Why Frontline Clinical Staff Need Failsafe Communications

While modern unified communications platforms are a boon to organization-wide collaboration, many frontline healthcare workers rely on infrastructure that falls short of their needs.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a whole host of healthcare organizations migrated administrative staff to modern unified communications (UC) platforms such as Microsoft Teams, to keep dispersed personnel connected. But those provisions weren’t typically deployed with frontline clinical staff in mind: the armies of critical workers who are constantly moving between patients, departments, and critical care areas.

Communication devices act as an aggregator for the entire clinical process for these workers, linking prescriptions, treatment protocols, surgeon schedules, patient monitoring, and nursing procedures on a patient-by-patient basis. Many frontline health workers communicate largely by voice, too. If network connectivity drops, infrastructure is breached, or core functionality is inadequate, their ability to provide continuous quality care is compromised.

Communications coverage must remain reliable throughout complex building structures, including basements, reinforced areas, and locations with historically poor wireless connectivity. Integration with nurse call systems, patient monitoring platforms and electronic health records is essential for clinical workflows. Location services can be crucial, too.

Maintaining Quality Care at All Costs

A particular concern in healthcare providers is communication resilience, for example in the event that primary networks fail or are breached. When organizations invest heavily in cloud-based UC platforms, it is often with an assumption that communication capabilities will remain available when needed. But when broadband outages occur, standard UC infrastructure can be compromised. 

DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) technologies are a good option here. They create dedicated communication channels that persist irrespective of Wi-Fi or LAN status, while also enabling peer-to-peer calling and full UC platform integration during normal operations. DECT systems are also inherently more difficult to compromise than Wi-Fi or cellular networks, operating on dedicated frequencies and using their own authentication protocols. In an era of increasing cyber threats to critical infrastructure, such provisions are invaluable.

The Duty of Care to Staff as Well as Patients

The risks for healthcare organizations are amplified by evolving worker safety regulations and public and patient safety requirements, including those that specify how emergency alerts should be handled. Kari’s Law in the U.S. mandates that notifications are routed simultaneously to internal security and emergency services, while RAY BAUM’s Act requires dispatchable location information, including specific room and floor data, not just building addresses^,. 

Robust safety measures can also help to drive down workplace violence incidents (a growing concern in healthcare) and accelerate crisis response, while making tangible the organization’s duty of care to staff and patients.

Challenges and Solutions to Frontline Continuity

Today, almost two-thirds (65%) of frontline workers in all sectors use Microsoft Teams, according to research by Cavell on workforce mobility. Healthcare organizations are increasingly standardizing Teams as their primary collaboration platform. This creates both an opportunity to finally include clinical staff in UC, and a challenge. 

The integration considerations are not trivial. Connecting DECT systems with platforms like Teams requires sophisticated technical implementation and platform certification. 

Where executed properly, the extended rollout enables clinical staff to participate fully in the Teams environment, receiving messages, joining group chats, and accessing shared resources, while using devices optimized for clinical working conditions. Ideally, clinical UC deployment will include native integration, and maintain a single identity and presence across all staff personas. This will help ensure seamless communication irrespective of device or location, as well as consistent administration. 

Other actionable tips include:

• Starting with a clear understanding of clinical workflows. Appreciating specific operational requirements will help clarify which technical capabilities matter.
• Evaluating infrastructure honestly. Rather than force-fitting inadequate solutions, acknowledging where purpose-built, healthcare-specific alternatives are required.
• Prioritizing interoperability over uniformity. The goal shouldn’t be identical devices for every staff member, but rather that every staff member can communicate effectively within a unified system. 
• Building for resilience, not just capability. Communication systems become most critical during disruptions — precisely when they’re most likely to fail if not properly architected. In healthcare, ensuring redundancy is fundamental risk management.