With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things revolutionizing healthcare, it’s easy to overlook that many hospitals still depend on outdated, fragmented communication systems. HipLink Software addresses this issue by unifying communication platforms.

Here are five strategies healthcare providers can employ to streamline their internal communications using HipLink.

1 - Make Dependability a Priority

Current hospital communication channels often lack reliability, resulting in unanswered pages or unread texts that leave clinicians waiting. Integrated communication solutions with structured workflows can automatically connect with the right person. These systems use built-in escalations and flowcharts to ensure continuous communication until the issue is resolved.

2 -Target the Right Person at the Right Time

In large organizations, locating specific individuals or teams without over-alerting is challenging. A comprehensive communication platform can directly connect to a clinician's device, whether it's a smartphone, pager, IP phone, or desktop. These solutions can be customized for specific users and alert them to anything from billing errors to emergency codes from patient monitoring systems.

3 - Centralize Communications

Hospitals send numerous communications daily, making it difficult for physicians to distinguish between true emergencies and routine alerts. Alarm fatigue is a growing concern. Switching to a centralized communication system that targets the right person at the right time ensures that every alert a physician receives is urgent and requires attention.

Main Presenter(s)

Anthony N. LaPine, Stanford MBA, MSEE, BSEE

Chairman

Hiplink Software

Los Gatos, California

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As more organizations adopt emergency messaging software, first responders gain significant advantages from these systems. Hospitals, emergency management teams, and municipalities use these programs to handle crisis management efficiently. 

Police and fire departments, along with emergency medical services, have integrated these software programs into their daily operations. The benefits range from unification and validity to response time and employee protection. With emergency messaging software, first responders can enhance their protection as the world continues to change

Wireless notification software has revolutionized the communication in public transportation systems. Consider the various transportation modes available globally today—airliners, trains, trucks, and even small vehicles. All these rely on efficient communication systems to function safely.

Ever wondered where the updates on electronic highway signs come from? The transportation sector employs a complex communication network to manage emergencies, reduce traffic congestion, and inform travelers about road interruptions.

Text messaging software is revolutionizing communication across various business sectors, notably enhancing customer satisfaction. In the energy and utility industries, secure text messaging software plays a pivotal role in improving service changes, payment reminders, and emergency notifications. This enhanced communication leads to better business practices and improved customer engagement, helping companies stay competitive in their respective industries.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, IT infrastructure downtime is unacceptable and detrimental to business operations. Instant worldwide communication is crucial, and any network infrastructure failure can disrupt business continuity. 

One significant issue that companies face today is IT alerting. Many systems are equipped to notify the appropriate IT personnel during an outage. But what happens when the communication method for your alert system is the part that’s down?

Wireless communication between teams involved tedious programming, including the manual input of individual email addresses for notifications. To address this issue, organizations normally task their managers with finding a more reliable wireless communication system. Through their search, they discovered that HipLink was the only viable solution. 

Here are the key reasons why organizations chose HipLink to enhance their wireless communication infrastructure:

A county in scenic Utah, has swiftly emerged as an enticing haven for businesses seeking vibrant consumer markets. Recent reports underscore its substantial surge in job opportunities, further enhancing its appeal. Moreover, boasting a plethora of tourist attractions, it offers a delightful blend of commerce and leisure. Conveniently positioned just a half-hour drive from Salt Lake City, it stands as an ex-urban gem, increasingly sought after by new families and residents.  

Grace Hospital, located in Ohio, is renowned for its demanding and exhausting work environment. Despite operating as a not-for-profit entity within the healthcare sector, Grace specializes in treating patients with intricate and severe cardiac conditions. While the hospital prides itself on employing skilled and committed staff, all four of its locations grapple with alarm fatigue, financial constraints, and communication challenges. 

The Growing Need for Mobile Access:

The demand for mobile access stems from the need for increased efficiency and responsiveness in a fast-paced environment. Mobile devices have become an indispensable tool for doctors and staff, allowing them to access sensitive patient data protected under HIPAA, even while on the go. This eliminates the need to stop and look up information on a computer, saving valuable time. Mobile technology goes beyond doctors; affiliates also utilize these devices to communicate, send, and even store confidential data.

Furthermore, the ability of mobile apps to read barcodes on medications, wristbands, and medical charts further strengthens the appeal of mobile devices as a universal data tool. This not only reduces transcription errors but also improves access to information and communication among healthcare professionals. However, these conveniences come at a cost, jeopardizing the very data they strive to protect. 

The Challenge of Cyber Threats:

Healthcare IT departments face a significant challenge as many physicians often use personal phones at work. Even if these phones are equipped with intrusive security measures, they are generally not as secure as work-issued devices. While IT departments can fortify on-site systems and devices, they have limited control over personal mobile devices that constantly move in and out of their purview. This gap in security is well-known to cybercriminals who have shifted their focus accordingly. The healthcare industry has suffered millions of dollars in damages and countless stolen or exposed patient records due to cyberattacks in recent years.

In today’s world, organizations face an array of crises spanning from natural disasters to financial downturns, each posing a threat to employee safety, corporate reputation, and financial stability. In response, effective crisis management demands a comprehensive communication strategy at its core. 

When developing plans to manage a crisis, it is imperative that a communication strategy be incorporated. 

Imagine you're the CEO of a bustling financial institution. Money never sleeps, right? But what if it did, for 30 minutes at a time? That's potentially $1,000 lost every minute due to network downtime. Ouch! But why? Your IT team is top-notch, with a dedicated war room buzzing with activity. Alerts flash, phones ring, emails ping – yet, precious minutes tick by before the real issue gets addressed. Why the delay? 

Imagine the unthinkable: an emergency unfolds in your community. It could be a sudden storm, a fire, or even a security threat. In these critical moments, timely and accurate communication is vital. This is where mass notification systems (MNS) come in – playing a crucial role in connecting residents, responders, and institutions during emergencies.

In today’s world, our police departments, fire departments, EMS departments, hospitals, educational institutions, large enterprises, and many others must have the means to reach people promptly when there is an emergency.  This involves having a wireless paging software system with complete two-way SMS texting, voice messaging, and fax messaging capabilities to virtually any device. 

Here are some strategies for state and local chief information officers (CIOs) to maximize their resources and limited funding in order to advance their resilience efforts.

Changing the Focus:

Traditionally, the prevailing notion has been that cyber perfection lies in prevention. However, in our interconnected world, "prevention" is no longer an accurate measure of resilience. The cybersecurity field constantly evolves as new threats emerge, making it imperative that we redefine resilience. Rather than solely aiming to prevent breaches and attacks, the focus should shift towards safeguarding critical information and maintaining operations in the face of inevitable attacks and breaches.

 In the face of various crises, such as an active shooter, a missing patient, an approaching tornado, or a major fire, effective crisis response management is paramount. Preparation plays a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals in such situations. For instance, when there's an active shooter in a building, immediate lockdown procedures are initiated, and law enforcement is alerted. Additionally, a well-rehearsed announcement swiftly informs all staff members to remain in their current locations, secure doors, and take shelter. Preparedness, in this case, can potentially save lives – if provided that the messaging system itself is efficient. 

In today's fast-paced world, wireless communication stands out as the most effective means to alert the right people promptly during a crisis, regardless of the time of day or night. This ensures that once notified, team members can collaborate seamlessly to respond effectively to the situation.

 In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, healthcare providers are increasingly adopting electronic health record (EHR) technology and connecting to health information exchanges. While this enhances the accessibility of patient health information (PHI) for healthcare professionals, it also exposes PHI to online security threats and potential HIPAA data breaches.

The convenience of easy access to PHI for healthcare providers also presents a corresponding risk, as it becomes more vulnerable to hackers and unauthorized users. Effectively monitoring and managing these risks is crucial for healthcare organizations, with risk assessments playing a pivotal role in maintaining HIPAA compliance. Threats such as mobile devices and ransomware underscore the need for healthcare providers to exercise prudence in their risk analyses. Even the slightest oversight or lapse in security could result in a HIPAA data breach, leading to a protracted and costly recovery process.

Secure Text Messaging (STM) offers healthcare providers a convenient and efficient means of real-time communication with colleagues. It enables the exchange of lab results, medication requests, and test results through a secure, encrypted messaging platform. 

However, the successful implementation of STM goes beyond technology; it requires a strategic approach to encourage adoption among healthcare professionals. Hospitals can achieve this by implementing an internal marketing campaign, garnering support from the IT department, and soliciting positive feedback from users. 

Embracing the Future

A HIMSS Mobile Technology Study, encompassing 238 respondents, underscores that healthcare organizations are rapidly adopting mobile technologies to engage patients within their ecosystems. Significantly, many respondents emphasized the need to fully harness the diverse capabilities offered by mobile technology and platforms. For instance, nearly 90% of respondents reported the use of mobile devices to engage patients within their organizations. Additionally, 47% of respondents identified implementing mobile services for information access as a top priority for the future.

How do you keep your communication flow during a cyber attack? The recent cyber attacks in hospitals are raising many questions about safety and security within many organizations.

The recent surge in cyber attacks targeting hospitals and other organizations has raised serious concerns about safety and security. According to CNN, the prevalence of ransomware is on the rise, with the FBI receiving 2,453 complaints about ransomware incidents in the past year alone, resulting in victims losing over $24 million dollars. Incident response teams are grappling with an alarming rate of 3-4 ransomware incidents per week, as reported by CSO Online. These incidents are not only more frequent but also more costly, often leaving organizations with no viable alternative but to consider paying the ransom.

Grace Hospital is dedicated to delivering top-notch clinical care to patients dealing with intricate health conditions. Their goal was to enhance clinicians' ability to concentrate on direct patient care, reduce alarm fatigue, and safeguard patients' personal health information. Additionally, the hospital aimed to streamline communications across its four locations to boost efficiency and centralize functions.