Comments on: Will smartphones replace the pager? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html medical blog Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:10:11 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Role of Small Form Factor Devices Underestimated Today! « EHR Success http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-111574 Role of Small Form Factor Devices Underestimated Today! « EHR Success Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:39:14 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-111574 [...] iPhones, iPodTouches and other SmartPhones may already be replacing pagers in healthcare! With processors becoming faster, these devices becoming less expensive, it’s only a matter of time that they get adopted quickly! [...] [...] iPhones, iPodTouches and other SmartPhones may already be replacing pagers in healthcare! With processors becoming faster, these devices becoming less expensive, it’s only a matter of time that they get adopted quickly! [...]

]]> By: Dr York Yates http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91802 Dr York Yates Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:25:53 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91802 I recently stopped carrying a pager altogether. I have told the E.R, hospital, surgical center, clinic and everyone I can think of to text or call my cell. This has made things much easier. I had one problem, however, with a patient trying to reach me on my pager that she got from my postoperative instruction sheet that didn't get updated. She is a bit of a needy (and realizes this) and just assumed that I didn't return her page because I didn't want to talk to her. I looked lazy and thoughtless on that one. Make sure that there is a good month transition if you decide to ditch the pager. I recently stopped carrying a pager altogether. I have told the E.R, hospital, surgical center, clinic and everyone I can think of to text or call my cell. This has made things much easier. I had one problem, however, with a patient trying to reach me on my pager that she got from my postoperative instruction sheet that didn’t get updated. She is a bit of a needy (and realizes this) and just assumed that I didn’t return her page because I didn’t want to talk to her. I looked lazy and thoughtless on that one. Make sure that there is a good month transition if you decide to ditch the pager.

]]> By: brenda http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91669 brenda Sun, 31 May 2009 16:29:13 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91669 My son lives in the Houston area. During the hurricane events of last year we had no trouble with sending text messages although we couldn't get regular phone calls through. My son lives in the Houston area. During the hurricane events of last year we had no trouble with sending text messages although we couldn’t get regular phone calls through.

]]> By: David Valentini http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91624 David Valentini Fri, 29 May 2009 21:38:38 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91624 Pagers still have a valid use in hospitals. We have over 800 pagers in use at our hospital, a combination of code group requirements, individual use pagers, etc. and we are working on reducing this number. We lease these pagers at a cost of $3.95/mo for a numeric and $5.95 for an alphanumeric. Smart phones are effective but the monthly costs of a smart phone versus the low cost of a pager make the "get rid of hospital pagers" argument ineffective but I could be wrong. I would rather pay $48 year to reach someone 24x7 than $600 year for a cell smart phone to reach vast quantities of people at a moments notice. Also, you run into employees and physicians who do not want to use their personally owned devices for business use. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I would really like to hear from you. Thank you. David Valentini Telecom Manager 808.547.4719 Pagers still have a valid use in hospitals. We have over 800 pagers in use at our hospital, a combination of code group requirements, individual use pagers, etc. and we are working on reducing this number. We lease these pagers at a cost of $3.95/mo for a numeric and $5.95 for an alphanumeric. Smart phones are effective but the monthly costs of a smart phone versus the low cost of a pager make the “get rid of hospital pagers” argument ineffective but I could be wrong. I would rather pay $48 year to reach someone 24×7 than $600 year for a cell smart phone to reach vast quantities of people at a moments notice. Also, you run into employees and physicians who do not want to use their personally owned devices for business use. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I would really like to hear from you. Thank you.

David Valentini
Telecom Manager
808.547.4719

]]> By: stargirl65 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91603 stargirl65 Fri, 29 May 2009 12:25:10 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91603 My pager just stopped working!! The company that ran my contract just stopped doing it and did not tell me. Maybe I was there only customer? The problem is that where I live there is very poor cell phone reception in many places - including my home. If I get a cell phone call I have to stand in a corner by a window or go outside. There is no reception anywhere at my neighbor's home. So now I need a new pager company or a cell phone repeater in my house. My pager just stopped working!! The company that ran my contract just stopped doing it and did not tell me. Maybe I was there only customer?
The problem is that where I live there is very poor cell phone reception in many places – including my home. If I get a cell phone call I have to stand in a corner by a window or go outside. There is no reception anywhere at my neighbor’s home. So now I need a new pager company or a cell phone repeater in my house.

]]> By: GG Freeman http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91592 GG Freeman Thu, 28 May 2009 23:16:39 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91592 Having recently switched from ATT to Verizon, I can tell you there are still many places in MANY hospitals where there isn't even cell reception with BOTH carriers. In other words, until you can receive radio band signals on your smart-phone or until the hospital uses a cell repeater perhaps... or maybe PTT technology? ... the pager will still be the go-to device. Having recently switched from ATT to Verizon, I can tell you there are still many places in MANY hospitals where there isn’t even cell reception with BOTH carriers.

In other words, until you can receive radio band signals on your smart-phone or until the hospital uses a cell repeater perhaps… or maybe PTT technology? … the pager will still be the go-to device.

]]> By: CareerMedicine http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91588 CareerMedicine Thu, 28 May 2009 20:42:40 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91588 I agree and I take most of my calls on my cellphone. I still keep a pager because that is a requirement of the bylaws of the hospital. Yes! you cannot maintain privileges in most hospital if you do not keep a pager. I have republished a post on outdated pagers which was on similar lines, to support this idea, on my blog <a href="http://www.careermedicine.com/2008/05/change-medicine-series-pagers-are-an-outdated-technology/" rel="nofollow">CareerMedicine.</a> Kevin I hope you don't mind me posting this link. I agree and I take most of my calls on my cellphone. I still keep a pager because that is a requirement of the bylaws of the hospital. Yes! you cannot maintain privileges in most hospital if you do not keep a pager. I have republished a post on outdated pagers which was on similar lines, to support this idea, on my blog CareerMedicine.

Kevin I hope you don’t mind me posting this link.

]]> By: Chris http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91586 Chris Thu, 28 May 2009 20:05:18 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91586 I was a strong supporter of ditching our pagers at work (fire dept), until hurricane Ike last year. With the massive influx of evacuees, the cell phone networks could not take it & were rendered nearly useless. SMS was delayed >30 minutes & phone calls would take 20+ attempts to get through. I am still working towards getting our admin to use SMS to supplement pagers, but not replace them. 360 days of 2008 phones worked great here (Bryan, TX)... but those other 5 days, pagers became a very important tool. I was a strong supporter of ditching our pagers at work (fire dept), until hurricane Ike last year. With the massive influx of evacuees, the cell phone networks could not take it & were rendered nearly useless. SMS was delayed >30 minutes & phone calls would take 20+ attempts to get through. I am still working towards getting our admin to use SMS to supplement pagers, but not replace them. 360 days of 2008 phones worked great here (Bryan, TX)… but those other 5 days, pagers became a very important tool.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91585 Anonymous Thu, 28 May 2009 19:57:29 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91585 They're not dead yet. Nothing is as loud as my pager for getting your attention. They’re not dead yet. Nothing is as loud as my pager for getting your attention.

]]> By: anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/05/will-smartphones-replace-the-pager.html/comment-page-1#comment-91583 anonymous Thu, 28 May 2009 19:25:52 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=30041#comment-91583 They already have!!! They already have!!!

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