Alphanumeric paging in an academic hospital setting - 18/08/11

Doi : 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2005.06.037

Tom C. Nguyen, M.D., M.P.H ^b, Anna Battat, M.D. ^a, Chris Longhurst, M.D., M.S. ^c, Peter D. Peng, M.D., M.S. ^b, Myriam J. Curet, M.D. ^b,^⁎ : F.A.C.S.
^a School of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
^b Department of Surgery, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive H3591, Stanford, CA 94305-5641, USA
^c Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-650-736-1613; fax: +1-650-736-1663

Abstract

Objective

To determine whether implementation of an alphanumeric-paging system would improve physician work environment.

Design

Surveys were distributed to all general surgery residents, faculty, and nurses before and after implementation of an alphanumeric-paging system. Housestaff also kept a detailed log of paging activity before and after the intervention.

Measurements

User satisfaction with the paging system was measured using a Likert format survey. Interruptions to patient care and pages requiring a call back were tracked using paging logs.

Results

Physician perceptions of the capability of text paging before the intervention were high and did not differ significantly postintervention. For nursing staff, postintervention perceptions of the text-paging system were significantly more positive than preintervention, especially with regard to perceived improvements in patient care (54.1% versus 81.6%, P < .05). Residents’ paging logs reflected significantly decreased interruptions to patient care after the intervention (28.2% versus 46.9%, P < .05), with less pages requiring a call back (100% versus 73.6%, P < .05).

Conclusions

Study participants rated the alphanumeric-paging system highly. Text-paging technology has the potential to reduce interruptions in patient care and improve physician work efficiency and satisfaction.

Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.

Keywords : Text paging, Alphanumeric paging, Residency work environment, Residency work hours