An event notification system (ENS) can operate in many different types of environments to receive messages, from a variety of input devices and systems, that have information about many different types of events, they can operate to determine how to react to information received in the messages and to generate and send an alert message to one or more individuals, and they can operate to receive and process responses to the alert messages. An ENS can be configured to operate in a number of different environments, such as a financial environment, emergency service environment, manufacturing environment, in healthcare environment and in many other types of environments. When operating in a healthcare environment, an ENS can receive event information in a message generated by a patient monitor, it can receive a message generated at a call point (CP) for supplies or for patient transport, and it can receive messages generated by a nurse, doctor or other healthcare staff or systems relating to patient care. Regardless of the origin of an event message, the ENS can operate to determine the origin of an event message and it can determine whether or not to take further action with respect to the message. In the event that the ENS sends an event message to an individual and receives a response, the ENS operates to determine whether information in the response requires any further action.
Event notification systems can be configured to link with wireless networks and to send and receive alert messages to and from mobile communication devices (i.e., wireless communication badge, smart phone or Wi-Fi phones). When configured to communicate over a wireless network, it is not necessary for medical staff to be paged, and then have to locate the closest wired communication device (i.e., POTS phone) in order to respond to an alert message. Instead, staff can use their mobile device to immediately respond to an alert message regardless of their location, and provided their mobile communication device is within range of a wireless network. This wireless notification and response capability has improved medical staff response time to patient emergencies and generally improved the efficiency and patient satisfaction with which staff is able to work in a healthcare environment. FIG. 1A shows an event notification system (ENS), located in a healthcare facility, that is configured to connect with two types of wireless networks (Cellular & Wi-Fi), and a wired (POTS) communication network. The ENS operates to send alert messages over either the Wi-Fi or Cellular network to a mobile communication device associated with a healthcare staff member, and it operates to receive alert message responses from the mobile device. The ENS is also connected to a plurality of event generation devices such as patient monitors and to call points. The patient monitors operate to detect physiological information relating to a patient and send this information to the ENS, and the call points are positioned strategically throughout the healthcare facility to serve as an ENS communication portal for the staff.