Critical Questions to Ask Before Getting Your Next Nurse Call System
You are compromising the care your patients are getting if you are still using that outdated nurse call system. Such old systems lack the robustness of modern systems that incorporate technology and data capabilities. Modern nurse call systems have technological features that allow patients to access the help they need at a moment’s notice and provide hospitals with critical data for decision-making and monitoring the nurse call system’s efficiency.
Your facility could still be using an older system, not because you do not care for your patients, but because an upgrade requires a significant investment. This means that the product you choose must justify the investment. So, what critical questions should you ask to help you invest in the right nurse call system for your facility?
1. Is The Nurse Call System Hospital-Centric?
While technological features are important in a nurse call system, you want to choose a hospital-centric system that will fit with the hospital or nursing home settings where it will be used. Check with your vendor to determine whether they have tested their nurse call system in a hospital setting and included the input of nurses and doctors who work in those settings daily.
2. Does The System Use Latest Technology?
Nurse call systems that use the latest technology come with additional benefits to your facility. Your patients can have better and personalized care when your facility uses a call system that embraces the latest technology.
Aidbell’s wireless nurse call systems incorporate the latest wireless technology in each element of the nurse call system. From flexible devices that can be moved from room to room to integrated technology and software and integration with other systems in the health facility, including integrations with smoke detectors, bedside pans, and door alarms.
3. Does The Hospital Have The Right Supporting Technology?
Newer nurse call systems usually run on new technology that comes with different features and compatibility requirements. You must determine whether the current technology at your hospital can support integration with these systems. If your facility does not have the required supporting technology, you will have to upgrade these technologies or find a nurse call system that integrates smoothly with your current technology infrastructure.
Integration means leveraging the different hardware and software components in a hospital to allow these systems to work together for better service delivery to patients. With integrated systems and technologies, caregivers can access valuable data across all systems, making decision-making easier, and improving the patient’s experience.
4. Will The System Evolve as the Hospital Needs Evolve?
Hospitals never stay still; they are always growing and expanding in the services they offer and the patients they reach. Therefore, the nurse call system used within the hospital should meet future needs your hospital might have. If you focus on a nurse call system that solves the current problem only, you will be back in the market in a few years when your system is outdated and not delivering results as expected.
Aidbell wireless nurse call systems are software-based, meaning they are agile and will evolve with your health facility’s needs. Instead of having a system that relies on dated hardware such as wired nurse call systems, we embrace agile and adaptive systems to help hospitals make upgrades as their needs change.
5. Is It User Friendly
Healthcare workers are already dealing with a heavy workload; therefore, the system you are considering should not become a chore in itself. It must have easy to use features and interfaces to avoid overburdening your patients or staff. A system that is difficult to use either by the patient or by the caregivers will lead to frustration and sometimes disuse.
If this system is unfamiliar to patients and nurses, it should have the most basic learning curve; people of different ages, abilities, languages, and experiences should use the system.
Some of the features that contribute to the user-friendliness of a nurse call system include:
- Easy installation requirements without cabling
- Call priority settings
- Simple nurse call buttons for patients to press when calling for nurses
- Nurse notification systems through distinctive sounds and vibrations
- Easy assembly with plug-to-play settings
- Portability of nurse pager, nurse pendant and nurse call button
6. Does The System Track Patient Care?
Traditional nurse call systems could not provide feedback on the actions taken after the patient calls for the nurse. Therefore, tracking the effectiveness of these systems was quite ambiguous.
However, modern systems have additional features that can track whether the patient received the care they required at the time of their call. The system you choose should have the ability to track, monitor, assess, and measure patient bedside care to facilitate better outcomes and accountability at your facility.
Aidbell recognizes the importance of tracking patient care in streamlining the healthcare workflow and informing quality assessment into the nature of care patients receive. Our wireless systems facilitate communication between patients and caregivers, allowing them to inform their caregivers about their specific needs as they arise.
They can press specific call buttons on their device and request specific help with medication, toilet assistance, and water. The caregiver receives the patient’s request and has the chance to act on it immediately.
Aidbell wireless nurse call systems track in real-time what is happening at the patient’s bedside to determine the care patients receive after making a call.
With such real-time bedside data, leaders in healthcare facilities can decide on the need for training, streamline workflows, and conduct service recovery.
7. Does it Collect, Organize, and Maintain Data?
Today, data is a central part of decision-making across hospitals and healthcare facilities. You must determine whether the nurse call system in consideration can collect, organize, and store data. Such data lets you identify areas that need improvement and determine customer satisfaction levels from the services they receive.
Aidbell wireless nurse call systems are designed with innovative technology to collect critical data about the delivery of care to patients.
8. Who Will Be Responsible for Maintenance?
Your nurse call system equipment and technologies will need maintenance, and you should decide whom you intend to take on the maintenance role. It could be your staff or an outsourcing company, depending on the needs of your facility.
Aidbell offers maintenance services to its clients to help you keep your systems updated and efficient. Our customer service is accessible both for emergency and scheduled maintenance calls.
Final word
Asking yourself these critical questions will help you make better decisions when choosing the best nurse call system to streamline patient-caregiver communication and improve patient satisfaction. Contact us for a consultation if you have more questions about the right nurse call system for your facility.
