1Call, a division of Amtelco, News

1Call is a leading developer of hospital call center, healthcare communications applications and emergency alert/ notification systems. 1Call’s approximately 200 customers operate medical call centers that eliminate medical errors, increase efficiency and generate revenue for their healthcare organization.

Amtelco's 1Call division is dedicated to serving the unique call center and communication needs of Healthcare and Higher Education facilities. 1Call has been and will continue to be the leader in developing, implementing, and maintaining features and technology designed to streamline communications and contain costs.

1Call Call Center Technology offers the one complete communications system designed to bring it all together all of the following: patient directories and HL7 integration, on-call scheduling, Smart PC console, ACD and statistical information, paging, appointment scheduling, PDA applications, Legacy System integration, 1Call Infinity system. Integrate your existing Intranet/Internet and existing telephony networks into one complete communications and call center system. The Infinity system makes it possible to handle calls and access information from virtually anywhere.

For more information about Amtelco's 1Call Division, call 800-356-9148 or email info@1call.com.

1Call Announces Third Annual Leadership Conference and Training Seminar (Dec 08)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco Third Annual Leadership Conference and Training Seminar will be held Tuesday, September 29 through Thursday, October 1, 2009, in Madison, Wisconsin.  This two-track conference and seminar will again be held at the Monona Terrace Convention Center, inspired by world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

All 1Call customers, including administrators, managers, supervisors, and lead operators, are invited to attend.  Similar to the previous two years, the 2009 sessions will include topics for the entire group, as well as separate leadership track and training track sessions.  At leadership sessions, guest speakers will discuss new call center technologies, showing attendees how to add new services for their customers and how to use the newest features to save time, reduce errors, and improve staff productivity and efficiency.  The training sessions will provide attendees with hands-on training and detailed report reviews.

According to Amtelco President Tom Curtin, “The 1Call Leadership and Training sessions give all of our customers the opportunity to participate in these information-packed sessions.  We’re looking forward to another successful opportunity for in-depth learning and networking opportunities.”

For more information, contact 1Call at 800-356-9148.

Bill Curtin Inducted into the CAM-X Hall of Fame (Dec 08)

Congratulations go out to Bill Curtin on his induction into the 2008 CAM-X Hall of Fame.  This presentation took place at the gala banquet held in conjunction with CAM-X’s Annual Convention and Trade Show held recently at the Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, ON.

Bill was nominated for this prestigious honor by Paul Lloyd (Answer Plus) and Doug Swift (Tigertel).  Paul presented a brief biography and an inspiring tribute to the long-time industry leader with a touching overview of Bill’s accomplishments during his many years in the industry.

The CAM-X Hall of Fame was established by the Canadian Call Management Association in 2001 in order to recognize dynamic individuals whose leadership has contributed to the evolution of the telemessaging and call center industry.  The Hall of Fame celebrates inductees for their accomplishments, their vision, and their leadership, as well as for their tireless efforts to promote, support, and protect the industry.

1Call Introduces Infinity IS Soft Agent (Oct 08)

The 1Call division of Amtelco announced the new 1Call Infinity IS Soft Agent, which offers simplicity to improve operator and call center performance.  The key to the Infinity IS Soft Agent is the combination of built-in search and action capabilities of the Soft Agent Sandbox, combined with a straightforward, uncluttered screen.  With each keystroke, the intelligence of the Sandbox knows to either look up information or to call a number.  The Soft Agent Sandbox provides a single point of focus, saving time and eliminating errors for operators.

"The Infinity IS Soft Agent, using 1Call's Sandbox search technology, offers users new and powerful tools for call handling, as well as information access and sharing," according to President Tom Curtin.  "The Soft Agent uses industry standard protocols, including SIP, to integrate with PBXs and IP-based switches and gives healthcare call centers a more efficient way to handle calls throughout their enterprise."

Amtelco Receives Patent for Intelligent Script Swapping (Aug 08)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco is pleased to announce the receipt of U.S. patent 7,359,918 for "A System and Method for Intelligent Script Swapping."

The new patent provides protection for the interoperability of various types of call scripts: agent-based, Web-based, and interactive voice response, including voice recognition.  The application included 97 interrelated claims of precedence for Amtelco's method of sharing data between the several types of scripts during the course of a telephone call.

 "I am really excited about this idea, now patented, that we put to use in the Infinity Intelligent Scripting module and that our customers use to save operator time and reduce errors," Amtelco President Tom Curtin said in announcing the new patent.  "Congratulations are in order for the inventors and to all at Amtelco who help us strive to improve our products."

This patent is the twenty-seventh patent received by Bill Curtin and Amtelco, continuing a strong history of innovation that started with the receipt of the first patent in 1954.

1Call Hosts Successful Leadership Conference and Training Seminar (Jun 08)

1Call's Second Annual Leadership Conference and Training Seminar was recently held on April 22-24, 2008.  Attendees came from California, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina, and Florida.

The conference featured a number of 1Call customer speakers, including Michelle Jacobson from HCMC in Minneapolis, who started the sessions by describing how the HCMC Infinity system efficiently managed call traffic during the Minneapolis bridge collapse on August 1, 2007.  Additional 1Call customer presenters discussed creating efficient access centers, providing enterprise-wide Web on-call, automating enterprise-wide processes with Red Alert and HL7 integration, and effective operator training.  Attendees also learned about the newest Infinity and Infinity IS (Intelligent Series) features, detailed report reviews, and the newest Red Alert emergency and event notification system features.

Comments from attendees included, "Excellent," "Very knowledgeable speakers," "Very good presentations," "Well done," "Wonderful," and "Very well-planned and prepared."

1Call Introduces New Infinity Unity Voice Logger (Jun 08)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced the new Infinity Unity Voice Logger.  Since it was first introduced in 2001, the software-based Infinity Voice Logger has recorded countless hours of calls, helping verify that all calls were handled correctly.  The new server-based Unity Voice Logger provides a more reliable call recording solution that is easy to configure, maintain, and secure, giving healthcare organizations the ultimate in unified voice communications.

The server-based Unity Voice Logger simplifies connecting both local and remote operator workstations and reduces bandwidth consumption.  Operators can use traditional hardwired connections, dial-up connections, or VoIP connections.  Unity Voice Logger offers the ability to capture operator screen snapshots along with recordings, allowing supervisors to see exactly what the operator was seeing while handling a call.  It also includes the agent assessment form, a customizable electronic form that allows supervisors to rate each operator's call handling performance.

1Call Announces Infinity Software Version 5.5 Release (Apr 08)

1Call announced the release of Infinity Software Version 5.5, with Infinity computer telephony integration enhancements and new Infinity and Infinity IS features, including:

• High Density Computer Telephony Integration: This includes MC-3, T1/E1 with Voice Processing, and VoIP with SIP Trunking.

• Real-Time Backup backs up entire Infinity database, including voice, to backup server on a real-time basis. 

• Infinity Unity Voice Logger with server-based recordings that simplify connecting local and remote workstations.

• Infinity IS Directory Contacts: Contact-based directories allow information entered once to be used by multiple directories.

• Infinity IS Directory On-Call Scheduling: Directories can also include an unlimited number of on-call schedules.

• Infinity IS Physician Referral includes search criteria to select a matching physician.

Additionally, the 4U Rack Chassis features configurable backplane options, three redundant hot-swap power supplies, and supports new high-density boards.

According to Amtelco President Tom Curtin, "Amtelco's software engineers have worked very closely with our customers to develop the features they've requested.  The result is an impressive list of new Infinity features."

Greg Strehlow Joins 1Call Sales Team (Apr 08)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco is pleased to announce the addition of Greg Strehlow to the healthcare and higher education sales team.  Strehlow began his career with Amtelco in 2004, writing Infinity IS (Intelligent Series) documentation.  He then moved to the customer care department as a training specialist, where he focused on Infinity IS training.  Prior to joining Amtelco, Strehlow received a degree in Engineering/Technical Communications from the University of Wisconsin. 

"Greg is a bright young man with excellent people skills," said National Sales Manager Mike Friedel.  "He will be a great advocate for our existing customers and will aggressively seek out new business.  Greg is an outstanding addition to our 1Call sales team."  He will be working with healthcare and higher education organizations in Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico. 

1Call's Clairvoyant Agent Easily Handles Frequent Callers (Feb 08)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced an innovative way for healthcare organizations to handle repeat callers, using the Infinity IS Clairvoyant Agent, which keeps track of previous callers.  As soon as an operator answers a call, Clairvoyant instantly displays who is calling and the reasons why they've called before.  Operators simply verify the caller's information and use a drop-down box to select the reason for the call, such as to schedule an appointment, to speak to a nurse, or to refill a prescription.  The reasons for the call are presented in the order of frequency; operators can enter a new reason by simply typing it in.

"Clairvoyant Agent saves time and helps healthcare organizations process more calls quickly and accurately," stated Tom Curtin, president of Amtelco's 1Call healthcare division.  "Clairvoyant is ideal for all types of calls that healthcare organizations receive and makes it easy to handle calls for recurring health issues, disease management, prescription refills, billing questions, and even calls from the nurse's station to the pharmacy."

New Features for Red Alert Emergency and Event Notification System (Dec 07)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced several enhancements for the Red Alert emergency and event notification system.  Red Alert's reporting capabilities have been expanded to produce double the standard reports.  Two new reports are specifically designed to streamline the exporting of Red Alert data into spreadsheets, statistical analysis, and geographic plotting applications.  All of the existing reports have been redesigned and improved.

The new Red Alert survey function polls alert recipients for various reasons. This includes allowing them to respond to a non-emergency alert or to pick the closest location.  For each alert, surveys can include up to ten yes/no or multiple-choice questions.  Surveys include branching capabilities, automatically taking recipients to the next appropriate question, based on their response.

Other new Red Alert features include expanding the Red Alert recipient check-in Web capabilities, making it easier for recipients to manage their own contact information, and adding an opt-in capability.  Recipients can now also create their own user identities in the Red Alert database and configure the order of their contact methods when alerts are issued.

1Call Announces Dates for Leadership Conference and Training Seminar (Dec 07)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced that the Second Annual Leadership Conference and Training Seminar will be held Tuesday, April 22 through Thursday, April 24, 2008, in Madison, Wisconsin, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center, inspired by world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. 

All 1Call customers, including administrators, managers, supervisors, and lead operators, are invited to attend.  Like last year, the sessions include topics for the entire group, as well as separate leadership track and training track sessions.  At the leadership sessions, guest speakers will discuss new call center technologies, show attendees how to add new services for their patients, and how to use Infinity's IS Series to save time, reduce errors, and improve staff productivity and efficiency.  The training sessions will provide attendees with hands-on Infinity training and detailed report reviews. 

According to Amtelco President Tom Curtin, "This beautiful setting, which overlooks the Lake Monona skyline, will provide our attendees with unique opportunities to learn more about streamlining enterprise-wide communications and even more importantly, networking with other peer organizations."

Two New Infinity Operator Performance Reports Now Available (Oct 07)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced the availability of two new Infinity reports to help monitor operator performance and assist with scheduling.  The reports, which are specifically designed to integrate with the Aspect™ Workforce Management software, include the Infinity forecast, scheduling, and tracking report, and the Infinity agent productivity report.

The Infinity forecast, scheduling, and tracking report includes the number of inbound calls, average answer time, average work time, number of dial outs, and more, and can be used to help better define staffing needs.  The Infinity agent productivity report generates an overview of each operator handling calls and includes counts and average times to determine each operator's effectiveness.  When used with call traffic reports, these reports help determine staffing requirements.

These new reports are available for purchase with Infinity Software Version 5.3 and newer versions.  The reports become part of the Infinity unified reports package based on Crystal Reports^® 9.0 and the Infinity IS reports package, based on Crystal XI.  Both are open-source reports, allowing customization using Crystal Reports tools.

University of Toledo Purchases Red Alert Safety System (Oct 07)

The Safety and Health Department at the University of Toledo (UT) has purchased a Red Alert safety system to help ensure the security of students and employees on Main, Scott Park, and Health Science campuses.  According to Gary Jankowski, associate vice president of safety and health, an ad hoc task force was created to identify and prioritize the most pressing safety issues facing UT campuses.  A major issue on Main Campus was the lack of a campus-wide public announcement system or mass communication system.

"It was important to do this because in the event of a tornado warning for the area or a violent episode on campus somewhere or in the case of a child who has been abducted from the day-care center, for example, there was no effective way to get this critical information out to the campus community quickly and in widespread fashion," Jankowski said.

Red Alert, provided by 1Call, a division of Amtelco, will have many capabilities, including delivery of mass alerts to faculty, staff, students, or pre-defined groups via pagers, email, text messages, and telephone.

1Call Introduces Automated Appointment Reminder System (Aug 07)

Amtelco's 1Call Division announces the new Infinity appointment reminder system, designed for healthcare organizations that are challenged with having patients keep their scheduled appointments.

All healthcare providers know that missed appointments are more than a nuisance.  Missed appointments reduce scheduling capacity, contribute to inefficiency, lower the quality of care, reduce revenue, and negatively affect the working environment for providers and staff.  Tagged "no shows," some studies indicate that as many as 30 percent of all appointments end up with no one showing up or the patient calling to reschedule.

The Infinity appointment reminder system allows patients to "have it their way" when being updated on future appointments.  The system allows providers to customize how and when patients receive notification of upcoming appointments.  Patients can receive messages via fax, email, phone call, SMS text message, or any combination of these methods.  The Infinity appointment reminder system integrates with providers' existing scheduling systems to get the latest scheduled patient appointments that need reminder messages.  Cancelled and rescheduled messages can be sent to patients as well.

1Call Innovates with Timesaving "Push-to-Talk" Feature (Jun 07)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced the new Infinity Push-to-Talk feature, which gives operators fast access to overhead paging or radio connections.  This eliminates the need for operators to move to a specific location to access security radios or mobile dispatch radios, saving time and increasing efficiency.  To activate the connection, operators press and hold a key on the keyboard, which remains active until the button is released.  Operators see a visual indication on the screen that they are currently connected to the overhead paging system or to the radio.  The Push-to-Talk button can be assigned to any function key on a standard keyboard or any key on the Infinity KB163 keyboard.

"The new Infinity Push-to-Talk feature makes it possible for our healthcare organizations to communicate more efficiently and effectively with patients and visitors inside the facility, as well as providing an instant communication link with security personnel and hospital staff throughout the enterprise in urgent situations," stated Tom Curtin, President of Amtelco's 1Call healthcare and higher education division.

1Call Holds Leadership Conference and Training Seminar (Jun 07)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco hosted the first annual 1Call Leadership Conference and Training Seminar on April 24-26, 2007.  Attendees benefited from sessions designed for the entire group, as well as separate leadership track and training track sessions throughout the day.  The seminar was held in downtown Madison, giving attendees a chance to visit a number of local area attractions. 

Attendees learned about various aspects of their Infinity systems and had the opportunity to find out more about the RED Alert emergency and event notification system, including a live demo.  During the sessions, guest speakers provided attendees with insight into adding new services for their patients, improving efficiency in their call centers, new call center technologies that are available, and using Infinity's IS scripting to save time, reduce errors, and improve enterprise-wide efficiency.  The training track sessions provided attendees with hands-on Infinity training and detailed report reviews. 

Attendee comments included, "The networking was awesome!"  "Great job!  Looking forward to next year," and "Thank you for always being there; you're our number one vendor!"

1Call Adds "Discovery Forum" On-Line Training Seminars (Apr 07)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced a new series of on-line "Discovery Forum."  The Discovery Forums are led by customers and provide a unique opportunity for networking, sharing tips and tricks, and brainstorming new ways to simplify and streamline communications.  Betty Bouchie, of QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who has led two Discovery Forums, said "I feel it is an honor and a privilege to share ideas and thoughts with my peers about things that are important to our everyday system activities.  Sometimes a common practice in one facility is a revelation to another.  We all grow when we share ideas.  I am looking forward to participating in forums presented by others."

Tom Curtin, President of Amtelco's 1Call healthcare and higher education division, added, "These forums are one more way 1Call is partnering with our customers, helping ensure they have the information and resources they need to take full advantage of Call systems."

Discovery Forums are recorded (with the presenter's approval) and available for viewing via Amtelco's TechHelper Resource Library Website.  Customers can also find training tutorial movies, script libraries (downloadable eCreator/Infinity IS scripts), product demos, reference guides, and software downloads.

1Call Offers Message Confirmation  (Feb 07)

With today's new PDA smartphones and the use of alpha paging, physicians can often get all of the information they need without speaking to an agent.  The 1Call Division of Amtelco is pleased to announce two Infinity features that confirm physicians have received their messages:  page confirmation and email confirmation.  With these features, Infinity sends unique confirmation numbers with each page or email message.  When physicians call in (for pages) and enter the unique ID, or reply to an email, the message history is updated to show the message is confirmed, and the message is marked delivered.  If a message is not confirmed within a predetermined amount of time, or the physician declines the message, it returns to an operator as a failed page confirmation or failed email confirmation, so further action can be taken.

These Infinity features save time for agents and physicians by allowing Infinity to monitor the message confirmation process, and they also ensure all messages reach their intended recipient.

RED Alert Adds Mapping Capabilities  (Dec 06)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced that the RED (Rapid Emergency Deployment) Alert Emergency and Event Alert System now features mapping capabilities.  This makes RED Alert the ideal system to use for triggering response to community disasters, biohazards, threats, evacuations, and even for campus-wide, severe weather-related emergencies.  

RED Alert System gives healthcare facilities a fast method for notifying personnel in disaster and emergency situations, and can also be used for event and meeting reminders.  RED Alert saves time for healthcare staff, reduces errors, and speeds the organization's overall response time.

To trigger an alert, the person issuing the alert simply draws around the designated area on a map, and RED Alert begins contacting the people responsible for emergencies in that area.  Alert recipients are shown on the map with pushpins, so the person triggering the alert instantly knows how many people will be contacted.  The map is real-time, so if a new recipient is added before the alert is issued, the new recipient also receives the alert.  RED Alert issues alerts by phone, mobile phone, SMS, email, pager, or fax.

1Call Announces Seminar  (Oct 06)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced that the next 1Call Administrative and Management Seminar will be held April 24-26, 2007, in Madison, Wisconsin.  As in previous years, in-depth training sessions will be held for 1Call managers, supervisors, and lead operators.  Amtelco Training Specialists, along with members of the Amtelco Innovation Development Team, will lead these sessions.

The 2007 seminar will also feature new sessions designed specifically for healthcare administrators, helping them learn more about the innovative ways other healthcare organizations are using 1Call equipment to simplify and streamline communications enterprise-wide, and prepare for emergency and disaster situations.  Healthcare administrators who use 1Call equipment at their organizations will facilitate these sessions.

1Call invites all 1Call administrators, managers, supervisors, and lead operators to mark their calendars now to attend this seminar, which will be held at the Hilton Madison Monona Terrace Hotel, in downtown Madison, Wisconsin.

1Call Holds Management Seminar (Aug 06)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco hosted the seventh annual Management Seminar, June 6-8, 2006, in Madison, Wisconsin.  Attendees learned about many aspects of their systems, including account setup tips and a bonus session on using Infinity IS, as well as Red Alert Emergency Notification.  Several breakout sessions allowed attendees to pick topics best suited to their specific needs.  Guest speaker Betty Bouchie, System Analyst at Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, shared information on Web On-Call, National Amtelco Equipment Owners (NAEO), and operator training aids, including tests and exercises used at her call center.

Comments from seminar attendees included, "Presenters kept it educational and fun." "The seminar was very well done.  I got some great ideas." "Awesome job." "Great conference and great support from Amtelco.  Pleasure to see the ‘team' that they have." "This seminar was an exciting experience and very detailed.  Tom [Curtin], please be proud of your team.  They are like family, which means they care.  This is important!"

Next year's 1Call Management Seminar is scheduled for April 2007.

Amtelco Receives GSA Contract for Red Alert System  (Jun 06)

1Call announced that GSA (U.S.  General Services Administration) recently awarded a Federal Supply Service Contract Number  (GS-35F-0309S) to Amtelco for Red Alert.  GSA is the federal government's premier acquisition agency.

The Red Alert Emergency and Event Notification system is currently being used by a number of healthcare organizations and pharmaceutical companies.  Red Alert is easy to set up and use; it features Web-based alert triggers and administration applications, real-time monitoring, and detailed reporting. 

The GSA mission for its agencies, according to GSA Acting Administrator, David L. Bibb, is "to provide [Federal agencies] with innovative solutions, and the right services at the right time, and at the right price so that they are free to concentrate on their missions."

Amtelco/1Call President Tom Curtin commented, "The GSA certification gives us the opportunity to implement Red Alert more quickly in various Federal Government Institutions, including FEMA, Homeland Security, VA Healthcare facilities, and the Military.  Red Alert's fast notification process makes it possible for these agencies to respond faster in all types of situations."

Red Alert Adds New Sales Staff  (Jun 06)

1Call announced that Mel Carter and Tim Brady will now manage sales in several new markets for the Red Alert Emergency and Event Notification system.

Tim Brady recently joined Amtelco's Red Alert team, with 25 years experience in sales and marketing management.  Mel Carter has been with Amtelco for 13 years, most recently as a 1Call National Sales Manager.  These two will now focus on the business continuity and special notification needs for government agencies and commercial businesses.

The Regional 1Call Sales Managers, along with 1Call National Sales Manager, Mike Friedel, will continue to handle Infinity call center, as well as Red Alert Emergency Notification needs for healthcare and higher education organizations.

Amtelco/1Call President Tom Curtin commented, "I am very pleased with the 1Call and Red Alert sales groups.  This will allow our 1Call sales staff to concentrate solely on the needs of healthcare and higher education organizations, while Mel and Tim work in new areas that need Red Alert, as well as providing assistance to the 1Call sales staff."

1Call Announces New Infinity Software Version  (Apr 06)

1Call announced Infinity's new Software Version 5.4, which introduces new features designed to give healthcare organizations new ways to eliminate errors, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.  A few of the new features include:

• Dynamic answer phrases: answer phrases now automatically change to the current time of day (good morning, afternoon, or evening), and can include operator name, physician name, ANI, status, and holiday greetings, such as "Happy holidays."

• Dynamic Perfect Answer: operators can record multiple greetings for each account, including morning, afternoon, evening, and holiday greetings.

• Physician list view: operators can view a complete list of physicians and departments without having them entered in a directory.

• "Covered by" status enhancements: operators can select a physician covering for another physician by name.

According to Amtelco/1Call President Tom Curtin, "From this very short list of new Infinity features, it's easy to see 1Call's dedication to helping improve enterprise-wide communications at healthcare organizations."

1Call Announces New Infinity EIS Enhancements  (Apr 06)

1Call announced that new Infinity Enterprise Intelligent Series (EIS) features are included with Infinity software version 5.4, providing new ways to streamline enterprise-wide communications.  EIS enhancements include:

• New reporting: server-based reporting allows reports to be modified from any supervisor workstation.  Reports can also be scheduled to run automatically.

• Dispatch now includes scripting, which allows supervisors to predetermine the flow for each physician's dispatch process and priority, which helps ensure high-priority jobs are completed first and reminders, to ensure operators follow up.

• On-call scheduling: new calendar views allow operators to view daily, weekly, and monthly schedules; new alerts appear in pop-up windows; and new details include vital information for schedules.

• The new EZ editor makes it easier to quickly create all types of scripts.

According to Amtelco/1Call President Tom Curtin, "Many of these features are a result of requests from our customers.  We will continue to work with our customers to ensure they have the features they need to provide the best enterprise-wide service."

RED Alert Receives "Product of the Year" Award  (Feb 06)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced that its RED (Rapid Emergency Deployment) Alert system has received the 2005 "Product of the Year" Award from Technology Marketing Corporation.

"We are very pleased that RED Alert was selected as the Product of the Year," said Tom Curtin, Amtelco President.  "RED Alert offers an innovative and comprehensive package for handling everything from staffing shortages, to emergency situations, and even routine meeting reminders.  Because it allows healthcare organizations to instantly notify, respond, and communicate in any type of situation, RED Alert is also a vital part of an organization's HEICS (Hospital Emergency Incident Command System) plan."

RED Alert is used in healthcare organizations, along with a number of other industries.  Its Alert instant notification system is easy to set up and use and can also provide on-demand conference calls for ongoing communications, as well as recording for historical accuracy and training.

Make a Great First Impression with Dynamic Answer Phrases  (Oct 05)

Infinity can help call centers make a great first impression with dynamic answer phrases.  With this new feature, the answer phrase for each account is dynamically changed to insert the desired information, including:

• Operator's name – Customize the answer phrase for each operator by inserting their name in the answer phrase.  For example, "Thank you for calling Dr.  Smith's office, this is Lisa, how may I help you?"

• Time-sensitive phrases – Automatically add "Good Morning," "Good Afternoon," or "Good Evening" to the answer phrase, based on the current time of day.

• ANI name – Include the caller's name in the answer phrase, such as, "Good morning, Dr. Johnson's Office, how may I help you Mr. Wilson?" 

• ANI number – Insert the ANI number into the answer phrase.  For example, "Thank you for calling the Pediatric Department, I see you are calling from 555-4567, how may I help you?"

• Status – Include the physician's current status with the answer phrase, such as, "Good afternoon, Dr. Julien's office; Dr. Julien is currently out of the office, how may I help you?"

1Call Infinity Completes Integration Testing with Cisco  (Oct 05)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced that the 1Call Infinity system has successfully completed interoperability testing with the Cisco Call Manager version 4.1(3).  The interface between the two systems is Primary Rate ISDN running QSIG protocol.  The Infinity system and Cisco Call Manager function together to provide Intelligent Console solutions for healthcare and higher education organizations, a voice mail system for telephone carriers, and a commercial call center system.

Using Infinity and the Cisco Call Manager, Infinity receives called party, calling party, and calling party name.  For calls forwarded to Infinity, an additional QSIG forwarding message (such as no answer, busy, forward all) is included, along with the diverting party and diverting party name.  This makes it possible for Infinity to forward calls to operators with the identity of the forwarding station.

Save Time Processing Calls with Auto ANI Routing  (Oct 05)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced automatic routing based on ANI (Automatic Number Identification, also known as Caller ID).  Using the new Infinity auto ANI routing feature, callers will"

• Hear a special greeting, letting them know their phone is forwarded

• Be sent to the voice check-in line, allowing physicians or staff to pick up messages

• Follow the behavior of another account, by having a particular ANI set to change to a different account

Some of the possible uses include:

• Eliminating calls to operators while simplifying check-in and check-out procedures for a physician's office staff

• Routing after-hours calls from a physician's home or cell phone directly to a dispatcher

• Sending calls from a specific patient to a particular operator or a supervisor

• Preventing unwanted callers from reaching an operator

• Directing a physician's call to the manager

The Auto ANI numbers and routing are set up individually per account, giving call centers the ability to customize the call routing for each physician or department.

1Call Receives Vendor Integration Certification  (Aug 05)

The Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) has awarded Vendor Integration Certification (VIC) to the 1Call Infinity system, for use with ADT (admissions, discharges, transfers) transactions.  HCA is a leading provider of healthcare services, composed of locally managed facilities that include approximately 190 hospitals and 91 outpatient surgery centers.

The modular 1Call Infinity call center and intelligent PC console system platform is currently being used by more than 150 healthcare organizations.  Infinity receives real-time ADT information, which is automatically updated in its directories, ensuring all operators have access to the most current patient information for accurate and fast call processing.

 "1Call is very excited about the opportunity to work with the family of HCA healthcare facilities," said Tom Curtin, President of Amtelco.  "1Call has developed a variety of software tools that allows HCA facilities to increase efficiency, eliminate errors, increase patient customer satisfaction, and increase revenue."

New Infinity Features Simplify and Improves Call Handling  (Aug 05)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced new features, including the Infinity button bar and the Infinity pop-up answer phrase.  The new Infinity button bar is displayed below the call window and answer phrase window on the Infinity operator screen.  It shows the F1-F12 function keys, along with a text description of what each key does, such as "Line 1," "Done," and "Directory."

According to Amtelco President Tom Curtin, "The Infinity button bar makes call handling even more intuitive and user-friendly.  The labels on each button can be customized to match whatever function each hospital wants to have."  Some common uses include transferring calls to specific departments, code calls, and displaying the on-call schedule.

With the Infinity pop-up answer phrase, the answer phrase is displayed at a larger size for the first few seconds after the call is answered.  This helps bring the operator focus to the answer phrase when they first connect.

Infinity's Dynamic Linking  (Jun 05)

Simplifying the process of handling all types of medical calls and eliminating errors is vital to healthcare call centers.  It was with this in mind that the 1Call Division of Amtelco announced Infinity's dynamic linking technology.

Using Dynamic Linking, Infinity automates many of the tasks traditionally performed manually by agents, such as linking a message to a directory, info page, on-call schedule, external database, eCreator script, or website.  In essence, dynamic linking eliminates guesswork for call center agents by instantly providing the information needed to professionally handle each call.  Considering the wide variety of calls healthcare call center staff are presented with – everything from calls about a child with an earache, to wanting to schedule an appointment, to trying to find a new doctor – Infinity's dynamic linking is a powerful tool.  Applications for dynamic linking include streamlining the processing of code calls, 911 calls, updating member information, physician messaging, and Infinity and eCreator integration.

Dynamic linking is designed to save time, increase accuracy, and improve communications by providing streamlined access to information throughout healthcare organizations.  Dynamic linking is available with Infinity software version 5.3.

1Call Adds New Features to Voice Logger (Apr 05)

The 1Call Infinity voice logger is a software-based call recording solution that automatically records all operator involvement with incoming and outgoing calls.  Voice logger integrates to the 1Call Infinity system, and is helpful in training new operators as well as a quality assurance tool.  Voice logger recordings are saved as WAV files, and can be sent via email to departments and physicians.  Call recordings can be archived and saved to another hard drive, a DVD, a CD, a tape, and other devices for long-term storage.

Infinity voice logger software version 2.1, introduced the ability to capture screen snapshots along with recordings, allowing supervisors to see exactly what the operator was seeing while handling a call.  This new software version also introduced an optional agent assessment form, a customizable electronic form that allows supervisors to rate each operator's call handling performance.  A few of the other new features include Web access for supervisors, physicians, and staff members; time-saving schedules to automatically send call recordings to an email address; convenient new search options; and VPN or FTP transfer of remote operator call recordings.

1Call Offers Resource Library for Custom Scripts (Apr 05)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced the introduction of the Amtelco Resource Library.  This Web-based library saves a significant amount of account set-up time for customers by allowing them to view scripts, download scripts, and then customize scripts to meet their specific needs.  Scripts are available for the Infinity Intelligent Messaging module, eCreator, and eCreator IVR (Interactive Voice Response).  To further simplify account setup, downloaded scripts may also include databases and reports.

Customers can browse through the various scripts to see unique ways to program accounts.  In addition, customers can add their own scripts to the Library to share with others.  This makes the library interactive, with new scripts being added by both Amtelco and customers.  The library includes easy instructions for submitting scripts, databases, and reports.  The library includes scripts for all types of applications, including general messaging calculations (age), medical messaging, prescription refills, insurance inquiries, patient placement, appointment taking, appointment reminders, physician referral, help desk, data collection/information requests, code calls, console calls, surveys, and more. 

1Call Receives NEC Certification for RED Alert (Feb 05)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced that Amtelco has received certification for the 1Call Rapid Emergency Deployment (RED) Alert system with the NEC NEAX 2400 IPX.  Amtelco is a member of the NEC Fusion Strategic Alliance Program.

RED Alert gives healthcare organizations a fast method for notifying and communicating with the appropriate personnel in disaster and emergency situations, as well as for routine notification needs.  1Call's RED Alert saves times for healthcare staff, reduces errors, and speeds the organization's overall response time.

Notification plans are entered into RED Alert in advance and can then be quickly activated for external disasters that affect the community, internal disasters that affect the healthcare organization, and routine notification needs.  The designated personnel can automatically be notified by pager, wireless message, fax, or automated callouts with a prerecorded or text-to-speech message.

Using the 1Call Bridge , personnel can be conferenced together with or without operator assistance.  The Conference Bridge allows for multiple simultaneous conference calls, which can also be recorded for ongoing communications and historical accuracy.

1Call Receives NEC Certification for Infinity (Feb 05)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco is pleased to announce that Amtelco has received certification for the 1Call Infinity Intelligent Console system with the NEC NEAX 2400 IPX.  Amtelco is a member of the NEC Fusion Strategic Alliance Program.

The integration with Infinity and the NEC NEAX uses the Amtelco XDS T1/E1 PRI ISDN board, which can accommodate either four or eight spans for up to 191 ports on a single board.  This board supports the Q Signaling Interface Protocol (QSIG), allowing it to integrate with QSIG-compatible switches, such as the NEC NEAX 2400 IPX.

The 1Call Infinity Intelligent Console provides Attendant Console functions, allowing operators to answer incoming calls with identity, transfer to PBX extensions, conference incoming calls, initiate dial outs to internal extensions and outside trunks, as well as initiate dial outs to feature access codes for functions such as overhead paging and call parking.  Infinity uses ISDN QSIG connections to offer high port volumes, very fast call processing, and sophisticated features to enhance enterprise-wide communications with on-call scheduling, directories, physician answering service and messaging, appointment scheduling, class registration, registry/roster, and call logging and recording.

1Call Announces Infinity Integration with LVM eCentaurus (Nov 04)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced the integration of their Infinity system to the LVM eCentaurus™ nurse triage software package.  With the Infinity and eCentaurus integration, operators answer calls, gather information from callers, and screen them for nurses.  If the caller needs a callback from a nurse, the operator saves the message in a special Infinity account.  The message is then automatically dispatched to eCentaurus, which presents calls to nurses in the queue, based on priority.

When the call is delivered, information about the call, including the callback number, is displayed.  The nurse uses the eCentaurus screen, with the Infinity Operator Interface Engine, to dial, connect, place calls on hold, page, and patch calls to doctors. 

To complete the call, the nurse presses a button on the eCentaurus screen.  Infinity then stores all of the information about the call, including the callout history, which can be archived and reviewed at any time for quality assurance and billing purposes.  If desired, calls can also be automatically recorded using the 1Call Voice Logger module.

1Call Receives Avaya DeveloperConnection Compliant Award (Nov 04)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announced that the 1Call Infinity system has completed successful testing with Avaya Inc.'s MultiVantage S8700 Media Server with Communication Manager 2.1.  Infinity was thoroughly tested by Avaya's DeveloperConnection Technical Team and has been officially accepted as compliant.  1Call's parent company, Amtelco, has been a premier member of Avaya's Global DeveloperConnection (DevConnect) program for two years. 

This integration was accomplished using telephony boards designed and manufactured by Amtelco's XDS division.  These boards support the Q Signaling Interface Protocol (QSIG) and allow integration with QSIG-compatible switches, such as Avaya's.  QSIG is an international, vendor-independent signaling standard for logical signaling between two private switch nodes, such as PBXs or third-party application servers.

Other 1Call/Amtelco products have received the DevConnect Compliant award, including the eCreator browser-based scripting system.  Last year, Amtelco was awarded the "Vendor of the Year" award for its work as part of Avaya's DevConnect program.  This award was given in recognition of Amtelco's strong relationship with Avaya and their Mosaix Users Group (MUG).

1Call's Response to Emergency Deployment Alert Conferencing (Aug 04)

Remaining in contact with personnel during emergency and disaster situations is vital.  In addition to emergency notification, 1Call's RED (Response to Emergency Deployment) alert system features conferencing and recording capabilities to keep personnel constantly informed. 

As many as 40 people can be included in a single conference call, including people at emergency sites, hospitals, and remote locations.  Conferences can be created with or without operator assistance, giving organizations the options they need to react quickly in emergencies.  Conference calls can be recorded and are saved as WAV files for review, archival, or even training.

1Call's RED alert emergency notification system gives healthcare facilities a fast method for notifying personnel in disaster and emergency situations.  RED alert saves time for healthcare staff, reduces errors, and speeds the organization's overall response time.  Disaster and emergency plans are entered into the RED alert system in advance and can be quickly activated when needed.  The designated personnel can automatically be notified by pager, wireless message, fax, or automated callouts with a prerecorded or text-to-speech message. 

1Call Seminars Keep Healthcare Call Centers Informed (Aug 04)

To keep healthcare organizations up to date, the 1Call Division of Amtelco recently held two seminars.  The first, a 1Call Management Seminar, was held May 4-6 in Madison , WI .  1Call customers had a chance to discuss account design and efficiency, MDR, call distribution, Infinity automation, new Infinity features, and on-call scheduling. 

On June 10, 1Call presented the first one-day, five-hour Road Show seminar to regional 1Call customers and prospects in healthcare organizations, in Falls Church ,   Topics at this seminar included ways to consolidate services and improve efficiencies to quickly generate a positive ROI (return on investment), using Enterprise-Wide applications to give everyone access to vital information, going beyond caller and staff expectations with speech recognition, and how to speed response times in emergencies. 

Seminar attendees reported that these sessions were valuable and would help them improve communications at their organizations.  Because of the success of this seminar, additional 1Call Road Show seminars will be held around the United States.  The next one will be held this fall in the southwest United States. 

1Call Introduces Enterprise Directories Module (May 04)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco introduced their new 1Call enterprise directories module, adding a number of features.  1Call directories are ideal to store large amounts of related information, such as employees, physicians, and patients.   

The new enhancements include:

• Unlimited Size – Directories now feature an unlimited number of directory subjects, listings, fields, and field sizes. 

• Sophisticated Search Capabilities – The Directory Search window is always displayed, allowing operators to quickly and easily refine their searches.

• Detailed View – Each listing can have additional information, even including Web links, graphics, and animated graphics.  The color and size of the fonts can be adjusted for better readability. 

• Pictures – To enhance security, pictures can now be added to directory listings.  Pictures can be imported directly from digital cameras and other external graphic files.

• Actions – Operators now have one-key access to functions, such as Call Transfer, Dial, Change Client, Take a Message, Page, and much more.

The 1Call Enterprise Series is designed to save valuable time, increase accuracy, and improve communications by providing streamlined enterprise-wide access to information in healthcare organizations.

1Call Announces Enterprise Dispatching Module (May 04)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco is pleased to introduce the new 1Call enterprise dispatching module.  Prompt and accurate message processing and dispatching are vital to healthcare call centers.  The enterprise dispatching module streamlines the process, quickly and accurately getting messages delivered to physicians and staff. 

When operators save a message, they see a list of dispatch options.  They can then perform multiple dispatch methods for the message, such as paging, calling a cellular phone, and calling a home phone.  As each action is completed, it is checked off as complete, helping staff ensure they are taking the appropriate actions for each message.

Supervisors set up the dispatch lists for each physician or staff member in advance, controlling which options are displayed for each.  Operators can also enter follow-up notes, ensuring that anyone can accurately dispatch the message.

A new dispatch search screen allows operators to quickly locate messages, on-call schedules, status settings, and follow-up tasks.  Using this, operators see detailed information about each.  This saves time and reduces errors by instantly showing operators what tasks need to be completed.

1Call Receives Siemens Certification (Feb 04)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco announces that Amtelco has received certification with the Siemens HiPath 4000, with Cornet-NQ, and the 1Call Infinity system.  This integration was accomplished using the Amtelco XDS T1/E1 PRI ISDN board, which can accommodate either four or eight spans.  This board supports the Q Signaling Interface Protocol (QSIG), allowing it to integrate with QSIG-compatible switches.

QSIG is an international, vendor-independent signaling standard for logical signaling between two private switch nodes, such as PBXs.  QSIG links multiple vendors' PBXs while retaining feature transparency.  Supplementary services offered by QSIG include name identification, call intrusion, do not disturb, path replacement, operator services, mobility services, and call completion on no reply. 

The Amtelco XDS T1/E1 PRI ISDN board provides digital connections with a PBX or central office switch.  These digital connections offer high port volumes, fast call processing, and sophisticated features.  The 1Call Infinity system features seamless integrations with existing legacy systems at hospitals, giving easy access to overhead paging systems, PBXs, and paging terminals.

1Call Introduces Patient Placement Application (Nov 03)

The 1Call division of Amtelco, a leader in developing, installing, and servicing healthcare call center systems, announced the introduction of the 1Call Patient Placement application.  This innovative new application utilizes the flexibility of the web-based 1Call eCreator scripting system, streamlining the process of alerting hospitals about incoming patients.

The Patient Placement application easily integrates with a hospital's current ADT (Admission, Discharge, Transfer) system and automated medical records.  It is an ideal tool to assist hospitals in the process of Direct Admits, as well as coordinating the patient placement process.  In addition, this tool can be used to assist in the Capacity Alert situation.

To ensure patient confidentiality, only authorized users can access the Patient Placement application.  The Patient Placement scripts are easy to use, walking the user through the applicable questions to help ensure all the necessary information is entered.  This gives the hospital vital information to help them prepare for incoming patients, and makes sure the patients are placed in appropriate areas of care.  Scripts can be easily customized to accommodate the patient placement process in each hospital.  The scripts can request information such as the admitting doctor's name, when and how the patient is arriving (ambulance, car, air transport, and so forth), diagnosis, caller's name and phone number, and other vital questions such as if they require special equipment for heart monitoring or dialysis.  Depending on the responses given by the user, built-in branching instantly takes the user to the next appropriate question.

The convenient 1Call Patient Placement application allows users to enter information for new patients, such as name, address, date of birth, and any special needs requirements.  For patients that have been previously admitted, the Patient Placement application interfaces with the hospital's database to display current information.  If necessary, users can update the patient's information, which is also saved to the hospital's database.  When information is entered, the appropriate personnel can be notified via email, fax, pager, or phone, and preparation for the arrival of the patient can begin. 

Patient Placement is one of the many 1Call eCreator applications.  Others include physician referral, appointment taking, appointment reminders, prescription renewal, class registration, and order entry.

1Call Introduces R.E.D. Alert (Sep 03)

The 1Call Division of Amtelco introduces the RED (Response to Emergency Deployment) Alert disaster notification module.  This new module gives healthcare facilities a fast method for notifying and communicating with the appropriate personnel in disaster and emergency situations.  1Call's RED Alert saves time for healthcare staff, reduces errors, and speeds the organization's overall response time.

Disaster and emergency plans are entered into the 1Call system in advance which then can be quickly activated for external disasters that affect the community, as well as for internal emergencies that affect the healthcare organization.  The designated personnel can automatically be notified by pager, wireless message, fax, or automated callouts with a prerecorded or text-to-speech message, using SpeechSecure to verify the correct person is contacted. 

Using the 1Call conference bridge, emergency personnel can be conferenced together with or without operator assistance.  The conference bridge allows for multiple simultaneous conference calls, which can also be recorded for later review.

Amtelco's eCreator Messaging (Sep 03)

Amtelco recently announced the release of eCreator Messaging.  Using new dispatch elements with eCreator software version 2.1, users can create easy-to-use messaging scripts using only eCreator's base palette.  This allows call centers to handle any regular answering service accounts with eCreator.

Use of eCreator Messaging reduces operator errors and training time.  Amtelco is providing a free template to make setup even faster.