How IP PBX Software Empowers the Healthcare Industry?

Communication technology plays an important role in the healthcare sector. The rapid advancements in the healthcare industry that we are witnessing now would never have been possible without the evolution of communication technology.

To paraphrase Bill Maris, a renowned American entrepreneur and venture capitalist focused on technology and the life sciences, communication technology has become an integral part of healthcare.

Many other noted industry leaders and tech experts have highlighted the role of communication technology in the healthcare sector.

Susan Biddle, senior director of healthcare at Fortinet, stated, “The healthcare industry is in the midst of a technological transformation to improve patient care.”

Many years back, American computer scientist, inventor, and tech entrepreneur John Edward Warnock famously said, “I have seen that technology has contributed to improved communication. It has contributed to better healthcare. It has contributed to better food supplies. It has contributed to all the basic human needs.”

How prophetic their statements are! If we take a look at healthcare organizations and hospitals that leveraged the right communication technology, such as IP PBX software systems, at the right time, then we can see the benefits they have reaped over time.

This blog post discusses the features of IP PBX software solutions that give healthcare organizations an edge as well as the various advantages of IP PBX software.

So, without further ado let’s dive right into the blog post and know more about the features and benefits of IP PBX software. Read on and thank us later.

Key Features of IP PBX Software

IP PBX software solutions provide a wide range of features such as:

1. Advanced Call Management 

Healthcare organizations and hospitals receive a huge volume of calls every day. They must do whatever it takes not only to manage the incoming calls but also to streamline communication between healthcare professionals. Sophisticated IP PBX software solutions come equipped with a Graphical User Interface (GUI-based) user panel that makes it extremely easy to manage calls with patients as well as internal communications. 

2. Effective Call Routing

Managing internal and external communication is one thing but routing calls, especially the incoming ones, is extremely crucial. Healthcare maintenance organizations and providers must make sure that they route all incoming calls to the right department as well as agents with the most appropriate skill sets and expertise to resolve patients’ issues. For that, they need to leverage the skill-based routing feature of IP PBX software that can route incoming calls to the most appropriate agent or department based on predefined criteria such as patient needs, agent expertise, or call volume.

3. Integration with PMS and Other Healthcare Applications

PMS, short for a patient management system, keeps records of patients. It is similar to a customer relationship management (CRM) system. The only difference is that PMS is used by organizations in the healthcare sector and CRM systems are used by organizations in all other sectors. Just as a sophisticated IP PBX software system integrates with CRM systems and other types of business applications, it can integrate with PMS, electronic health records (EHR), as well as other healthcare applications.

4. Unified Communication

This is one of the best features of IP PBX systems. Noted graphic designer Katherine McCoy rightly said, “Traditional communication design and the digital revolution will certainly blend and integrate, as clients’ communications needs rarely involve just one medium.” Sophisticated IP PBX software does just that. It can integrate voice, video, and messaging into a single platform.

5. Data Analytics and Reporting

“The world of healthcare data is quickly advancing. However, healthcare providers are still encountering limitations when it comes to turning the data they collect into action.” The anonymous quote pretty much sums up the importance of data as well as data-driven decision-making in the healthcare sector. IP PBX software can play a huge role in providing a wide range of data to track call volumes, performance metrics, patient satisfaction scores, and more. By leveraging the necessary data, healthcare providers can enhance patient care and patient experience.

Benefits of Adopting IP PBX Software in Healthcare

For healthcare organizations and hospitals, adopting IP PBX software can bring a wide range of benefits such as:

1. Enhanced Patient Care

Every patient deserves high-quality treatment and care. When healthcare organizations and hospitals leverage the right tech stack they enhance the way they take care of their patients by several notches. Would it surprise you to know that adopting the right IP PBX software can enable you to enhance your patient care? Certainly not! 

Handpicking the right IP PBX systems can play a huge role in quick and efficient communication among medical staff and enable them to respond promptly to patient needs. By using sophisticated IP PBX software, primary care providers and general medical staff can easily reach specialists for urgent consultations as well as to discuss treatment plans.

2. Cost Savings

“The new information technology, internet, and e-mail have practically eliminated the physical costs of communications.” What noted management guru Peter F. Drucker said for the internet and email are so apt for IP PBX software solutions.

IP PBX software systems leverage voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology to make and receive calls.  As per various studies, VoIP systems can reduce domestic and international communication costs by 50 to 90 percent. IP PBX software systems don’t need any specialized hardware and infrastructure. They can work like a charm with the existing internet infrastructure and regular computer systems.

3. Increased Efficiency and Productivity

What noted cardiologist Dr Eric Topol said for AI can be said for IP PBX software solutions. They can improve productivity, efficiency, workflow, accuracy, and speed, both for healthcare professionals and for patients. By doing that, it can restore the care in healthcare.

When healthcare organizations and hospitals leverage sophisticated IP PBX software, they not only benefit from automation of various repetitive and manual tasks associated with communication but they also ensure the prompt handling of calls and reduction of wait times.

4. Robust Data Security and Compliance

“Hospitals’ systems were already fragile before the pandemic. Then the ransomware attacks became more varied, more aggressive, and with higher payment demands.” This quote by Joshua Corman, VP of Cyber Safety Strategy at Claroty, speaks volumes about why healthcare organizations and hospitals must fortify their communication systems. Patients’ data security is a top priority in healthcare and just a single instance of data breach can be disastrous for healthcare organizations.

IP PBX systems offer advanced security features such as robust encryption, multi-factor authentication, two-step verification, secure access controls, and audit trails. Not just that, it also enables healthcare organizations to comply with domestic and international regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), and more.

Taking Everything Into Consideration,

The advent of IP PBX software has come as a boon for the entire healthcare sector. It has not only leveled the playing field in the way healthcare organizations communicate with patients, employees, and other stakeholders, but it has also empowered many small and mid-sized healthcare providers in many aspects.

If you are an owner of a healthcare institution or a senior professional in one then it would be prudent to choose a reliable and sophisticated IP PBX software and request for a free trial to make an informed decision.