Patients welcome new pager system
Sitting waiting for an appointment could become a thing of the past for West Suffolk Hospital patients, after the launch of a new pager system.
The Bury St Edmunds hospital has introduced the innovative pager scheme for those attending outpatient clinics.
Following a successful trial, outpatients facing unavoidable delays will be given pagers, meaning they can visit the hospital caf and shop or go for a walk on Hardwick Heath until staff send an alert saying the consultant is ready.
Fifteen pagers, chargers and a transmitter for use in the outpatients department have been bought, paid for by money raised at the hospital ball.
Debs Ward, outpatients department manager, said there were occasional delays when a consultant needed to spend longer than expected with a patient.
"Although such delays are unavoidable, we are keen to do everything we can to limit the impact they have on our patients," she said.
"As such, we have introduced these pagers so patients have the freedom to use the hospital's other facilities without fearing they may miss their appointment.
"We had some fantastic feedback on the pagers during a trial period held earlier this summer, with our patients telling us they were really impressed. We're really pleased that it's already making a difference."
The initiative was suggested by staff as part of a 'rapid improvement event', aimed at improving the hospital experience for patients.
The pagers have been so successful the scheme could be extended elsewhere in the hospital.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Friday 25 May 2012
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Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
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Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
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