Background: Paging is a commonly used, yet limited means of communication. Despite text capability, one-way numeric paging remains the dominant method of communication at the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH). On a modified Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture performed on a medical floor, inefficiencies in provider to nursing communication were highlighted as an area [...]

Background: Due to low cost, dependability, and familiarity, one-way alphanumeric paging continues to be a commonly used method of in-hospital communication. However, lack of urgency indicators has been cited as a key limitation. To address this issue, an Interdisciplinary Communication Improvement Taskforce (In-CITe) at an academic medical institution adopted a Priority Structured Paging (PSP) system [...]

Background: Lack of urgency indicators and receipt confirmation are two of several known alphanumeric paging limitations. To address absence of urgency indicators, a Priority Structured Paging (PSP) system that allowed nurses to communicate priority was adopted at an academic medical institution across multiple nursing units caring for a mixed patient type and acuity. Data recorded [...]

Background: Bedside nurses often communicate via alphanumeric (text) paging with hospitalists and other providers. To help the nurse and provider triage the urgency of these messages, our institution has implemented a tiered paging labeling system based on message priority, but the use of this labeling system and the concordance between provider perception and nurse perception [...]

Background: Facing challenges of capacity strain, many hospitals have implemented programs to prioritize discharges in the morning as a strategy to improve patient throughput, decrease emergency room boarding, and improve patient satisfaction/experience. (1) However, evaluations of these practices have had mixed results. (2) Like many other complex health interventions, priority discharge interventions may fail to [...]

Background: Our large academic medical center has no standardized paging process. Communication between nurses and internal medicine (IM) providers occurs through an alphanumeric one-way paging system. The majority of the pages are non-urgent and often only include a call back number. Non-urgent pages can cause provider fatigue, particularly during high volume messages. Additionally, unclear text [...]

Background: The STAT priority in imaging is universally understood as a signal for medical emergencies; however, its misuse is widespread. At our institution, prior to intervention, 45% of all imaging exams were ordered STAT, with many of these orders not indicating medical emergencies. Our previous initiative in 2023 aimed to redefine imaging priority categories, reserving [...]