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INDUSTRY: Healthcare
PRODUCTS:
- NetPage PC Staff Paging System
CLIENT PROFILE
Blaine Eye Clinic
Blaine Eye Clinic was founded in 1979 by Dr. Lynn A. Sulerud. Since then, the clinic has been serving the Blaine area with a knowledgeable and caring staff that is committed to Quality Eye Care and providing their patients with Quality Eye Wear. Through the years, the clinic has emphasized the importance of the personal relationships that develop over years of caring for their patients.
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CHALLENGE
Blaine Eye Clinic (BEC) had recently moved into a new building with a much larger square footage than its previous facility. According to Nate Sulerud, Office Manager at Blaine Eye Clinic, “With a larger facility, efficient and effective communication between staff was much more of a necessity than ever.” BEC’s previous method of staff communication consisted of verbal communication between staff members, and a doorbell used to alert staff of ready patients, but both were often missed and were disturbing. Other methods tested were post-it notes used to notify staff, and phones; however, these methods were not effective as individuals did not get the post-it messages in a timely manner or were not always at their desks to answer their phones. Doctors had no immediate way of letting technicians know that they needed help in the exam room.
BEC had also gone paperless, fully transitioned to electronic medical records, and wanted a system that would reinforce their compliance to HIPAA’s privacy regulation. In addition to improving staff communication, the clinic also wanted to manage their patient flow more effectively.
SOLUTION
Blaine Eye Clinic decided to implement LRS’ Netpage Paging System to improve office communication between staff members and improve operational efficiency relating to patient flow.
System Components:
- 20 – Netpage Software Licenses for PC
- 1 – T74C232 Transmitter
- 16 – Alphanumeric Pagers
System Installation:
LRS’ T74C232 transmitter was connected to the web server and the NetPage software was installed on various PC’s throughout the building (over 20). Various staff groups were created and programmed into Netpage. Each alphanumeric pager was assigned a number belonging to a staff group, and a number label was placed on each pager for identification purposes. The groups created included: Tech Group, Opticians Group, Doctors Group and Front Desk Group. Individual staff members were also assigned pagers.
System Implementation:
Following installation, the system has allowed staff members to communicate and contact each other directly from their PC. “It’s been a painless transition for our staff using the new system. Implementation was easy and staff members from all ages are able to use the system and enjoy it,” says Sulerud. From the NetPage screen, a staff member selects an individual or group to page. A preprogrammed message is then selected or a custom message is created, and the message is sent at the push of a button. The staff member(s) carrying an alphanumeric pager instantly receive(s) the message.
RESULTS
Reduced on-hold hang-ups
As staff members can be contacted instantly, no matter where they are, the system has helped to reduce lost calls that once resulted from staff not responding quickly enough to incoming calls.
Increased efficiency in staff communication
As computers are stationed throughout the facility, including in exam rooms, doctors have the ability to contact technicians immediately without having to leave the room. “Our staff doesn’t have to go searching for our techs anymore when they are needed,” comments Sulerud.
Improve Patient Flow
“The new system has resulted in an increase in staff response time, which has helped improve our patient flow, allowing doctors to see more patients thus increasing revenue earned,” adds Sulerud.
Increase in staff response time
The ability to locate and notify staff quickly has resulted in quicker response times to assistance needed by doctors and other staff. Techs can be easily and quickly paged when someone needs assistance, and opticians can be instantly notified when glasses are needed.
FUTURE
BEC plans to continue to use the Netpage system as it has significantly helped to improve staff efficiency and has enhanced staff communication.
BUSINESS BENEFITS
- Reduce on-hold hang-ups
- Increase staff communication and response time to requests
- Improve patient flow
- Increase revenue generated
- Increase Patient Privacy – HIPAA compliance
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