Patients and Pagers

Many people associate pagers with hospitals. Whether it's on the television or movie screen, fictional doctors are summoned to do battle with a bewildering array of medical emergencies via the bleeping of their trusty pager. The reality of the situation, in this case, is quite similar to the depiction in the media. Pagers are often used in hospitals, for a variety of reasons and in different ways. Whether they're used by doctors, other members of staff, or even patients, they have become part of the communications infrastructure of the modern hospital, which relies on being able to monitor and alert people to developing situations.

For Doctors On Call

When it comes to communication, pagers are the best choice for a hospital because they're simple. Pagers are used to alert doctors to developing situations, whether it's after-hours, or if they're on-call. The range of a pager allows for them to be alerted anywhere in the premises, or even at home or while travelling, if need be. The reliability of the pager signal means that, unlike a mobile phone, the messages sent are unlikely to be delayed by network traffic - a necessity where failing to respond rapidly to a signal might have unfortunate consequences. The pagers themselves also don't allow for any chat - such as a phone call does - that might delay a rapid response.

For Medical Equipment

Often, one way pagers are used in hospitals because of the relative simplicity of the signals they use to receive messages. More complex devices such as mobile phones can interfere with sensitive medical equipment when doctors are using them, such as MRI machines, or even simpler lifesaving tools such as defibrillators. While many medical professionals are trained in the use of these machines, and knowledgeable about their operation, in the bustle of treating a vast number of patients, mistakes can be made and mobile phones might be overlooked. Using pagers as the default method of communication ensures the reliability of lifesaving equipment.

For Patients

In terms of organisation, managing the day-to-day activities of a hospital can be just as challenging as any medical treatment carried out. With medical staff needing to liaise with other areas in the course of just one patient's treatment, such as in obtaining x-ray scans or blood tests, the time such organisation takes can often cause delays in attending to each patient - and delays for all the patients waiting. In order to reduce stress for both patients and staff, many hospitals employ a second system of pagers to give to patients themselves. This helps manage delayed appointment times, and congested waiting rooms.

Using this type of system allows patients more independence of movement, as they can take advantage of other areas to wait besides the waiting room - such as in a hospital canteen, or outside if they wish to call relatives. Confidentiality is also an important consideration - with pagers, the patient doesn't need a name called out, as staff can simply select the appropriate pager to send a message to call the patient for their appointment. Using pagers in a patient-management system can help reduce stress for both staff and patients, and help a hospital run a little more smoothly.

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