A new trend in hospitals is their need to turn existing non-clinical contact centers into nurse triage centers. Since contact centers are the communications hub of any hospital, they are looking to enhance their engagement with existing and potential customers. One of the most important details hospitals must consider is the need for a robust triage software system, such as My Triage Checklist Call Center Version, to help facilitate the transition from contact center to Nurse Triage Center.
Many hospitals are providing centralized call centers and want to add clinical triage capabilities. However, each organization has already invested millions into their own patient management and documentation system; they are reluctant to purchase another free-standing triage system that would require additional IT support as well as add exposure to patient PHI that is stored in those systems. The MyTriageChecklist Call Center Version allows hospitals to easily add full call center capabilities with no added data risk and minimal IT considerations.
A RELIABLE CLINICAL DECISION TREE
When receiving calls from patients, hospitals need to have a reliable clinical decision tree – their EMR alone won’t have this component. Institutions need to ensure that their patients are given quality care advice by incorporating nurse triage protocols, such as the Gold Standard Schmitt-Thompson Protocols. These easy to follow protocols give telephone triage nurses a step-by-step checklist that lets them ask all the right questions pertaining to the disposition, then directs the patient to the appropriate level of care. In addition, every call can be easily documented in the patient’s chart.
CUSTOM WORKFLOWS
Another feature to look for when adding a triage software component to their contact center is the ability to provide custom workflows. These custom workflows should be based on each client or location that the hospital provides service for. This feature empowers the nurses to follow specific physician or center instructions during the call to provide more personalized and efficient care. There should also be an administrative panel to self-manage the information in real time as changes are needed. Plus, look for a reporting dashboard that gives deep insights into call center metrics, such as presenting symptoms, number of calls and outcomes for billing, QA, and ROI calculation. The MyTriageChecklist Call Center Version provides all the above and more.
SECURITY THREATS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
When searching for a solution that offers software with minimal security risks, make sure the company has the following:
- A CIO who oversees the security program
- A formal security compliance program in place with yearly audits
- URAC accredited
- Data center infrastructure with regular scanning of software and servers
- Software server that meets HIPAA security requirements
- Intrusion detection system in place to alert for potential threats
With MyTriageChecklist Call Center Version there is no PHI stored, so there is minimal security considerations.
A SMALL INVESTMENT BRINGS HUGE RETURNS
Hospitals don’t have to worry about investing a lot of money into a new system; software solutions such as TriageLogic’s can be customized to each organization’s exact specifications. The call center module will convert an existing EMR into a Clinical Triage Call Center Platform for 24/7 usage. Since the software is web-based, a hospital’s contact center can be de-centralized; nurses can be located in various locations, either on or off-site. This functionality greatly increases staff satisfaction.
If you are interested in adding this robust triage module to your existing contact center, contact us to set up a demo and see if MyTriageChecklist Call Center Version will meet your needs.
