What is our primary use case?
We use it for mass notifications in the event of a large-scale incident that's going to impact a number of departments within the hospital. We also use it for notification of specified teams, such as for stroke or heart attack, so that they can be ready and respond accordingly in the event.
How has it helped my organization?
The notifications or the simple ability to notify a large number of people at one time by typing a single message, as opposed to having to type that message multiple times, has been the key benefit.
It's beneficial for the organization's business goals or mission. For business goals, communication is key, and the ability to communicate with a large number of people is very beneficial.
Because of the ability to notify specified groups or specialty groups, it has had a positive impact on productivity. They are more readily able to respond and have what they need, when they need it, as opposed to somebody walking in the door and you don't have that notification.
It has saved us time. For example, in the case of a stroke patient, we send out a mass notification for the STEMI team, and they're able to pool the resources and equipment they need in response instead of having to track it down after the fact or in the process of trying to help a patient. So, it has had a positive impact on time.
What is most valuable?
We've recently been doing some work on it and looking at the statistics. One of the key features is the number of responses to messages that have been sent so that we can pinpoint specifically who may or may not be using it appropriately or using it at all when they respond. Fortunately, the numbers have been very low, so we've been able to contact people directly about how it's used and what they're supposed to do, which is really simple—you just type 'yes', and text the message response. So, I've enjoyed the statistics and the ability to see those types of things.
What needs improvement?
It could be more user-friendly for searching statistics. While dealing with the statistics, the statistics could be a little bit more streamlined and a little bit more user-friendly to use. I've had to hunt and peck to find some of that, but overall, once I learned a system, it's usable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've only been with the hospital for a little over a year, so that's my time. The hospital itself has had it for at least three or four years, but I'm not sure.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's solid. I've never had any issues with it for sending a message. The notifications have been received rather promptly. We personally had to make some adjustments, but it had nothing to do with the Everbridge software. It had everything to do with the level of notification indicated or selected. It was either a phone call first or a text message first. We prefer text, so we've had to go back on some users who were in there and change that, but that's a function of us, not a function of the system.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can scale the whole process. We have the ability to add people as needed and when needed. We have the ability to remove people after they have left the facility. All that has been easy to do.
We have a number of people who have access to be able to send messages. There are four people I know of. Our main PBX office has the ability to send it because they're the ones who receive the notifications of stroke patients coming in with an ETA of their arrival, so they use it to send out that notification. Then there's me and at least two others who have access to it to send out mass notifications for critical incidents that affect a large number of departments within the hospital.
We have increased our usage within the past two months. We were doing quarterly tests, and we have now increased that to monthly. So, in terms of the ability to test it and use it, we've put more significance on it in the past couple of months than in the period of time I've been here because of its functionality and its ease of use.
How are customer service and support?
I've not contacted their technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use any other solution. The company I came from used an internal system built into their software. I don't even know if it had a name.
How was the initial setup?
I was not involved in its deployment. In terms of maintenance, it doesn't require any maintenance from our side. It just works.
What other advice do I have?
The one thing I would tell anybody is that once you get into it, play around with it and learn it. Use it because it's of great benefit, or break it by clicking on things.
The ease of communication is the biggest benefit of it. We use it for primary functions, and it has been very beneficial, but I don't know that we've seen any changes in the mass notification capabilities after using Everbridge that have positively or negatively impacted us.
I'd rate Everbridge Mass Notification a nine out of ten.
*Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
