An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waiting
Numerous callers contact hospital switchboards, many repeatedly. Recorded switchboard messages have broad reach. We sampled outgoing calls from our regional infectious diseases service to other hospital switchboards over a 3-month period. Wait times varied substantially. Two calls were cut off unans...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Future Healthcare Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664525000037 |
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| author | Jordan P. Skittrall Mary D. Fortune |
| author_facet | Jordan P. Skittrall Mary D. Fortune |
| author_sort | Jordan P. Skittrall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Numerous callers contact hospital switchboards, many repeatedly. Recorded switchboard messages have broad reach. We sampled outgoing calls from our regional infectious diseases service to other hospital switchboards over a 3-month period. Wait times varied substantially. Two calls were cut off unanswered. Recorded messages commonly covered infection control precautions for visitors, visiting rules, and guidance regarding calling for medical advice. At least one message was out of date. Another advised unwell people not to visit the hospital. We followed up our sample with freedom of information requests, focusing on call volume data and policies regarding switchboard systems and messaging. Many policies were informal. Overall, the user experience varied substantially between hospitals. Messaging policies appeared to have little regard to messages’ relevance, utility and impact. Calling a hospital switchboard is a common, non-biomedical task that would benefit from substantial effort to establish and promote best practice. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0353398873004104b3f14a107574e707 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2514-6645 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Future Healthcare Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-0353398873004104b3f14a107574e7072025-02-10T04:34:43ZengElsevierFuture Healthcare Journal2514-66452025-03-01121100224An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waitingJordan P. Skittrall0Mary D. Fortune1Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Forvie Site, Cambridge CB2 0SR, United KingdomNumerous callers contact hospital switchboards, many repeatedly. Recorded switchboard messages have broad reach. We sampled outgoing calls from our regional infectious diseases service to other hospital switchboards over a 3-month period. Wait times varied substantially. Two calls were cut off unanswered. Recorded messages commonly covered infection control precautions for visitors, visiting rules, and guidance regarding calling for medical advice. At least one message was out of date. Another advised unwell people not to visit the hospital. We followed up our sample with freedom of information requests, focusing on call volume data and policies regarding switchboard systems and messaging. Many policies were informal. Overall, the user experience varied substantially between hospitals. Messaging policies appeared to have little regard to messages’ relevance, utility and impact. Calling a hospital switchboard is a common, non-biomedical task that would benefit from substantial effort to establish and promote best practice.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664525000037Switchboard servicesHospital communication systemsCommunicable disease controlPatient visitors |
| spellingShingle | Jordan P. Skittrall Mary D. Fortune An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waiting Future Healthcare Journal Switchboard services Hospital communication systems Communicable disease control Patient visitors |
| title | An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waiting |
| title_full | An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waiting |
| title_fullStr | An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waiting |
| title_full_unstemmed | An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waiting |
| title_short | An opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages, hold music and time spent waiting |
| title_sort | opportunistic observational study of hospital switchboard hold messages hold music and time spent waiting |
| topic | Switchboard services Hospital communication systems Communicable disease control Patient visitors |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664525000037 |
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