communications ensures the right person can access or receive the right information at the right time on the right device. This means an operator can find the on-call cardiologist at 3 a.m., the NICU can rally 30 code blue team members in minutes, and communications can be seamlessly delivered to a smartphone.
Unified Communications at MCH
Incident management: For code calls, MCH will rally teams quickly with simultaneous instructions sent to each staff member's appropriate communications device. Responses will be tracked to ensure proper coverage, and messages will be escalated if a staff member is unavailable.
Web directory and on-call scheduling: An online employee and patient directory will enable authorized MCH staff to find and update their own contact and on-call information quickly from their computer, cell phone, or smartphone. This means the appropriate staff member can always be contacted based on device preferences and time of day. Department administrators will also be able to create and update on-call schedules electronically, freeing the operator group from handling this with paper-based methods.
Contact center optimization: Operators at MCH's call center were struggling to manage high call volumes with existing resources. Operator consoles and automated greetings will enable them to speed customer service with intuitive functionality for everything from answering and transferring calls to paging and conferencing. All calls will be recorded and periodically reviewed by supervisors to coach operators and enhance their skills at addressing caller requests. Additionally, the call center will provide answering services for remote offices lacking round-the-clock operator coverage.
Speech recognition: Routine calls to the operator group will be handled through naturally spoken requests that enable the call to be routed to the correct person or department unless more in-depth operator assistance is needed.
Call accounting: MCH will monitor hospital-wide phone usage by logging every call with an embedded date, time, and duration. The reports generated will highlight network inefficiencies or improper usage.
"We're thrilled to work with MCH as it transforms its approach to technology through unified communications," said Chris Heim, CEO, Amcom Software. "People and technology need to communicate flawlessly to speed response times and keep safety and satisfaction in the forefront."
About Miami Children's Hospital
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Miami Children's Hospital® is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with several specialty programs ranked among the best in the nation in 2008 and 2009 by U.S.News & World Report. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. www.mch.com
About Amcom Software
Amcom Software provides technology solutions for organizations that depend on speed, accuracy, and productivity to manage mission-critical, day-to-day, emergency and event-driven communications. Amcom Software's advanced solutions for call center communications, emergency management, wireless messaging middleware, and paging infrastructure are used by thousands of leading organizations in hospitality, healthcare, education, business, and government. Amcom's recent acquisitions of Commtech Wireless and SDC Solutions, along with the additions of Xtend Communications and Telident E911 solutions, further solidify the company's market leadership.
Media Inquiries: Ron Wenaas
rwenaas@amcomsoft.com
+1 (612) 418-7077
