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Ascom
 
Ascom UNITE Messaging Suite

Ascom UNITE® Messaging Suite

Ascom’s UNITE® Messaging Suite provides near instantaneous notifications from a hospital’s underlying information systems. UNITE’s Linux-based solutions can integrate with existing laboratory, radiology, HIS and IT systems, to name a few. Additionally, Ascom’s IP messaging solution comes equipped with unique two-way communications capabilities allowing for comprehensive notifications, message routings and escalations to internal and external messaging devices.

Ascom’s commitment to workflow efficiency is one of the primary reasons Hill-Rom partnered with Ascom as a national Certified Solution Partner.

 

Details

Ascom’s UNITE messaging suite allows hospitals to extend the value of existing information systems.  “Smart Integration” through UNITE will provide hospitals the opportunity to optimize their information flow and further capitalize on previous investments.  The benefits of smart integration result in removing bottlenecks, improving patient flow, and increasing productivity through quicker response to information.  Doctors, nurses, administrators and other personnel receive interactive, time-critical information straight to their personal handheld device as voice, text, alarms or data.  The Ascom UNITE Messaging Suite is part of the Ascom end-to-end solution designed to provide all the components necessary to optimize work flow.

  • Automate alerts and alarms from HIS, LIS, RIS, nurse call, patient monitoring, building management, security systems and more
  • Built on highly reliable, solid state Ascom Network Appliances with no moving parts
  • Utilizes LINUX kernel to minimize the need for virus updates
  • Simplified integration to existing systems through extensive protocol support:  TAP, SMTP, ASCII, OPC, HL7, XML, ESPA
  • Message delivery to internal (Ascom handsets, on-site pagers, etc.) and external (cell phones, PDAs, wide-area pagers) mobile devices

Features

The Ascom UNITE messaging suite completes Ascom’s clinical-grade solution by connecting front-line caregivers directly to the information systems collecting key patient information. What differentiates Ascom’s IP messaging solution from other messaging middleware in the market is “capture and store” data evaluation, multilayer messaging and handset-to handset interactive messaging.

UNITE’s ability to capture and store data allows a system administrator to better control message flow and frequency. Competitive middleware systems use a “one and done” approach where incoming data is compared to a key and an alert is sent out every time there is a match.

Multi-layer messaging is a unique capability between UNITE and Ascom’s handsets to insure that mission-critical and life safety messages are never lost after being sent. The Ascom UNITE messaging suite’s ability to automatically escalate alerts if no response is received from the primary recipient and continue escalation until someone acknowledges receipt is essential to clinical-grade messaging.

The UNITE Integrated Messaging Server (IMS) enables users to send text messages from handset to handset. This feature enables the creation of canned message lists that are accessible by pressing a customizable soft key on the handset.

  • Active and passive message escalation
  • Multi-layer messaging
  • Interactive and “prompt-for-input” messaging
  • Message delivery to any mobile or fixed device capable of supporting Short Message Service (SMS) or email
  • Handset-to-handset messaging with “Canned Message” delivery
  • Full Audit Trail with Detail Reporting

Benefits

“Smart Integration” of hospital information systems to internal and external mobile devices reduces risk, improves efficiency, enhances patient care and increases profitability.

  • Reduced risk of errors during critical value reporting
  • Quicker response to STAT work requests
  • Immediate notification if additional tests or procedures are added to an order
  • Reduced waiting and anxiety for patients
  • Better utilization of equipment, operating rooms, and patient beds
  • Messages can be delivered to internal and external devices such as PDAs and cell phones

Modules

UNITE’s extensive protocol support makes for simplified integration to almost any system in the hospital. The Ascom IP messaging system is fully modular and scalable with individual gateways for each existing system to be integrated to the platform. Each gateway is loaded on an Ascom Network Appliance and connected to the platform via the existing hospital LAN. Each Ascom Network Appliance is a solid-state unit for increased reliability. The LINUX kernel insures optimal up time by reducing the need for virus protection updates. In the unlikely event of an Ascom Network Appliance failure, each unit is hot swappable by transferring one firmware chip, a compact flash unit and an Ethernet cable. Ascom’s healthcare-related modules include, among others:

  • Medamax (nurse call)
  • Lismax (laboratory)
  • Rismax (radiology)
  • Hentmax (hospital information systems)
  • Secmax (security systems)
  • Teqmax (technical equipment)
  • NetPage (desktop messaging)
  • Emergency Notification (emergency group notification)
  • Instant Group Communicator (“PTT-like” communication, yet full-duplex)
  • External Carrier Gateways (integration with other voice and messaging platforms)

Hill-Rom and Ascom are also working on pioneering applications around workflow enablement. And in addition to the flexible, customizable modules above, Ascom’s UNITE Open Architecture Platform offers custom development opportunities based on JAVA, XML and .NET scripting for authorized developers, allowing customers to write their own specialized applications.