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In recent years, smartphones andtablets have become an integral part of clinical communications. Yet eventoday, no mobilecommunicationtechnology is more reliable, survivable,and affordable than the pager.In fact, pagers are filling a crucialrole in the response to COVID-19—you can learnwhy pagers arestillso crucial in healthcare todayin this previous blog post.
To truly understand thevalue of pagersfor the healthcare system, it’s important to understand a few things: how a pager works,what a paging network is,how modern paging differs from the pagingyoumightremember,and how a hospital or clinical setting can best leverage the capabilities of modern paging.
How does a pager work?
A pager is a small telecommunication device that receives radio signals from the paging network. Transmitters in the paging networks broadcast signals over a specific frequency. Pagers that are physically in range of the transmitters listen to the signal from the transmitter. When your pager hears its unique address, it receives the message and alerts you (via an audible signal and/or a vibration, depending on pager settings).
Learn more about how pagers workin this infographic.
What is a paging network?
There are two types of paging networks:
- On-sitesystemsuselow and high-power transmittersto send localmessages or for in-housenotifications,similar to the kind used atarestaurant to let you know that your table is ready.
- Wide-areanetworks rely onhigh-powered transmittersacross the country fornationwide coverage.
Paging networks are superior to cellular networks in a lot of ways. Notably, paging transmitters use high frequency radio signals with antennas that are typically located high off the ground so they can extend farther with fewer transmitters and less interference. That’s why pagers are so well-suited to a hospital setting wherethick concrete wallsand basem*nt facilities often makecellularserviceunreliable. Paging networks alsouse multiple towers simultaneously, providing overlapping (read: more reliable) coverage.
How is modern paging different than its earlier days?
Modern paging networks use sophisticated satellite connections between the core messaging network and transmitter towers. This bypasses vulnerable telephone and RF link networks,providing a higher degree of efficacyandsecurity.
Unlike the “old” days of paging, which required an infrastructure of dedicated wired phone lines and RF link transmitter systems, most modern paging is 100% digital using common IP protocols.
What do I need to know in order to make paging work best for my organization?
Not all paging systems are created alike. Chief concerns include efficacy/coverage and security. The most secure and reliable paging networks rely on a checkerboard pattern of transmitter sites. This is the approach that Spok employs foritsindustry-leadingpaging services.
Since hospitals and clinical settings arebound byHIPAA and other regulations, proper data encryption is essential.Today, some pagers (like the Gen A and Spok T5) support message encryption using the AES-128 encryption algorithm, which is the industry standard. With this pager, each device is programmed with a unique encryption key. Messages are encrypted as they enter the Spok network, sent over the satellite network to the transmitters and then sent over the air to the device, where they are decrypted for display to the user.
Whether you need to communicate a system-wide emergency message or let one person know that there is a front desk delivery for them, paging is a fast, efficient, cost-effective and unobtrusive solution.
For moreinformation, read 4 things to know about paging architecturein this infographic.
