Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The use of information technology in ophthalmology offices has expanded dramatically over the last 15 years. Yet one area often overlooked in this technology rush is intra-office communications. With the increased need for efficiency and confidentiality and the ever-present desire to increase your practice’s bottom line, a
light signaling system can help accomplish both.
In many ophthalmology offices much time is wasted walking around the office looking for staff or getting sidetracked by “friendly conversations”. When a doctor is in an exam with a patient he or she can become isolated from the dynamic activity in the office. Light signaling systems provide doctors and staff real-time information about patients waiting to be seated and how many are waiting in other rooms, as well as the order in which they need to be seen. They also offer a discreet way to page staff, convey messages, and monitor where doctors are and where they need to go next. By paging techs to exam rooms for patient hand-offs, doctors can avoid waiting on staff to arrive.
One such system is made by Comlite. Their light signaling systems offer a discreet way to convey messages ranging from patient arrivals and important phone calls to paging staff and patient sequencing. Each light signaling unit has 15 light buttons. The buttons light steady when pressed once, and blink when pressed twice. A set of labels is provided with each unit to allow individual office customization. A chime sounds each time a message appears on the panel to alert staff of new messages. For example, you can press a button labeled tech and one labeled #1 to page a tech to exam room #1. This lights up on all panels in the office so that wherever that tech happens to be at the time they will hear a soft chime and be alerted that they are needed in room #1. For offices that need patient sequencing, the system has a function that indicates which exam room to go to next at the press of a button. With the optional handheld remote control you can operate all system functions from up to 35 feet away. There is also a unit available that has a room specific voice intercom as well as the light signaling functions.
For existing offices Comlite offers a plug in, wireless version of its systems. The LCS4000 (lights and chime) and the LAS4000 (lights, chime, and voice) install by plugging into a standard 110V outlet and communicate using the AC wiring. The LCS4100 and LAS4100 are built in, hardwired versions of the plug in systems. These systems are hardwired from a central power supply and the units can be built into a wall or cabinet, or can be placed on a counter or desktop.
With a light signaling system, your office will be quieter, less stressful and more professional. Time spent walking around the office to relay messages can be spent attending to patients. What’s more, communication will be more confidential and less intrusive during patient interaction.