Anyone (especially hospitals) running 4-digit and 5-digit dial plans?

[SBL110]

Hi Everyone,
We're about to add a significant edition to our hospital and it will add 60+ patient rooms. We're currently running a 4-digit dial plan, but with the new edition, we can't match the room number to the extension because the necessary extensions have already been assigned. We are currently assigning extensions as 7 + the 3-digit room number.

I suggested changing the 7 series in the dial plan and making it 5-digits. You could then dial 7 plus the 4-digit room number. All other extensions would remain 4-digits.

The higher ups have an issue with this because it mixes 5-digit dialing with 4-digit dialing. I believe that users can be trained, but others do not. The "others" are willing to force some departments change their existing extensions to make room for the new extensions for this edition. This would include changing 37 FACs. I'm really unconfortable with moving the FACs. Can you have extensions and FACs in the same range?

My worst nightmare come to reality. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Scott

 

[tlpeter]

Why not use a different digit for the new rooms like a 8 and 3 digits ?


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[SBL110]

Hi Tlpeter,

The problem is that we're updating the room numbers throughout the entire building from 3-digits to 4-digits to accomodate the expansion happening now, and for future growth. The dial plan is currently 4-digits, which is fine for now.

Currently patient rooms are 3-digits, like 201, 301, etc. We've reserved the 7's for this need, so a patient's room extenson would be 7201, 7301, etc. It's easy to remember, consistent and there are enough extensions to accomodate 1000 patient rooms.

With the advent of 4-digit room numbers, extensions would "logically" be: 72001, 73001, etc. if I continue to follow the formula of 7 + the patients room number. With a four digit room number, we would have to kick the 7 extension series to 5-digit dialing to match. The five digit dialing would only be for extensions beginning with "7." All other extensions would remain 4-digits.

Instead, the higher ups want to change extensions that align with the new patient room numbers (2001, 3001, etc.) to something else so we can use those extensions for the patient rooms. What they're not considering is what do you do with the 1xxx room numbers? Right now, 7 plus the room number works for rooms beginning with "1." Even with four digit room numbers on the first floor, extensions would be 71001, 71234, etc. Again, consistent, easy to remember and five digit dialing only impacts patient rooms.

Finally, I've got 37 FACs that control call forward, login for call queues, etc. that all begin with "1." I don't know if I can have extensions and FACs in the same range. Not sure I want that even if it's possible.

It's enough to make me want to work at Wal-Mart as a greeter.

Scott

 

[phoneguy55]

having the extension and the room numbers the same seems easier to understand. Changing your FAC's should be pretty simple. You can have both FAC's and extensions in the same range, you just need to define that in your dial plan. I see no reason to goto 5 digits. It doesn't sound like you have that many extensions where it would be necessary.

 

[chicagophoneman]

I agree making just room numbers 5 digits and starting them all with 7 as the leading digit seems pretty easy to me. If anyone is using FAC's they will complain more often than not with the change.

 

[chicagophoneman]

By the way your sites wouldnt happen to be in Illinois Saint Charles Specifically?

 

[SBL110]

Thanks to all who replied. I'm still gathering ammo for my final argument with the CIO. If he's really on my side, I hope he'll see that it's easier to train people to dial 7 plus 4 digits for a patients room then it will be to change over 200 established extensions and potentially re-program 37 FAC codes.

Maybe I should ask him to price this task to an outside contractor. After he sees how much it'll cost, maybe he'll come around to my thinking. Or there's that Wal-Mart thing.

Scott

 

[SBL110]

To Chicagophoneman:

We're located in Geneva, but have sites in St. Charles. Do you live in the area?

Scott

 

[chicagophoneman]

No but I have worked on many of your sites flattening out the network. Once I read the walmart comment I thought that it was the Scott L. that I was thinking of.



By the way its Kevin with IVT.