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ER phone now answered by automated attendant

Case Management Weekly, January 7, 2004

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That automated voice everyone loves to hate is now in use at the emergency department (ED) at Kingston General Hospital in Ontario, Canada. Calls to the ED there will now be directed by a new automated attendant system. Mike McDonald, ED manager, says the new system will relieve some of the pressure on staff while ensuring that callers get the right information quickly. On a normal day, the 24-hour ED here receives more than 350 calls on its main line from people wanting medical advice or seeking information about the status of patients receiving emergency care.

"People calling to inquire about the status of a present emergency patient will be directed to the emergency department clerk," McDonald says.

If the patient has been admitted, they will be automatically linked to the admitting department.

The automated attendant will also tell callers that the Hotel Dieu Hospital ED in Kingston is available for less urgent problems. Medical advice is not given over the phone. If the call is from someone looking for medical advice, the automated attendant will prompt the patient to call Telehealth Ontario.

Adapted from Kingston this Week

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