Nortel Unveils UC, IVR-Based Healthcare Communications Products

Confirming rumors reported by TMCnet two weeks ago, North America’s largest telecom equipment vendor today announced that it’s releasing software designed to streamline business processes and create mobility in healthcare settings.

 

Officials at Toronto’s Nortel Networks Corp. say their new products – essentially unified communications solutions, including some that leverage interactive voice response, or “IVR” technology – will improve the process of discharging patients, boost safety, allow secure sharing of medical information, provide wireless emergency notifications and serve smaller and medium-sized healthcare organizations.

 

According to Joel Hackney (News - Alert), president of enterprise solutions at Nortel, the solutions “offer just as much to hospital staff as operating rooms and surgical instruments.”

 

“They allow healthcare teams to make quick, accurate diagnoses by giving all appropriate staff access to the same data in a real-time, secure environment,” Hackney said. “This more efficient approach helps the healthcare staff and the patient by reducing the amount of time most patients actually spend in the hospital.”

 

Specifically, Nortel (News - Alert) officials say, the suite of healthcare products includes: Patient Discharge Solution; Asset Tracking and Management; Collaborative Clinical Solution; Clinical Alarms and Alerts; IP Mobility Fast Start Solution; and Secure Portable Office.

 

With a UC solution, Nortel says, organizations could see up to 18 percent gains in productivity. The company also cites third-party studies showing that its data networking products provide up to 20 times the performance and seven times the resiliency of competitive solutions, even while consuming up to 40 percent less energy and costing up to 50 percent less to own and operate.

 

TMCnet reported recently on Nortel’s rumored targeting of the healthcare market.

 

Today’s news comes weeks after rumors emerged that Nortel is selling off major divisions. According to a story by Matt Hamblen of Computerworld, officials at Nortel also are planning to unveil an online tool that helps businesses calculate the total cost of their networks.

 

Officials at Nortel cite two recent examples where their solutions helped healthcare organizations save money and boost productivity.

 

The company’s IVR solution helped reduce discharge times by up to four hours at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, part of Orlando Regional Healthcare. Also, Nortel says it developed a UC solution for Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas  when it identified the need to send medical orders wirelessly.

 

According to Net Payne (News - Alert), vice president of global service and solutions marketing at Nortel, improving the quality and speed of patient care is top of mind for all healthcare professionals.

 

“Nortel’s unified communications solutions provide a foundation for hospitals to provide staff with up-to-date patient information,” Payne said. “The ability to share digital files securely helps ensure regulatory compliance, but just as importantly, it makes it easier for healthcare professionals to do their jobs.”