"Old Faithful" communications via the telephone

What tool transcends every department, produces more ROI than any other technology at your hospital, reduces abandonment, and is even used to save lives, every day? If you guessed the phone system, you are correct! YOUR phone system can impact patient satisfaction numbers. Although nobody really wants to be placed on hold, studies repeatedly demonstrate that if we make the time spent on hold valuable and in context with the ensuing experience, you can positively impact how you are viewed by callers to your facility.

But don't just wait for management to understand this, send them a copy of my recent article, Please Stay on the Line, it validates everything I have said. Then send a copy to marketing and see if you can help them understand how they can leverage your phone system, to the benefit of all, as a unique REVENUE STEAM.

The Ultimate Communications Device
By Mike Mitchell

With all the new leading edge technology being implemented faster than you can keep your staff certified, it is important not to forget the most important communications device in healthcare - the telephone.

I'm not suggesting we stop the innovation. Remote Radiology, Electronic Medical Records, and Computerized Physician Order Entry are valuable advances in technology, which have led to improved healthcare and positive outcomes. But sometimes the telephone gets buried under the avalanche of high tech, high profile applications. It is the most reliable means of real time communication. Sadly, we often take this tried and true device for granted.

Here are a few of the uses where the telephone is quite often the best, and in many cases the only, tool for the job:

• Safety - a dedicated telephone or extension in the operator or security area that receives emergency notifications from nursing units for codes, cardiac arrest, fire, or hazardous material spills provides quick person-to-person communications to accurately relay information in a life or death situation.
• Security - strategically placed security stations throughout the campus with a ring down or hotline circuit to a security command post provides instantaneous communication for an employee, patient, or guest to report suspicious activity or a dangerous situation.
• Collaboration - telephone system conference call capability enables large groups in geographically distant locations to communicate effectively when managing projects, planning installations, and conducting weekly or monthly status meetings.
• Real-time Contact - wireless telephones are now ubiquitous on a hospital campus. The emergency room nurses and physicians, engineering and maintenance staff and even housekeeping employees use telephones to respond to critical and life threatening situations as well as routine and daily responsibilities.

For all of its wonderful benefits, the telephone is so often taken for granted. Maybe because it works so well. We have come to expect a dial tone to always be there. It's dependable, but not very exciting, as compared to its communications cousins, email and text messaging.

The telephone is a platform for success. No cutesy emoticons are needed to express emotions. No misspelled words and no punctuation errors! The telephone allows the speaker and listener to determine the true nature of the personal conversation using rich voice tones, subtle volume variations, and even periods of silence to make a point, answer a question, relay instructions, or perhaps encourage a colleague.

The telephone may not make you say, "Wow! that's cool technology," but it is a highly effective communications device. And, by the way, just in case no one has told you lately, "Thanks for the dial tone."

- Mike

Dear Mike: I've been offered a supervisor position but I'm not sure if I really want it. What do you think?

Mike's Answer: There are several things for you to consider.

1. Does accepting a supervisor position fit with your long term personal goals? If you like hands-on activities, you might not enjoy the administrative paperwork that comes with leadership.
2. Do you have a detailed job description? If so, are you prepared to accept all of the responsibilities? For instance, if you have budget responsibilities, do you know how to create an operating budget? Will your senior company leadership allow you the time to get up to speed?
3. Will your compensation be increased to match the additional hours and responsibilities? Generally, management receives a defined salary not an hourly wage with overtime pay for extra hours (trust me - you will work longer hours). If you're used to handling one or two tasks at the same time, be prepared to juggle multiple tasks and projects.
4. One of the most difficult adjustments a new supervisor has to make is in managing former coworkers. If that is your situation, be prepared for some push back or maybe even resentment.

Becoming a supervisor is a great first step to developing leadership skills. If you think you're mentally and emotionally prepared for the initial adversity and frustration, I encourage you to take that first step toward this exciting and challenging leadership opportunity.

- Mike

Have a question for Mike? Email him at mike@telexcellence.com.

Verizon launches visual voicemail

With Verizon's official launch of visual voicemail today, the carrier is taking the service beyond simply mapping visual functions onto the same traditional voicemail prompts and into group-centric applications and organizations.  

CBeyond: At least it's not getting worse

The economic climate surrounding business IP communications is holding steady, CBeyond said in reporting its second quarter earnings late Wednesday.

Telcordia: IP doesn't have to mean best-effort

Telcordia this week debuted a new network management platform it believes can add true "five-nines" capabilities to IP networks - and it says it has customer trials at some of the world's most security - and reliability-minded enterprises to prove it.

800-800-1090

Please Stay on the Line
by Robert Loeb