[brian]

Nurses should soon be using voice-over-Wi-Fi phones in a hospital in Indiana as part of an effort to improve their mobility and reduce network costs by using the hospital's Wi-Fi network, an IT official said yesterday.

"We think that technology will really take off, giving each nurse one phone and one number and using the same wireless network that data is already on," said Dan Allee, technical specialist at Hancock Regional Hospital in Greenfield, Ind.


Allee said he and consultants believe the switching and wireless access points added last year from Extreme Networks Inc. can preserve security and privacy for voice conversations and also prove to be reliable. About 50 nurses of a total hospital staff of 800 will use the voice-over-Wi-Fi phones, which are expected to be rolled out by the end of the year, Allee said.


The hospital, with 106 beds and five branch facilities, is currently evaluating phones from three equipment makers: Cisco Systems Inc.; Vocera Communications Inc. in Cupertino, Calif.; and SpectraLink Corp. in Boulder, Colo.



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http://www.computerworld.com/action/...&taxonomyId=15

[Geeg]

Nice idea. I just wonder if the phones will be counted in the staffing ratios. I can just hear admin now: "Well that nurse does have her own wi fi now, I think we can increase the pt load. "

[azhiker96]

They have Vocera where I work and it encourages HIPPA violations. Nurses and techs carry them and they get called everywhere. It's like a walkietalkie so anyone nearby can hear the conversation.

[joshuaha]

We used the voceras on our floor for a while, but in the end we abandoned them. First of all, they have a very difficult time understanding anyone who has a thick accent. This presented a problem for most of our staff. So as compliance with the machines dropped, they slowly went the way of the dodo...

[freakyaye]

to poster above, i dont understand how you mean by them not understanding accents. Perhaps you were using voice recognition technology? The phones are intended to be used just likea normal mobile phone, except only inside the hospital. This is a brilliant idea, alot of people on the site complain of having information in one area or not being able to find a senior person, this could curb those problems

[azhiker96]

Originally Posted by joshuaha

We used the voceras on our floor for a while, but in the end we abandoned them. First of all, they have a very difficult time understanding anyone who has a thick accent. This presented a problem for most of our staff. So as compliance with the machines dropped, they slowly went the way of the dodo...

Yes! The voceras use voice recognition to dial up others on the system. One night our CM was trying to call a nurse on 4C, the opposite end of a large hospital. It was almost comical.

CM: call Sandy Jones.
V: Dialing Steve Smith
CM: No, cancel.
V: Call cancelled.
CM: call Sandy Jones.
V: Dialing Randy Johnson
CM: No, cancel.

This went on so long that I could have walked to 4C, found Sandy Jones, and walked back with her hand in hand. It was hillarious. Our CM does not have an accent either. She was born in the US of A and speaks perfect American.

[FLOBRN]

We use Spectra link phones where I work L&D. They are great. We get triage calls from them, can contact Dr, CNM, nursery, resp therapy...in fact any dept we need to with them. Of course we can also use them to call other facilities if needed. Don't know how we worked without them.
FLOBRN

[asher315]

I've been wanting something like this for use in our nursery. I absolutely go nuts when I have to draw lab, start an IV or just change a dirty diaper and the phone rings 6 or 7 times before I finish and it's a "Is Valerie in there?" type question!
But I want one you wear in your ear. Maybe it will help preserve the little sanity I have left!