A Customized Workflow-Driven Instant Messaging System Support Team Communication in the Hospital

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Informatics
• Medical Communication Systems
• Team Resource Management

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial for healthcare team resource management (TRM).
• Traditional telephone communication presents significant challenges and inefficiencies for healthcare teams.
• Optimizing inter-professional communication is essential for patient care and operational efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an instant messaging (IM) system integrated within an existing hospital information system (HIS).
• To evaluate the preliminary outcomes and user adoption of the novel IM system.
• To assess the system's impact on healthcare team communication efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Development of an instant messaging application.
• Integration of the IM system into the hospital information system.
• Preliminary evaluation of system usage and outcomes.

Main Results:

• The developed IM system demonstrated potential for enhancing communication.
• Preliminary data suggests user engagement with the new system.
• The system offers a viable alternative to traditional communication methods.

Conclusions:

• Instant messaging systems integrated into HIS can improve healthcare team communication.
• The developed system shows promise for supporting team resource management.
• Further research is warranted to fully explore the benefits and optimize the system's implementation.