How can unified clinical communications support hospitals during seasonal healthcare surges? 

• At the height of seasonal healthcare surges, hospitals are typically faced with staffing gaps and weather disruptions that negatively impact their employees’ ability to effectively communicate.  
• Access to enterprise on-call schedule data and software tools, and integrated secure messaging platforms are a few of the most effective methods for overcoming holiday challenges in healthcare. 
• The right message, to the right recipient, at the right time, determines clinical effectiveness and decreases clinician and user burnout. 
• By eliminating communication gaps, these powerful initiatives improve the care team experience and patient care.  

The holiday season is usually a time for rest and relaxation. Yet, in healthcare, the demand only intensifies, with greater stress and pressure to deliver exceptional care. 

In the following examples, we take a closer look at how unified clinical communications can streamline the flow of patient information and address other holiday challenges in healthcare.  

Seasonal staffing gaps 

When it’s time for the holidays, hospitals and health systems see increased PTO, last-minute sick days, and rotating coverage—making it difficult to know who is truly available.  

Spreadsheets, department whiteboards, paper lists, and other manual processes can’t keep up with these rapid changes, creating outdated information and miscommunication in the midst of seasonal spikes. This can lead to situations in which operators, staff, clinicians, and nurses page the wrong clinician or test results are sent to physicians who are out on vacation.  

On-call scheduling tools provide everybody with the same information, updated by the minute, giving care teams confidence about who is on clock at any given moment. Even when shifts change, your employees won’t waste precious time playing phone tag.  

Higher patient volumes  

From travel accidents to stress-related events, the holiday season brings an influx of patients that hospitals don’t typically see at other times of the year.  

And with more patients comes more handoffs, more consultations, and a greater need for unified clinical communications across departments.  

Relying on fragmented tools and haphazard workflows won’t set up your healthcare organization for success. With secure messaging solutions, clinicians can send and receive patient data without interruptions, staying focused on delivering quality care rather than increasing patients’ length of stay.  

Increased imaging tests  

One of the most notable holiday challenges in healthcare is a rise in respiratory illnesses caused by colder weather and increased traveling. Clinicians must make quick decisions and coordinate care effectively to manage these seasonal spikes.  

Imaging plays a critical role in the diagnosis and management of acute respiratory illnesses, especially pneumonia. By clarifying which patients truly need targeted therapies, including antibiotics and antivirals, radiology supports timely, appropriate care.  

Reliable delivery of clinical test results only strengthens this process, empowering care teams to save lives when every second counts. Also, if the ordering clinician does not acknowledge results within a set timeframe, this information is automatically escalated to the next on-call provider to maintain continuity of care.  

Weather disruptions 

Winter snowstorms and other severe weather events—such as tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods—can affect staff availability and cause power outages, hindering communication between departments. 

 When conditions change quickly, hospitals need an information system that keeps everyone connected, no matter where staff are or how unpredictable the situation becomes during seasonal healthcare surges.  

Fast, dependable, multi-channel communication eliminates calling trees and unnecessary confusion. Administrators can distribute weather alerts and safety instructions with just a few clicks, upholding employee and patient safety.  

Addressing holiday surges in healthcare can’t be done in the blink of an eye, but this gradual improvement process underscores the importance of unified clinical communications.  

With solutions designed to adapt and respond to last-minute changes, hospitals can stay prepared for whatever the holiday season brings.