Skip to main content
Paging
Joe Caffrey avatar
Written by Joe Caffrey
Updated over 2 weeks ago

Paging

Paging is used by hospital staff to receive notifications and alerts about jobs or employee statuses. It ensures timely communication and response to critical situations.

Where you can find this feature: Admin Tool, Admin > Settings > Capacity Management component.

How Paging Works

Functionality

Supported Paging Methods

  • SNPP (Simple Network Paging Protocol): Network-based, Numeric and/or Alphanumeric. Can be configured for SSL with valid certificates.

  • SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol): Network-based, Numeric and/or Alphanumeric. Can be configured for SSL or StartTLS.

  • WCTP (Wireless Communication Transfer Protocol): Sends messages to wireless devices using HTTP over the web.

  • Vocera 4.1 or higher: Requires the Vocera Messaging Interface (VMI) on the hospital’s system.

Supported in the following deployment options:

  • Cloud-Hosted, not TeleTracking IQ Enabled

  • Cloud-Hosted, TeleTracking IQ Enabled

  • On-premise deployment (WCTP requires the Gateway notification service on the TeleTracking IQ platform connector server)

Devices

  • Vocera devices: Tested devices include Vocera smartphone, B1000A, and B2000 communications badges.

  • Ascom devices: Used for hospital paging via SMTP or SNPP protocols.

Notifications and Alerts

  • Notifications: Inform employees about job availability, status changes, and job movements.

  • Alerts: Inform supervisors about situations needing attention, based on specific events.

For more information:

  • [Understanding Bed Cleaning Job Status Alerts]

  • [Understanding EVS Employee Status Alerts]

  • [Understanding Transport Job Status Alerts]

  • [Understanding Transport Employee Status Alerts]

Configuring a No Coverage Page

  1. In the No Coverage Page section, ensure the green Enabled button appears. If not, click the gray Disabled button to enable it.

  2. Click Save.

Allowing Employees to be Paged for STAT Bed Cleaning Jobs

  1. Under Page Only Dispatching, next to Allow Pages to Out-of-Assignment Users, ensure the green Enabled button appears. If not, click the gray Disabled button to enable it.

  2. Click Save.

Paging Encryption using SNPP

Pages generated by XT are sent unencrypted to the paging vendor, who is responsible for encryption. To enable SSL:

  1. Admin Tool -> Device Management -> Service Configuration -> Select the service name -> Under Network Configuration -> Click 'Disable' next to Use SSL to enable it.

  2. Admin Tool -> Master Configuration -> Server Config -> Click Disabled under SSL Enabled to enable SSL.

  3. Restart IIS for changes to take effect.

Paging Connection Issues

  • Connection Attempt Failed: Verify with the client's telecom department or paging vendor.

  • Pages Not Going Out Despite Showing Successful: Engage the paging vendor to check for issues.

  • Pages Failing with "451 4.3.2 Please try again later": Whitelist the app server and port on the SMTP server.

Identifying a Department Pager

  1. Navigate to Admin Tool → User Management.

  2. Enter “Dept” in the filter string.

  3. Change the User Attribute to First Name or Last Name and hit Go.

  4. If not found, try the other name filter or use the Role attribute.

Workflows

Configuring a No Coverage Page

  1. In the No Coverage Page section, ensure the green Enabled button appears. If not, click the gray Disabled button to enable it.

  2. Click Save.

Allowing Employees to be Paged for STAT Bed Cleaning Jobs

  1. Under Page Only Dispatching, next to Allow Pages to Out-of-Assignment Users, ensure the green Enabled button appears. If not, click the gray Disabled button to enable it.

  2. Click Save.

Paging Encryption using SNPP

  1. Admin Tool -> Device Management -> Service Configuration -> Select the service name -> Under Network Configuration -> Click 'Disable' next to Use SSL to enable it.

  2. Admin Tool -> Master Configuration -> Server Config -> Click Disabled under SSL Enabled to enable SSL.

  3. Restart IIS for changes to take effect.

Identifying a Department Pager

  1. Navigate to Admin Tool → User Management.

  2. Enter “Dept” in the filter string.

  3. Change the User Attribute to First Name or Last Name and hit Go.

  4. If not found, try the other name filter or use the Role attribute.


Department Pager Setup

This article covers the creation of a department pager, turning the pager into a user assigned a role and a console built to receive subscription-based notifications for a unit.

Where you can find this feature: Admin Tool > Device Management, Admin Tool > User Management.

How Department Pager Setup Works

Functionality

Creating the Pager

  1. Navigate to Admin Tool > Device Management.

  2. Click on the Devices tab.

  3. Click New Device.

  4. Select a campus.

  5. Enter the device IVR ID (provided by your telecom department).

  6. Enter the Pager number (provided by your telecom department or paging vendor).

  7. Select Device Type (Alpha or Digital):

    • Digital: Numeric pages or messages only.

    • Alpha: Alphanumeric pages or messages permitted.

  8. Enter the Service name.

  9. Click Save.

User Profile Creation

  1. Navigate to Admin Tool > User Management > User Management.

  2. Search for an existing department profile or create a new one.

    • To search: Change the User attribute and enter the information in the filter string.

    • To create: Click Add.

  3. Populate all required fields (denoted with a red *):

    • User login ID

    • Last Name

    • First Name

    • User Abbr

    • Login Type

    • Role

    • Password

    • Staff Type

    • IVR ID

    • PIN

    • Base Unit

  4. Set the device method for a dept pager to Fixed.

  5. Device IVR ID will be the device created under Device Management.

  6. Select a console for specific types of notifications.

  7. Set the Membership type to Fixed.

  8. Under Membership & Assignment, click Add to add a fixed unit(s) to the profile.

  9. Pick the Unit the pager will be used for, and click Add.

  10. Under the User Notification tab, set Delivery Methods > Deliver my Notifications via > Paging Device > Enabled.

Best Practices

  • Your telecom team can provide needed information when creating the pager.

  • TeleTracking Client Support does not have access to create any needed information for the pager or user profile.

Setting Up Specific Pager Notifications for a Dept Pager

  1. Set the default console view to show patients in the specific unit (e.g., ABMC Logistics).

  2. Log in as the pager and confirm the notification settings of that console view.

  3. Make any adjustments needed to get the notification specified.

  4. Go to Load Save Console and save as a personal console view with a specific name (e.g., ICU Pager).

  5. Set as my default.

Department Pager Troubleshooting Basic - Checklist

Part 1

  1. Check the pager to ensure you have the correct one.

  2. Ensure the pager is powered on.

  3. Ensure the pager is fixed to the department pager’s user profile.

  4. Ensure there is a default console attached to the department pager's user profile.

Part 2

  1. Ensure the pager is active in TeleTracking by navigating to Admin Tool > Device Management.

  2. Click Devices Tab and search for your pager in question.

  3. Check with your Telecom to ensure the pager is activated with the pager's provider.

  4. Swap the pager that isn’t working with a spare or one that is working.

Setting Up Specific Pager Notifications for a Dept Pager

  1. Log in to the system using the pager's credentials.

  2. Navigate to the console view settings.

  3. Choose a console view that displays information related to the specific unit or department.

  4. Review and adjust the notification settings as needed.

  5. Save the customized console view as a personal view with a distinct name (e.g., Unit Name Pager).

  6. Set this personalized console view as your default view.

Workflows

Creating the Pager

  1. Navigate to Admin Tool > Device Management.

  2. Click on the Devices tab.

  3. Click New Device.

  4. Select a campus.

  5. Enter the device IVR ID (provided by your telecom department).

  6. Enter the Pager number (provided by your telecom department or paging vendor).

  7. Select Device Type (Alpha or Digital).

  8. Enter the Service name.

  9. Click Save.

User Profile Creation

  1. Navigate to Admin Tool > User Management > User Management.

  2. Search for an existing department profile or create a new one.

  3. Populate all required fields.

  4. Set the device method for a dept pager to Fixed.

  5. Device IVR ID will be the device created under Device Management.

  6. Select a console for specific types of notifications.

  7. Set the Membership type to Fixed.

  8. Under Membership & Assignment, click Add to add a fixed unit(s) to the profile.

  9. Pick the Unit the pager will be used for, and click Add.

  10. Under the User Notification tab, set Delivery Methods > Deliver my Notifications via > Paging Device > Enabled.

Setting Up Specific Pager Notifications for a Dept Pager

  1. Set the default console view to show patients in the specific unit.

  2. Log in as the pager and confirm the notification settings of that console view.

  3. Make any adjustments needed to get the notification specified.

  4. Go to Load Save Console and save as a personal console view with a specific name.

  5. Set as my default.

Department Pager Troubleshooting Basic - Checklist

Part 1

  1. Check the pager to ensure you have the correct one.

  2. Ensure the pager is powered on.

  3. Ensure the pager is fixed to the department pager’s user profile.

  4. Ensure there is a default console attached to the department pager's user profile.

Part 2

  1. Ensure the pager is active in TeleTracking by navigating to Admin Tool > Device Management.

  2. Click Devices Tab and search for your pager in question.

  3. Check with your Telecom to ensure the pager is activated with the pager's provider.

  4. Swap the pager that isn’t working with a spare or one that is working.

WCTP Paging Support

About

WCTP Paging is only supported in XT versions 2018.2 and above. This is an encrypted form of paging that is becoming a more common standard among many paging vendors.

Solution

WCTP was not supported until version 2018.2. Any hospital that wishes to use this paging method must upgrade to or beyond version 2018.2.

Details

WCTP is a paging method that supports encryption and has seen a recent rise in popularity.

Symptoms

WCTP is not an option in versions 2018.1 and below. SSL must be enabled on Network-based paging (SNPP) to achieve encrypted paging from TeleTracking before 2018.2.

Did this answer your question?