Medical campus needs new phones

The Odessa Healthcare Foundation’s 25th Annual Wine Tasting, Microbrew Sampling and Auction is right around the corner. The Foundation has generously agreed to help Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center this year with the purchase of a new organization-wide telephone system, and also with the purchase of a commercial refrigerator and related plumbing specifically for Quail Court.

The current telephone system is outdated and requires “used/refurbished” parts to keep it functional. New parts are no longer being manufactured for this model. Additionally, service options for knowledgeable repair are very limited. A phone system which effectively serves a complex business with multiple buildings and many users is a large undertaking and involves unique programming to accommodate patient and staff needs.

One might ask, “What does a telephone system have to do with healthcare?” The answer is: It can help save a life. The telephone system provides overhead paging and ‘through the phone’ paging such that announcements are heard both through (a) speakers placed in hallways and common areas throughout the main hospital and (b) through speakers on the telephones themselves. This is important because when an emergency exists, this is how the staff calls for help. While many “real life” examples have occurred, the following fictional example depicts the most common reason:

A patient arrives at the hospital with chest pain. A nurse wheels the patient to the emergency room and upon moving from the wheel chair to the bed, the patient collapses. A cardiac arrest is in progress. The nurse (or someone else if anyone else is immediately present) will use the phone in the emergency room, press the “page” button and say “Code Blue ER, Code Blue ER,” then immediately start CPR. Help from all areas of the facility will immediately run to the emergency room, prepared to help. The operator/front-desk person will call the clinic to summon the provider. The operator will also likely then page “Code Blue ER” through the telephone system, as the overhead page doesn’t reach Quail Court or the clinic. Often the rehabilitation department can’t hear the overhead pages either. Immediately after the telephone page, the clinic and the rehabilitation department will each dispatch a staff member to help with CPR and/or other needs as they arise. Once the patient is revived, the operator/front-desk person will call to dispatch a helicopter. After immediate treatment, the provider will call a physician at the receiving hospital to initiate transfer. In this one scenario, the telephone system has been utilized a minimum of five times for one critical patient.

As described, the telephone system is an important piece of patient care equipment. Unlike many pieces of routine equipment, the phone system has many uses outside of patient care as well. Naturally, the community must have an avenue to call the medical center (hospital, clinic, Quail Court) and to be routed expeditiously to the call recipient. Also, the phones are used by all departments throughout the day to conduct business. However, the clinical and life-saving impact of the phone system should not be underestimated. Imagine the scenario above without a functional phone system. Your support in purchasing this necessary item is greatly appreciated.

Quail Court will benefit from the “Raise the Paddle” event this year. Since it opened, Quail Court has functioned with an “in-home” style refrigerator. Imagine how difficult it might be to have enough food on hand to feed up to 12 residents three meals daily, plus snacks and beverages with a refrigerator meant for family use. This year, the Foundation will purchase a commercial refrigerator. In order to accommodate the size of the refrigerator, an existing sink required for regulatory purposes will need to be moved. Both expenses are kindly being funded by the Foundation, with the generous support of the community.

Please join us Friday, May 1, 2016, at the 25th Annual Healthcare Foundation Wine Tasting, Microbrew Sampling and Auction to support the needs of the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center. Advance tickets can be purchased online at http://omhf.maestroweb.com or by calling Carol Schott at 509-982-2157.