Rochester Business Journal

Unity Health System announced this week it has selected an emergency notification and on-demand alerting system.

SWN Communications Inc.’s Send Word Now technology will provide emergency voice and text communication services to Unity’s hospitals.

In the event of crisis situations, Unity will use the alert and conferencing features to disseminate critical information among staff members quickly.

As an emergency management tool, the notification system will be used to alert selected staff members during a hazardous materials situation, and to respond to any large incident resulting in a surge of patients to Unity’s Emergency Center, Unity officials said.

The system will also be used as a means to virtually gather the incident assessment team through the use of Send Word Now’s on-demand phone bridge feature.

Send Word Now’s messaging tools will help in the management of potential crises, such as widespread outbreak of an illness, Unity officials said. In its Send Word Now account, the health system has created a “pandemic” alert group alongside other groups targeting specific departments.

“This group will be activated if there is significant news about an outbreak at one of our health care facilities,” said Jerry Seldes, Unity’s emergency planning specialist, in a statement.

Unity Health System offers health care services at several sites including the Unity Park Ridge Hospital Campus in Greece and the Unity St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester.
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