In addition to improving the quality of care for patients, well designed and implemented nurse call systems can provide significant cost-savings for Trusts, Contractors and Care Homes. Wandsworth Healthcare are the leading innovator of nurse call systems we have been at the forefront of technology for the built environment longer than anyone else. As the first to design, manufacture and install a fully IP Nurse call system we understand the full benefits of these systems.
First and foremost, at their core, nurse call systems are life safety systems- critical systems that must work as effectively as possible to benefit healthcare providers, patients and staff alike.
However, while investing in nurse call systems that on first glance appear cheaper might seem like an attractive option, if lacking in durability, or being of average quality, they are likely to cost healthcare provider and owners more in the long-term. For example, those who opt for cheaper handsets may find themselves changing batteries more frequently, while the handsets themselves may be more susceptible to damage, therefore requiring replacement more often.
Faults like these don’t simply lead to cost hikes. They can have serious implications on the quality of care offered to the vulnerable.
The solution
By simply installing handsets that are easily repairable, or selecting nurse call systems where fewer spare parts are required, issues like the above can be avoided.
For example, we developed our IPiN nurse call system to contain fewer components that can, to put it simply, ‘go wrong’. This means they require fewer spares and can be repaired simply by replacing a cable- as opposed to the entire handset.
IP nurse call systems like the IPiN are particularly beneficial as once a cabling infrastructure is established, hospitals and homes are effectively set for decades, able to opt for expansion, software modifications and feature add on’s at a later date.
Another way IP-based (i.e. network-based) nurse call systems save money is that they allow Estates staff to avoid spending time working their way around care sites testing equipment, as traditionally required by older systems. Centralised PC systems demonstrate exactly what is going across the entire network, meaning if a point fails they are notified immediately and can fix it straight away. This avoids situations where busy nurses may take several hours to discover a room handset is faulty, something that can and has put the patient care at risk.
What’s so good about IP nurse call systems?
IP-based systems are a more reliable option for many as in addition to the decreased necessity for repair, the life safety system allows for greater flexibility for staff and better care for patients.
IP nurse call systems can also reroute calls from unmanned nurse stations, or through mobile monitors can ensure an alarm is never missed.
By transferring calls in this manner, money can also be saved on staffing for the Trust, the NHS or the private hospital sector in question and fewer members of staff are required to sit at a desk, with monitoring possible from one location.
Increased mobility also means where patients are able to move around they are instantly trackable, freeing up nurses who traditionally spend time walking around rooms to ensure the status of each of their patients. Working as location detectors, some nurse call systems even allow staff to track where a patient is at anytime, even if a call isn’t activated can actually press a button, they know where they are all the time, they’re actually location detectors. This provides greater flexibility and allow for staffing levels to be lower.
If you would like to discuss the cost-saving benefits of our IPiN nurse call systems in greater detail, please contact us at sales@wandsworthgroup.com
