Effective 8 a.m., Monday, May 5, American Messaging will no longer support the page forwarding feature. This feature has become outdated and can no longer be guaranteed to function as it did in the past.
Alternative solutions
To ensure a seamless transition, the Nebraska Medicine Pager Services Office recommends using AMS Connect, which offers enhanced flexibility and functionality for managing pages. With AMS Connect, users can:
- Receive and forward pages to another pager number directly from a cell phone, computer or iPad.
- Opt in and out of emergency or service teams manually or schedule an on-call status up to a year in advance.
- Use AMS Connect via a web browser without installing an app — simply log in with the user’s Nebraska Medicine and/or UNMC network username and password.
If users choose not to go with AMS Connect, the only alternative will be to physically hand off the pager to another user.
Why AMS Connect?
- HIPAA compliant and provides secure messaging for hospital information.
- Reliable and proven: More than 2,000 users across the health system already have adopted AMS Connect, and it allows users to receive pages anywhere with cellular service. It also is more reliable than traditional paging networks, even during outages.
- Enhanced accountability: Managers can track page delivery and read status, eliminating uncertainty about whether an on-call staff member received a critical page.
Next steps
- Departments should coordinate to determine their preferred forwarding method before the change takes effect.
- If users are experiencing issues with page forwarding or recipients not receiving pages, the legacy feature’s instability is likely the cause.
- For AMS Connect training, Zoom demonstrations can be scheduled upon request.
For assistance or to schedule a demo, contact the pager office by email or call 402-559-1331.
Important notes on legacy numeric pagers
Legacy numeric pagers are being phased out. If a user’s numeric pager is functioning properly, they may continue using it. However, if it needs replacement due to damage or missed pages, it will be upgraded to an alphanumeric pager at a cost of $10.80 per month, instead of the current $5.80. For resident pagers, the hospital covers the monthly lease and service, but lost or damaged pagers beyond repair will be billed to the resident’s department.
The pager office thanks users for their cooperation in this transition to a more efficient and modern paging system.