Pacific Hospital improved hospitality and security by outfitting its radio users with lapel mics. Hospital officials intend to purchase more microphones when they switch to an all-digital radio system in 2012.
In October of 2010, Pacific Hospital in Long Beach, Calif. incorporated the use of a two-way radio microphone into its daily operations with surprising results. While the microphones were intended to improve security, officials found that the facility's hospitality ratings rose dramatically as a result.
"[The microphone] contributed to the hospital's healing mission," says Bob Vance, the hospital's executive director. The microphones eliminated the problem of radio noise in the hospital corridors, and created a quiet, restful environment for patients.
Security, engineering, housekeeping and hospitality staff, as well as decontamination team members now use Pryme Mirage SPM 1303 lapel microphones in their daily operations.
Security officers at Pacific Hospital use lapel mics during Operating Screaming Eagle, in which plainclothes officers are positioned around the facility to prevent car theft and other crime during the holiday season.
"[The microphone] allows us to monitor situations that could become dangerous without that person or people knowing that we're monitoring them," says Vance. "Also, it allows us to communicate with internal surveillance teams when we're doing surveillance."
Hospital security successfully used the mics during "Operation Screaming Eagle" - a surveillance mission that takes place each year during the holiday season.
"We put plain clothes officers around the hospital, sitting on the bus stops and in cars to prevent car theft and other things that usually occur only during the holiday season," explains Vance. The microphones allowed the plain clothes officers to communicate on radios without bringing attention to themselves.
"I'm not sure how we would have survived going forward without these particular [microphones] because they've met all of our needs," adds Vance.
The hospital plans to migrate to a digital radio system before the end of 2012. The microphones, says Vance, will be incorporated into the new system.
"In fact, we're going to be ordering a bunch more."
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