Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
Clinical Communication Response Latency as an Operational Efficiency and Patient Safety Indicator in Acute Care
1Regional Sales Director - International, Healthcare Technology, Rauland - AMETEK, Singapore.
Objectives:
Timely clinical communication is a core safety function in acute care, yet response latency remains poorly measured. This study treats it as a stratified safety indicator and introduces a dual-phase model distinguishing verbal triage (T₀verbal) from physical intervention (T₀physical).
Methods:
A mixed-methods observational design evaluated nurse call response latency across 3 anonymised hospitals: Hospital A (public, no-voice), Hospital B (private, no-voice), and Hospital C (private, voice-enabled). Voice-enabled systems provide 2-way audio between the patient and the nurse before arrival. A total of 16,000 call events across 9 departments were stratified by shift and acuity (NEWS2). Semistructured interviews contextualised patterns within the SEIPS 2.0 framework. Escalation was defined as a response time exceeding 180 seconds.
Results:
Median response times were 29 seconds (voice-enabled), 130 seconds (private nonvoice), and 256 seconds (public nonvoice). The 90th-percentile response times were 60, 381, and 416 seconds, respectively. Escalation rates were 0.0%, 19.6%, and 70.3%. Ward night shift escalation in hospital A reached 76.0%. For patients with NEWS2 ≥7, medians were 28 seconds (voice-enabled) versus 80 to 88 seconds (nonvoice). Qualitative themes identified alarm fatigue, nonvalue-added locomotion, and coordination friction.
Conclusions:
Response latency, including tail latency, shift-stratified escalation, and the Surveillance Gap in nonvoice environments, may function as a leading indicator for safety monitoring. Voice-enabled communication may support workflow during low-staffing hours by narrowing the verbal-to-physical intervention interval and reducing nonvalue-added nursing locomotion. Findings are associative; institution type and communication modality were not fully separable.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:29SBAR I: Understanding the Concept
Standardized methods of communication have been developed to ensure that information is...
01:26Types of Reports III: Telephone and Verbal Reports
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
01:25Types of Reports I: Hand-off Report
Following are the key components and categories of hand-off reports:
Purpose and Process:
01:30Therapeutic Communication
Verbal communication depends on language or a prescribed way of using words so that people can share information effectively. The critical aspects of verbal...
01:21Types of Reports II: Incident or Occurrence Report
Purposes:
In the healthcare industry, reports play a crucial role in documenting incidents within an agency. The primary objective of these reports is to ensure patient safety, uphold the...