The strength lies not in fewer alarms, but in striving for an environment where there is confidence that every alarm sounds for a valid reason.
Ben Sawaryn, Qualified Medical Engineer and Chain Coordinator VOS-MOS-MAS, ZGT (Ziekenhuisgroep Twente), The Netherlands
ZGT (Ziekenhuisgroep Twente) works with the renewed VOS-MOS-MAS (Nurse Call System – Medical Call System – Medical Alarm System) in more than forty departments. What started in 2022 as a system replacement evolved into an organization-wide shift in mindset: no longer viewing medical alarm management as technology, but as an integral part of a safe and efficient care process. Nurses, technicians and management shared one conviction: alarm management is only safe when the entire chain functions correctly. The question was not whether the system works, but how the hospital works with it.
From pagers to process thinking
The previous alarm system had become technically outdated and its announced end-of-service date was approaching. Although replacement was necessary, ZGT deliberately chose more than a simple substitution. The hospital redesigned the entire alarm chain: from call button to smartphone, from server to human response.
Ben Sawaryn, Qualified Medical Engineer and chain coordinator VOS-MOS-MAS, explains:
“An alarm system is not only a product, it is a process. Only when technology, workflow and mindset align do calm and reliability emerge.”
ZGT first introduced one hospital-wide base configuration, the so-called baseline. All departments work according to the same principles for priorities, delays and escalations. This uniformity provides clarity and stability during implementation. New employees understand the logic of the system faster, regardless of the department where they work.
The next phase focuses on fine-tuning per department: optimization based on data and experience rather than intuition. The expectation is that the system will align even better with specific workflows. The balance between uniformity and specificity offers significant advantages: flexible deployment of staff, fewer interpretation differences and an efficient care process.
Thanks to one shared language of alarms throughout the hospital, every care professional immediately understands the situation. Ben Sawaryn adds:
First create hospital-wide stability, then improve. That is how you build sustainable quality.
MDDG: a solid infrastructure core
The MDDG platform from Itemedical forms the technical backbone of the medical alarm chain. It securely and reliably manages the connectivity between all medical devices, regardless of brand or supplier. MDDG safeguards the data flow and connects it reliably to the alarm system without data loss or interpretation errors. Its MDR certification ensures compliance with the strictest European standards for medical software.
MDDG contributes to the stable foundation on which ZGT builds its chain governance. Thanks to this infrastructure, the hospital manages and optimizes the entire alarm chain internally. ZGT ensures that technology, processes and organization continuously reinforce each other. The role of chain coordinator is structurally embedded within the organization.
Although ZGT maintains control itself, it works closely with partners such as CLB and itemedical. As suppliers, they provide not only technology but also expertise and guidance to safeguard the chain. Internal ownership and expertise, supported by partners, make the model sustainable and future-proof.
Mindset as the engine of success
ZGT now considers the VOS-MOS-MAS a business-critical system, just as important as the electronic patient record or patient monitoring. The system is directly connected to patient safety and the functioning of the care chain. Any unintended delay or error has immediate impact. For that reason, the same strict requirements apply as for any vital system.
Every modification is tested integrally in a specially designed test and training environment to guarantee a reliable architecture and controlled releases. What once served as a demonstration room during the procurement process is now a permanent learning and testing environment.
“An alarm system that supports care is one of the foundations of the nursing process. That realization has changed everything in how we approach it,” says Ben Sawaryn.
The greatest change lies in attitude rather than technology. Where care professionals once experienced alarms as disruptive or routine, awareness is growing that every signal deserves the attention it receives. Care professionals work with confidence, the management organization continuously safeguards the alarm chain, and leadership sees the results in greater calm and efficiency in daily practice.
The VOS-MOS-MAS has become a secured, reliable and indispensable part of the hospital organization. ZGT demonstrates that technology truly works only when there is oversight of the entire chain: from technology to human behavior.
Every improvement counts
In the coming period, ZGT will further refine workflows, alarm filters and delays, and analyze data through internal alarm-coaching programs together with care teams. Every improvement strengthens calm on the work floor and, ultimately, the quality of care for the patient.