Covid-19 and the tragic costs of outdated hospital communication technology

Pagers, DECT phones, switchboards and fax machines. Would you trust these devices to quickly transmit information that could save your life? Many hospitals in Switzerland, the U.S. and other technologically advanced countries still do, with sometimes fatal consequences. But Covid-19 was a wakeup call for the industry, says Luiza Dobre, co-founder and CEO of Komed Health. The Swiss start-up has developed what she describes as a secure WhatsApp for doctors and nurses. A hospital in the hard-hit region of Ticino rolled out the real-time communication system during the crisis, desperate for a more efficient means of sharing patient information in its battle against time.