HIllrom Logo
Voalte is now part of the Hillrom family! Learn more.
(941) 312-2830
Contact Us
Support Portal
Voalte LogoVoalte
  • Voalte Platform
    • Voalte Platform Overview
      A solid foundation for communication that scales along with your healthcare enterprise. Learn more.
    • collaboration-tiny1Collaboration Solutions
      Streamline communication between caregivers inside and outside the hospital.
      • Voalte Platform
      • Voalte One
      • Voalte Me
      • Voalte Messenger
    • management-tinyManagement Solutions
      Manage smartphones and applications from any location, any time, anywhere.
      • Voalte Admin
      • Voalte Connect
    • analytics-tinyAnalytics Solutions
      Gain insight into the use of communication systems, clinical workflows and audit data.
      • Voalte Insight
      • Voalte Reporting Database
    • integration-tinyIntegration Solutions
      Tie together multiple systems for interoperability today and into the future.
      • Alert Integration Gateway
      • Voalte APIs and SDKs
  • Services & Support
    • Support Overview
      Our experts stick with you through every step of your communication upgrade. Learn more.
    • clinical-support1-150×150Clinical Workflow Solutions
      Our clinical team helps optimize caregiver communication with effective workflow changes.

      Learn more.
    • professional-services1-150×150Professional Services
      We support our customers from clinical workflow assessment through up-to-the-minute troubleshooting.

      Learn more.
    • maintenance-support1-150×150Maintenance & Support
      Our 24/7 remote monitoring and support ensures your systems are always up and running smoothly.

      Learn more.
  • Resources
    • Resources Overview
      Rely on solid statistics, real-world examples, and the latest research to inform your important decisions. Learn more.
    • case-studies-150×150Case Studies
    • whitepapers-150×150White Papers
    • infographics-150×150Infographics
    • webinars2-150×150Webinars
    • newsletters-150×150Newsletters
    • interactive-150×150Interactive
    • kits-150×150Kits
  • Blog
    • Latest Posts
      The Voalte blog is the best place for industry news and thought leader reviews. See all posts.
      • Bot calling to user. Smiling customer service robot. Vector illustration.TUG robot alerts are the remedy for missed medication deliveries at UConn Health.December 3, 2019
      • VUE19 Kevin SpoliniVoalte Alerts with Waveforms Reduce Telemetry Tech Call Time by 82%.November 15, 2019
      • VUE19 David Briden & Ben BurnsUsing Voalte Insight to pinpoint and reduce unnecessary text messages.November 15, 2019
      • VUE19 Chris KirwanHow Massachusetts General overcame language barriers by replacing interpreters’ pagers with smartphones.November 14, 2019
  • About Us
    • about-us-150×150Our Company
      We reimagine healthcare communication to bridge the gap between technology and care.

      Learn more.
    • careers-150×150Careers
      Join a team that's dedicated to improving healthcare communication.

      Find your dream job.
    • press-150×150Press & News
      Stay in the know about company news and industry-related events.

      Voalte in the news.
    • calendarEvents
      See Voalte in action at any one of these upcoming events!


      Upcoming Voalte events.
    • customers-150×150Customers
      Voalte has attracted the most innovative healthcare providers in the country.

      See our customers.
    • Voalte Platform
      • Voalte Platform Overview
        A solid foundation for communication that scales along with your healthcare enterprise. Learn more.
      • collaboration-tiny1Collaboration Solutions
        Streamline communication between caregivers inside and outside the hospital.
        • Voalte Platform
        • Voalte One
        • Voalte Me
        • Voalte Messenger
      • management-tinyManagement Solutions
        Manage smartphones and applications from any location, any time, anywhere.
        • Voalte Admin
        • Voalte Connect
      • analytics-tinyAnalytics Solutions
        Gain insight into the use of communication systems, clinical workflows and audit data.
        • Voalte Insight
        • Voalte Reporting Database
      • integration-tinyIntegration Solutions
        Tie together multiple systems for interoperability today and into the future.
        • Alert Integration Gateway
        • Voalte APIs and SDKs
    • Services & Support
      • Support Overview
        Our experts stick with you through every step of your communication upgrade. Learn more.
      • clinical-support1-150×150Clinical Workflow Solutions
        Our clinical team helps optimize caregiver communication with effective workflow changes.

        Learn more.
      • professional-services1-150×150Professional Services
        We support our customers from clinical workflow assessment through up-to-the-minute troubleshooting.

        Learn more.
      • maintenance-support1-150×150Maintenance & Support
        Our 24/7 remote monitoring and support ensures your systems are always up and running smoothly.

        Learn more.
    • Resources
      • Resources Overview
        Rely on solid statistics, real-world examples, and the latest research to inform your important decisions. Learn more.
      • case-studies-150×150Case Studies
      • whitepapers-150×150White Papers
      • infographics-150×150Infographics
      • webinars2-150×150Webinars
      • newsletters-150×150Newsletters
      • interactive-150×150Interactive
      • kits-150×150Kits
    • Blog
      • Latest Posts
        The Voalte blog is the best place for industry news and thought leader reviews. See all posts.
        • Bot calling to user. Smiling customer service robot. Vector illustration.TUG robot alerts are the remedy for missed medication deliveries at UConn Health.December 3, 2019
        • VUE19 Kevin SpoliniVoalte Alerts with Waveforms Reduce Telemetry Tech Call Time by 82%.November 15, 2019
        • VUE19 David Briden & Ben BurnsUsing Voalte Insight to pinpoint and reduce unnecessary text messages.November 15, 2019
        • VUE19 Chris KirwanHow Massachusetts General overcame language barriers by replacing interpreters’ pagers with smartphones.November 14, 2019
    • About Us
      • about-us-150×150Our Company
        We reimagine healthcare communication to bridge the gap between technology and care.

        Learn more.
      • careers-150×150Careers
        Join a team that's dedicated to improving healthcare communication.

        Find your dream job.
      • press-150×150Press & News
        Stay in the know about company news and industry-related events.

        Voalte in the news.
      • calendarEvents
        See Voalte in action at any one of these upcoming events!


        Upcoming Voalte events.
      • customers-150×150Customers
        Voalte has attracted the most innovative healthcare providers in the country.

        See our customers.

Let your fingers do the talking.

July 22, 2013Frank Watts

To simplify communication for busy hospital nurses, some mHealth companies believe the answer lies in “hands-free” devices. By wearing a voice badge, they say, nurses are free to talk even when their hands are busy.

If only it were that simple. Unfortunately, broadcasting patient information over a speaker worn around a nurse’s neck raises serious HIPAA-compliance issues. Say a nurse is busy with one patient when she receives a call about a second patient. The caller first asks if the nurse is free to talk. The nurse must excuse herself and go into the hall or a private area where the caller can’t be heard, or tell the caller she will call back later. The first patient hears the conversation, and wonders why his or her care is being interrupted.

Beyond the broken workflow and constant interruptions inherent in voice badge technology, nurses also have to grapple with the challenges of voice recognition software. Those with regional accents, non-native English speakers and people who speak quickly will need to slow down and speak unnaturally to be understood. And while the latest voice badges can display alarms and text, their postage-stamp-sized screen requires text to be so small that most nurses need to reach for their reading glasses to see important messages. Not so hands-free after all.

At Voalte, we’ve found most nurse communication involves sending a message or task, such as:

  • Lab results are ready for Rm 222.
  • Patient would like ice chips in Rm 243.
  • Can you cover for me while I’m off the floor?

For this type of communication, text messages easily replace voice calls. After switching to Voalte iPhones, one customer found their clinicians used texting at a 9-to-1 ratio over phone calls. Texting eliminates ringing phones, reduces overhead paging and eases the hunt for an alternate caregiver. Text messages also give nurses a date- and time-stamped to-do list so she can prioritize her tasks or delegate to another caregiver.

Smartphones also handle alarms, provide access to third-party medical apps and integrate with nurse call systems. And unlike proprietary voice badge technology, smartphones are geared toward emerging technologies that will tie in to electronic medical records.

If a hands-free device requires a trade-off in more interruptions, more noise, more communication challenges and more HIPAA violations, the benefits aren’t worth the cost. While we’re talking cost, it may be a good time to mention the special promotion we’re offering through September 30, 2013. If you’re being asked to trade in an obsolete legacy device for a new version with no new functions, it might be time to consider letting go of the past.

Related Articles

Crawl, walk, run: The importance of understanding workflow.

November 19, 2012Trey Lauderdale

Free like a puppy.

September 18, 2018Trey Lauderdale

Making connections extraordinarily simple.

March 12, 2014Guillermo Moratorio
Voalte
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube

Recent posts

  • TUG robot alerts are the remedy for missed medication deliveries at UConn Health.
  • Voalte Alerts with Waveforms Reduce Telemetry Tech Call Time by 82%.
  • Using Voalte Insight to pinpoint and reduce unnecessary text messages.
HomeAbout UsCase studiesBlogContact
Copyright © Voalte • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy