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University of Miami Medical Center Selects Amcom Software to Automate Entire Communications Center

Posted on: Wednesday, 9 August 2006, 06:00 CDT

Amcom Software - a provider of mission-critical communications technology solutions - today announced that the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami has selected the company's entire product suite to update and automate its communication-center operations. The Web-based integrated technology system developed by Amcom will centralize contact directories, enable speech-based services, and automate internal and external call-routing and notification procedures.

Chris Bogue, director of IT for the University of Miami Medical Center and one of the medical IT community's leading proponents of wireless technology, explained his vision. "We can be more efficient by enabling network access to anyone, anywhere, at any time. A web-based call-center system supports our need for increased speed, accuracy and productivity. Thanks to Amcom, we now have a central communications platform and easy-to-use applications that enable more effective operator services and allow us to eliminate paper-based, redundant and inefficient processes."

Amcom's advanced call center applications are integrated into the University of Miami phone system and other telecommunications technologies and processes, forming a comprehensive, universal communication portal that houses all critical call-center information and functionality such as patient information, in-house and area-wide paging, on-call calendars, answering service, integration to wireless devices and other applications such as fire alarms. As a result of integrating the Amcom system, Bogue explained that they were able to eliminate third-party call-center resources and create a central communications system.

A completely web-based system consolidates directory information into a single system through which clinical staff can access data and paging services, even after hours. The hospital formerly managed the deployment of on-call service and support teams through a collection of paper-based department spreadsheets. Up to four document sources were used to find patient or personnel information, making it extremely difficult to change or modify the information.

The University of Miami will also install Amcom Software's emergency notification system as its central emergency broadcast service to prepare for hurricanes and other natural disasters. The advanced communications system also will integrate with pagers to support patient bed-side nurse-calling and within the central system for communications to support medical emergencies.

"We're excited to have the capability to integrate a more sophisticated system across the hospital network as a way to quickly escalate notification to emergency response teams," said Bogue. "Eventually we plan on giving patients the ability to call in and locate a family member in the event of a disaster or crisis situation and in finding new and innovative ways to expand the functionality and use of this valuable emergency communications system."

In summary, the University of Miami selected e.Notify(TM), Smart Web(TM), Smart Speech(TM), Smart Console(TM) and from Amcom Software- all of which integrate into a central Oracle and Linux-based system hosted by Amcom.

The security-controlled Smart Web system makes authorized data used by operators directly available to staff members and other authorized users via the Internet, reducing reliance on outdated paper directories. Authorized employees and users can look up personnel by name, partial name, department, title or extension and send a Smart Web message to contact another individual by phone, email, text messaging or pagers. On-Call Scheduling allows authorized personnel, clinics and departments to maintain and access their own or other independent calendars without contacting call center staff. The Physician/Registry Locator allows physicians to use their PC or wireless devices to update availability, view their colleagues' availability, leave and receive messages, view on-call schedules and access patient census.

Smart Speech applications process a majority of routine phone requests--including directory assistance, messaging, and paging--with prompts, independently of a live operator, and with greater ease-of-use than touchtone. The system listens, finds the information in the database and performs the appropriate transaction. Smart Speech handles calls quickly, politely and consistently, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Security mechanisms allow authorized callers to perform directory searches, page, access patient information, and check calendars by following a series of voice prompts. In addition, the Auto Attendant option provides open-ended prompts, extracts key words and patterns, finds what the caller is looking for and completes the transaction.

The Smart Console attendant workstation streamlines operator tasks and integrates caller and directory information into one robust PC-based system, enabling operators to process calls in a few keystrokes at their PCs, including directory searches, paging and messaging. Comprehensive features--including voice assisted transfer, Smart Park call parking, pre-recorded greetings and a variety of paging and messaging options--ensure that calls are handled professionally, any time of day or night.

Call centers answer more calls in less time, reduce operational expenses, enhance caller satisfaction and customer service, reduce staffing burdens, maintain courteous, professional call reception, increase operator productivity and accuracy, and reduce manual data entry through automated feeds.

The e.Notify automated event notification system gives hospital facilities the ability to quickly and reliably initiate, manage and monitor emergency notifications. The system automates notification, freeing key personnel for other critical activities. Supporting a multitude of communications devices, protocols and rules, e.Notify offers an enterprise-wide platform for emergency communications. Pre-defined and customizable templates facilitate instant notification to any combination of individuals, groups, and devices, while features such as escalation, response collection, monitoring and reports provide comprehensive and interactive communications capabilities.

About Amcom

Amcom Software provides mission-critical communications technology solutions for organizations that depend on speed, accuracy, and productivity to support day-to-day business continuity and event-driven communications. Amcom's open technology, standards-based solutions are used by more than 400 blue-chip companies in healthcare, education, finance, utilities and government agencies. Amcom customers include Intel Corporation, Duke University, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, U.S. Department of the Army, Yale University, and Stanford University Medical Center.

For more information, call (800) 852-8935 or go to www.amcomsoft.com.

Smart Center, Smart Console, Smart Web, Smart Speech and e.Notify are trademarks of Amcom Software, Inc. All other trademarks herein are the property of their respective owners.

Source: Business Wire

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