Starting this week, all Ballad Health team members will have the opportunity to participate in the Everbridge emergency notification system.
What is Everbridge?
Everbridge is an international leader in emergency communications and is used in multiple industries, including the healthcare industry, to coordinate notifications during critical events. As a single, automated notification system, Everbridge can be used to communicate critical information during events such as a pandemic, natural disasters, manmade disasters, power outages or workplace violence.
Ballad Health is already using the platform in some areas within the organization. Making the software available to all our team members will increase the efficiency of crisis communication, which in turn will lead to better outcomes for our team members, patients and visitors when it comes to disaster planning and other emergency situations.
How does Everbridge work?
This week, you’ll receive an email from Ballad Health Emergency Alerts with the subject line “Register for Emergency Updates from Ballad Health.” The email includes a link that will take you directly to the portal where you can review your profile, add or update your contact information and note your preferences for receiving communications. We suggest logging in through your Ballad Health computer.
If you are logging in through a personal computer (instead of your Ballad Health computer), you will be prompted to enter a username and password. You should enter your Ballad Health email address and password. If you are signing in to the Everbridge web portal from a mobile device, you may need to select “Sign in with SSO credentials,” if prompted, and enter your Ballad Health email address and password.
When accessing your account, you should use Chrome or Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Firefox and Internet Explorer do not function as well with the Everbridge platform. If you only have Internet Explorer and receive a blank screen when logging in, try pressing F5 (refresh) to access the login screen.
Once you update your profile and select your communication preferences, you’ll automatically receive alerts via email, but you can also choose to receive voice or text alerts at your mobile number or landline. These alerts help inform our team members so they can adequately manage disaster or emergent situations – keeping themselves, our patients and visitors safe.
Other frequently asked questions:
What kinds of messages will I receive through Everbridge?
Ballad Health will use this system to alert and inform our team members of any potential safety threats or any other emergent situations including dangerous weather, instances of workplace violence, manmade disasters, and natural disasters. The system can also be used to notify and update our team members of IT system outages or supply chain disruptions in real time.
Notifications sent through Everbridge will align with our current Plain Language scripting, but may have additional information depending on the nature of the incident.
The Everbridge system is an essential tool for communications across the health system. It will allow us to share information on a moment’s notice so we can keep our organization running and our people safe during critical events.
If I’m already receiving alerts through Everbridge at my facility, do I still need to log in to the team member portal in Everbridge to review my information?
Yes, all team members should log in to view your profile, make any needed updates to your contact information and choose preferences for receiving communications.
How does the systemwide rollout of Everbridge affect existing groups already receiving emergency notification communications?
Several groups within our system already use Everbridge to communicate information to select groups based on work responsibilities or location. If you’re part of one of these existing groups, you’ll continue to receive notifications as you do now. When you subscribe to a group on the team member portal, you’ll receive other system notifications that apply to you based on your job role or worksite.
Will my contact information be shared with others?
No, neither Ballad Health nor Everbridge will sell your information or share it externally. Any contact information submitted for notifications will only be used for that purpose.
Is there a contact for questions?
If you have questions about the system, reach out to the Ballad Health Safety, Security and Emergency Management Team by emailing Security.Corporate@balladhealth.org.
