What Are Pagers Used for in Hospitals?
Some might relate pagers and paging systems as 'old technology' and things like mobile phones are a 'better' way of communicating. But that would be a misconception and under sight about pagers and why they are still being used in hospitals today.
While some hospitals don't use pagers a report in 2017 (revised) by the Journal of Hospital Medicine cited around 80% of hospitals are still using pagers. And there are many reasons exactly why the paging systems remain popular. The alphanumeric or text pager springs to mind (as seen on TV & films since the 80's), but in reality here in the UK while there are STILL 'crash systems' (as they are sometimes called) being used, those are probably not the majority of paging systems on-site in hospitals and healthcare in 2024. One member of the UK government (Matt Hancock) said that all paging systems should be removed from hospitals (in the UK), but the reality is, there is little to replace them with that works as well on-site. Mr Hancock is clearly unaware of technology today (2026 onwards) and likely for patient recalling pagers work even when there is no underlying mobile phone service. And of course, many patients in this age of 'digital tracking' etc. are VERY reluctant to allow their private details out to bodies that get hacked from time to time. There is no fear of that with a paging system Mr Hancock and friends.
From experience, trying to use regular licensed paging systems inside to outside of an x-ray room fails because of the often lead protected room. So those areas are really not targeted and never work satisfactorily in practice.
There are so many other areas of communications in a hospital that pagers are going to be around for some time. Here are a few examples of where paging systems are in common use in healthcare and hospitals in the United Kingdom in 2024:
- Recall patients for consultation (patient paging systems)
- Restaurant customer paging - recall customers when food is prepared
- Calling buttons to pagers at unmanned reception desks
- Emergency call buttons to pagers
- Fire alarm to pagers (for deaf persons on-site when a fire alarm is turned on).
- Calling buttons on beds in the wards to get attention from staff
- Many other examples and uses
As this short list shows, there are so many uses for pagers even today in any hospital. And if you consider just how many different sections there are in hospitals, with a need to recall patients then pagers can run in to thousands on-site. LRS pagers has a complete hospital paging solution.
Thinking about patient flow, patient pagers help tremendously and with the stress and strain of the NHS and other private hospitals currently in the UK, removing paging systems would certainly be a backward move.
Those 'crash systems' are still there operational as ever. Those types of system often operate at high on-site power to achieve coverage throughout the hospital (typically 25 watts but can be higher) that remains stable and effective. Trying to use mobile phone technology, even with the boosters that can be used pales in comparison to those high power paging solutions. But some emergency system suppliers are doing exactly that!
It is unlikely that on-site paging systems will vanish from hospitals any time soon, even if governments suggest that, and patients and staff will be recalled by those 'old technology' paging systems for some time to come. And paging technology also moves forward with new innovation also from a number of companies.
Other articles include:
Do UK hospitals still use pagers?
Best Hospital Pager system for 2024 (updated text)
Written by A B McKenzie, Managing Director of LRS UK in 2024. Anthony has extensive
experience in the UK paging sector since 2000.
(c) LRS UK 2024.