The NHS will power the mobile phones of its lone field workers with InTechnology’s Push To Experience (PTX) service, to help them be in touch with each other.
Launched by InTechnology at the end of 2008, PTX uses GSM network to provide “almost unlimited coverage”. NHS mobile workers can now do away with multiple portable devices, as InTechnology says that PTX integrates mobile phone services with instant communication of a two-way radio.
PTX includes services such as Push to Talk, Push to Locate and Push to Alert. In addition to communicating with their colleagues, lone workers can alert their organisation through panic buttons when they are in a difficult situation. GPS facility enables co-workers to track the exact location of the worker who is in distress.
The PTX service will be supplied at a discounted rate to the NHS through The Healthcare Facilities Consortium (HFC), a not-for-profit organisation that provides software, information and management support services to the UK health sector.
Richard Quine, director of product management for InTechnology, said: “Working with HFC will give us direct access to over 600 healthcare trusts. Their expertise in the health sector is important because any solutions being sold into this vast and complex market need to be tailored and delivered appropriately.”
Martin Fagan, CEO of HFC, said: “A significant number of NHS employees are actually involved in non-medical services, such as car parking attendants, hospital porters and security staff — these people will definitely benefit from a service which is designed to make their lives easier and at costs which will be extremely attractive to healthcare bodies.”
