The Benefits of Hospital Paging Systems, Even Today

The way hospitals work has changed drastically over the last century. Hospitals are no longer just a place to heal, but they have also become centers of research and innovation. One major change has been the rise in hospital paging systems. A pager is a device that can receive and display messages. Pagers were introduced in the 1950s and became widely used in the late 1990s as a way to contact doctors, nurses, or other medical staff. With a paging system, it’s very easy to get a hold of people and immediately know where they are in a hospital. We’ll go over how this process works, and also the benefits it has for both staff members and patients.Pagers were a great invention back in the day. They allowed us to be instantly alerted when something was happening and we could respond accordingly. It's possible that pagers may have been especially useful in hospitals, where doctors are constantly interrupted with pager alerts. The paging system is used to alert hospital staff of an emergency. The system typically consists of a set of strategically placed speakers and a call button that alerts the control center that an emergency has been reported. The control center then dispatches the appropriate personnel to the area where the incident is taking place. Now, with modern technology, doctors can be notified of emergencies through their cell phones. And if they aren't reachable via phone, they can be reached through text messages or emails. But this doesn’t mean paging systems have been rendered obsolete, rather, this process of modernization has shown us why pagers can still bring a medical team many benefits over other types of devices.

Why do we still use pagers?

In an age of smartphones and constant communication, why do we still use pagers? The answer is simple: they are a more secure way to communicate than email or phone. If you have something sensitive to say, you don't want it sitting in your inbox or on your voicemail. Pagers can be used for patient confidentiality as well as for medical emergencies. In fact, many experts argue that message encryption systems are more reliable in pagers than in the devices we commonly use to communicate today.In addition to this, paging systems offer wide-range radiofrequency-based technology that can provide cover where there may not be a Wi-Fi or cellular signal. This is critical in a hospital setting, where there are always connectivity blind spots, and maintaining communication everywhere and at all times can even be life or death.Pagers also offer simple design options and limited functions, with no bells and whistles. This can be beneficial in an emergency when all that is needed is straightforward communication and no potential distractions or non-urgent calls. They are also discreet, whereas a bulky tablet or larger smartphone can be less so. Another great advantage pagers offer is that they can send out group messages effortlessly, reaching entire teams of the medical staff at once.Another benefit to opting for paging technology is that they provide a long, shift-withstanding battery life. You may need to charge a pager only every week or two, which is unthinkable to tech and smartphone users today.It's not that hard to find a reason to use a pager when you need one!

Even more reasons why medical staff still choose pagers

Hospitals are always looking for ways to reduce costs, and new technology that rolls out every year is really expensive. But with reliable medical equipment, hospitals don't have to worry about running into a situation where they need an upgrade. This will allow them to save money on upgrades and other hospital-related expenses, which could help improve their finances in the long run. Low maintenance devices are a great advantage, especially if there is no apparent need to make the switch.Something to keep in mind is that most medical staff have reported preferring one-way pagers to two-way models. This is because one-way pagers are less distracting and don't have the same functionality as two-way devices. This allows for more focus on work, and it's been proven that people can get twice as much done in a shorter amount of time when they're not distracted by incoming messages. Medical staff always have to think on the run, and one-way pagers are a great solution to be able to receive critical messages at the right time.Pagers are also a more reliable technology because not only do they not rely on the internet or cellular networks to work, but they have been around for a while. If you think about it, this relatively straightforward device has had ample time to become optimized to its maximum capacity. Today, new tech devices are coming out constantly. This gives way to a long list of potential bugs and glitches, which is why our devices have built-in software updates. But we can't be relying on these to fix urgent issues within a medical setting. A small tech bug interrupting communication can be catastrophic, which is why a paging system is a logical answer for many. Pagers are old technology that has been optimized for the smartphone era. In this day and age, we don't need to know where someone is at all times, but we do want to be able to reach them when it's important.

Call systems for patients and nurses

Of course, we couldn’t leave out this specific innovation in paging technology that has been around for a while now and populates patients' hospital rooms, personal homes, and nursing homes alike. Patient-to-staff paging systems are a great solution for patient care. These devices provide straightforward call buttons and different programmable alert options for patients and staff alike. The receivers can be placed strategically and most call buttons come with some sort of lanyard or attachment device so that you can have them with you at all times. These paging systems also offer wide-range options for optimal peace of mind. So what’s the takeaway here? Well, if you want to do your job better, go find a pager. They may seem old-fashioned, but they can still be incredibly beneficial to medical staff. Plus, their features offer more than enough for what you need them to be, and newer internet-based and smart tech isn’t as reliable as these devices can be, not only in connectivity range but in overall build quality and hardware. Sometimes, reliability makes all the difference.In this day and age, it's hard to believe that there are hospitals out there without pagers. It may not be new technology, but they meet all the needs a hospital may have and lets them care for their patients better.