How We Got Smart: Improving Interdisciplinary Communication When Summoning Neonatology to High-Risk Deliveries

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Healthcare Communication Systems
• Neonatal Care

Background:

• Effective communication during high-risk deliveries is crucial for patient safety.
• A previous hospital-wide paging system for the neonatal resuscitation team (NRT) faced user dissatisfaction.
• There was a need for an improved system to enhance NRT notification and response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement an enhanced smart panel system for NRT paging.
• To improve communication efficiency and provider satisfaction for NRT calls during deliveries.
• To assess the impact of the new system on NRT response metrics.

Main Methods:

• An interdisciplinary team developed a new smart panel screen for NRT paging, including delivery location and indication.
• User satisfaction surveys were administered to labor and delivery staff and NRT members.
• Quantitative data on NRT pages, pre-delivery paging frequency, page-to-delivery time, and code button usage were collected before and after implementation.

Main Results:

• Provider satisfaction among labor and delivery and NRT staff significantly increased post-implementation.
• The frequency of NRT pages prior to birth increased with the new system.
• There was a decrease in the use of the code button to summon NRT, indicating more appropriate paging.

Conclusions:

• A touch screen-based notification system, like the smart panel, enhances timely NRT notification for deliveries.
• The implemented system improved satisfaction for both delivery room providers and the NRT.
• This technological enhancement contributes to safer and more efficient high-risk delivery management.