URBANA – Carle Clinic Obstetrics in Urbana now uses paging technology in its waiting room. Much like the process for seating in restaurants, patients have the option to carry a pager after checking in that will alert with light and sound when their doctors become available. 

The pager system especially benefits Obstetrics, where physicians are often called to deliver babies during regular appointments. Wait times may vary when a physician is on call, so pagers allow patients to move freely about the Carle campus until their doctors can see them.

“With the paging system, patients aren’t tied to the waiting room,” said Tiffani Dillard, MD, Carle Clinic obstetrician. “We are proud to offer a service that makes an extremely busy practice less stressful for both patients and physicians.”

Obstetrics has received positive feedback from patients, who are grateful for the flexibility to take a walk, get a drink or make a phone call while waiting. The system has also proven helpful for Carle Clinic employee patients, who can continue working as they wait for a pager alert. The Clinic may implement this system in other departments in the coming months.