In healthcare facilities, effective communication is vital for providing quality patient care. A nurse call system facilitates communication between patients and healthcare providers. It serves as a means for patients to request assistance and enables nurses to respond promptly to their needs. However, not all nurse call systems are created equal. A good nurse call system UK has several qualities contributing to its effectiveness and efficiency. Let's explore some of these qualities in detail.
Reliability
Reliability is one of the most critical qualities of a good nurse call system. It should function consistently and be available round the clock without any downtime. Patients should be able to rely on the system to contact healthcare professionals whenever they need assistance. Reliability also includes the system's ability to transmit signals accurately and promptly to the appropriate staff members.
Ease of use
A good nurse call bell should be easy for patients and healthcare providers. Patients, often vulnerable, should be able to operate the system effortlessly to request help. The system should have clear and intuitive controls, ensuring patients can easily understand how to use it. Similarly, healthcare providers should be able to respond to calls quickly and efficiently, minimising response times and maximising patient satisfaction.
Customisation
Each healthcare facility has unique requirements and workflows. Therefore, a good nurse call system should offer customisation options to adapt to the facility's specific needs. It should be flexible enough to integrate with existing infrastructure and provide customisable features such as call prioritisation, alarm escalation, and integration with other hospital systems like electronic health records (EHR) or nurse scheduling systems.
Communication channels
Effective communication goes beyond basic patient calls. A good nurse call systems UK should offer various communication channels to facilitate seamless interactions between patients and healthcare providers. It could include voice communication, text messaging, or video calling capabilities. Providing multiple communication options allows for clearer and more efficient communication, especially when face-to-face interactions are not feasible or necessary.
Integration and interoperability
Integration with other hospital systems is crucial for streamlined operations and optimal patient care. A good nurse call system should seamlessly integrate with other technologies and platforms within the healthcare facility. Integration with EHR systems ensures that nurses have access to critical patient information, reducing response times and improving care coordination. Moreover, interoperability allows for data sharing between different systems, enhancing efficiency and reducing the risk of errors.
Reporting and analytics
A good nurse call bell should provide robust reporting and analytics capabilities. It should generate comprehensive reports on response times, call volumes, and other performance metrics. This data enables healthcare administrators to identify areas for improvement, optimise resource allocation, and make informed decisions. Analytics can also help identify patterns and trends, leading to proactive measures to enhance patient care and staff productivity.
Scalability
Healthcare facilities evolve and expand over time, and a good nurse call system should be scalable to accommodate these changes. Whether it's an increase in the number of patient beds or the addition of new departments, the system should be able to grow alongside the facility. Scalability ensures that the nurse call system remains effective and efficient, even as the healthcare facility undergoes expansion or remodelling.
Report Overview[136 Pages Report] The global nurse call systems market is projected to reach USD 2.5 billion by 2024 from USD 1.6 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2019 to 2024.
The emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil are expected to provide a wide range of opportunities for players in the market, which is driven by growing healthcare infrastructure, vast population pool, rising demand for quality care, and the increasing healthcare spending.Increasing incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and growing number of assisted living centersAlzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away (degenerate) and die.
Also, it is the most common cause of dementia—a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral, and social skills that disrupt a person’s ability to function independently.It is estimated that approximately 5.8 million people in the US are suffering from Alzheimer’s, and the number is expected to rise to ~14 million by 2050 One of the major factors responsible for the growth in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s is the rising geriatric population.
Geriatric patients suffering from Alzheimer’s require continuous monitoring and care due to the nature of the disease.
This necessitates the use of nurse call systems with advanced functionalities, such as wanderer management, RTLS, and emergency medical alarms, for the effective treatment of these patients.
Also, the rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s is one of the major factors resulting in a growth in the number of assisted living centers.
