The new service gives callers instant access to the best placed person or team available, providing patients and healthcare workers with the ability to reach the right person, first time, and every time they call.
Orange says the launch signifies the operator’s first activity in the UK healthcare industry, and the first service of its kind here by any mobile operator. Orange has had a dedicated healthcare division in Europe for four years, and has a ten-year legacy in the healthcare sector. Recognising the huge potential for mobile communications to improve efficiencies for healthcare professionals, and ultimately patient care, Orange is building on its experience to offer this new solution that will improve how healthcare professionals and patients communicate with one another.
Orange smartnumbers provides patients and healthcare workers instant access to the best person available to handle their call, improving accessibility to healthcare individuals and teams. For example, if a doctor on duty is unavailable to answer a call, it will be diverted to the appropriate colleague or team. The solution enables greater flexibility, control and monitoring of calls – empowering employees and informing managers.
For community-based healthcare staff working on the move, such as midwives and nurses, 60% of ordinary call attempts to healthcare colleagues fail to reach the right person first time. With time saved on locating colleagues, the efficiency of those people working outside GP surgeries or hospitals is increased, resulting in the health sector being better able to focus on providing first class patient care.
Orange has partnered with Resilient Networks plc to provide the service that equips GPs and Primary and Secondary Care Trusts with the tools to help meet their service quality and efficiency targets.
Martin Stiven, VP of Business at Everything Everywhere said, “We are extremely proud to be the first UK operator offering this valuable service to the healthcare sector. We believe that there is huge potential for mobile communications to help the UK healthcare industry to provide better services to the public and increase efficiencies at the same time. As part of Everything Everywhere, Orange is committed to working with the very best partners to deliver pioneering new services such as Orange smartnumbers. Our relationship with Resilient Networks plc is only the first step in our drive into the healthcare market. With Resilient, Orange will be providing the technology to meet the needs of patients, professionals, managers and IT administrators, and public and private health providers alike”.