When seconds matter, communication failures among hospital staff can have lasting consequences. Whether it’s a delay in responding to a code call or a missed alert during a shift change, poor communication is a serious (and surprisingly common) threat to patient safety.
Research published by the National Institutes of Health shows that one in ten patients are harmed during health care, with poor communication identified as a major contributor to patient safety incidents. In fact, communication failures play a role in a significant share of adverse events, medication errors, and delayed treatment outcomes. These errors don’t just impact patient outcomes — they increase staff stress, contribute to turnover, and can lead to costly legal claims.
What Causes Staff Communication Breakdowns?
Communication issues can stem from many sources, including:
- Shift transitions and handoffs
- Inconsistent or outdated paging systems
- Missed or delayed emergency alerts
- Physical distance between team members
- Staffing shortages or high turnover
- Human error in documentation or reporting
During peak flu season and higher winter admission rates, these issues are even more pronounced. Stress levels rise, temporary staff may be brought in, and hospitals must juggle competing priorities in emergency departments and inpatient units.
Real-World Impact: Missed Alerts, Slower Response
Consider this scenario: A nurse activates a call alert for an at-risk patient experiencing sudden distress. The alert is sent to a central station, but the receiving team is already swamped, and there’s a delay in acknowledging it.
Without real-time visibility into who received the alert or where they are, the response is slowed — and the patient’s condition worsens.
These types of lapses happen more than we’d like to believe. And unfortunately, the stakes are highest in critical care, where seconds can make all the difference.
Smarter RTLS Systems Close the Gap
This is where real-time location systems (RTLS) and smarter nurse call integrations offer transformative value. Solutions like Secure Care’s Staff Duress Systems and emergency call products allow care teams to:
- Receive alerts directly on mobile devices
- Track staff location to assign help based on proximity
- Confirm when and where a call was answered
- Integrate with existing workflows for seamless response
- Reduce communication lag during handoffs or shift changes
When hospitals implement these tools, they’re increasing visibility and empowering teams to act faster, with fewer mistakes.
For example, Secure Care’s location-based alerts are explained in the blog “From Holidays to Hazards: Why December Demands a Smarter Hospital Safety Strategy” —which underscores how holiday staffing patterns can weaken communication lines and response times.
A Long-Term Investment in Safer Communication
Staffing, protocols, and documentation all play an important role in patient safety, but real-world conditions often limit how effective those measures can be.
Consider this study conducted by CRICO Strategies, which found that communication failures were a factor in 30 percent of malpractice cases reviewed across a five-year period, contributing to 1,744 deaths and $1.7 billion in malpractice costs. These breakdowns occurred between nurses, physicians, and other care team members—and were especially common during patient handoffs.
Even the best-trained staff can’t operate safely without consistent access to the right information at the right time.
If your facility is looking ahead to Q2 planning and beyond, now is the time to evaluate where communication bottlenecks exist and whether your current alert and response tools are up to the task.
Let’s Talk About Smarter Safety
Want to learn how Secure Care’s hospital solutions can strengthen staff communication and reduce safety risks?
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How Secure Care Can Help
When communication breakdowns lead to risk, Secure Care provides solutions designed to close the gap and accelerate staff response times — especially in high-stress hospital settings.
- Nurse Call and Emergency Response Systems
Enable mobile alerts, streamline caregiver workflows, and ensure no call goes unanswered with Secure Care’s ENVisionIT® platform.
- Staff Duress & Location-Based Alerts
Protect team members with real-time location tracking and instant duress buttons that send help based on proximity and priority.
- Smarter Hospital Safety Solutions
From infant protection to access control, Secure Care’s products are built for mission-critical moments when staff communication matters most.
About Secure Care Products
For the past 45 years, Secure Care Products, A Subsidiary of Valstone Systems Corporation USA, Inc, has been committed to providing improved safety and locating solutions through best-in-class service and innovative design for your most valuable assets. As the first company in the world to design and manufacture electronic monitoring equipment for wander-prone residents, we empower long-term care and healthcare facilities around the world. Using state-of-the-art, cutting-edge technologies, we keep people and things protected. Let us know how we can help you by calling 1.800.451.7917 or sending us a message.
