DGMC launches secure voice mail system

  • Published
  • By Jim Spellman
  • 60th Medical Group Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  David Grant USAF Medical Center has launched an automated voicemail system for patients to conveniently check many of their lab results over the telephone.

Known as AudioNOTES™, it is designed to facilitate communication between a health care provider and the patient. AudioNOTES™ will allow a DGMC provider to leave messages in a secure mailbox for patient retrieval by telephone.

"It can be accessed 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week," said Al Stanton, 60th Medical Support Squadron director of information systems infrastructure at DGMC. "The system will be a valuable universal messaging tool, allowing our providers to efficiently convey sensitive information to their patients," said Mr. Stanton.

AudioNOTES™ will automatically contact a patient up to three times with a pre-recorded message alerting them to a pending lab result. The system will also provide a toll free "800" number for the patient to call back to retrieve their lab results.

Upon calling in, patients will follow simple voice prompts and be asked to enter an eight-digit date of birth, arranged by month, date and year. AudioNOTES™ will then ask the patient to create a personal identification number using any combination of letters or numbers to establish a PIN. The PIN will be required for future access to AudioNOTES™ secure voice mailbox.

AudioNOTES™ security features are a major plus to using this voicemail system. "DGMC providers and patients are assigned personal identification numbers that are required to either leave a message for a patient or retrieve a message from a provider," explained Mr. Stanton. "Additional patient identification information such as date of birth, social security number, or hospital identification number can also be used to further screen and identify the patient."

Testing of the system has begun in DGMC's Sub specialty Cinic. DGMC expects full implementation of AudioNOTES™ by October. Look for updates in the Tailwind and detailed information via brochures and posters located throughout the medical center.

"DGMC health care providers look forward to offering this new service to their patients which will satisfy and address concerns of timely lab result notification," said Sabrina Kelley, TRICARE marketing manager at DGMC. "The use of AudioNOTES™ will ensure the process is a win-win to our patients and staff."