Automated diverts and messaging

[yujay ramakrishnan]

Hi

I work in a hospital where prompt communication with the clinical team is vital.

In order to contact the person on-call, we have to go through switchboard who connects to the individual's work or personal mobile phone. There is often a delay in accessing the on-call team as one has to go through switchboard as an intermediary.

We have shown a small proof of concept where dummy extension numbers (virtual baton phone) were set up. One can then login from the web browser to divert the extension into the mobile. This would then enable people to phone a fixed (internal) extension to be diverted to whoever is on-call, for those services for which a single baton mobile is not suitable for whatever reason.

What we would like to do is automate this process so that on different days, the person is on-call number is updated daily to link to the dummy baton phone.

In addition if there was a facility to send messages via text, Microsoft teams or whatsapp etc, this would be helpful to update the on-call team regarding incidents within the hospital.

Do we have the technology to facilitate the automated linking for numbers and permit messaging to the on-call teams for that day?

Thank you

[Jonathan Schulenberg]

The only native scheduling option in CUCM Time of Day routing, but that’s not user-accessible. It’s also annoyingly rigid and creates a bunch of extra Partitions; I try to pretend that it doesn’t exist.

You’re free to create your own automation script or front end and issue AXL API queries to modify the DN CFA destination. That’s the most obvious option IMO.

As for messaging: you may want to discuss Webex Connect CPaaS with your Cisco partner and Cisco account team. It would provide the API mechanisms for SMS and WhatsApp. Again, you will need to develop the automation to invoke those APIs though.

[yujay ramakrishnan]

Thanks very much, Jonathan.  Much appreciated.

[JasonCallTelemetry]

With the need for dynamic call routing based on schedules to different numbers, and also connecting realtime call data with other services from CUCM - if you are developing it yourself, I would recommend you explore CURRI API / External call control here. Your on-call extensions would hit the extension, CUCM relays a webhook to a CURRI API service, and the CURRI server would return the daily on-call number for that extension, and let CUCM forward the call to the new destination of the day. You can then add some code on your server to post to the alert services you mentioned with some extra coding. The CURRI API docs are here. This would be assuming you built it yourself.

If you are looking for something off the shelf and not develop your own, I wrote a CURRI engine with the framework to do what you want - calltelemetry.com. Extensions trigger "Apps" that can change callflow in realtime. I've been looking at making an On-Call schedule "app" as you described in your post. I already have notifications for SMS, Webex Teams, and Email. Microsoft Teams will be added next month, and WhatsApp should be an easy add also. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to explore this option.

[yujay ramakrishnan]

Thanks Jason.  I shall relay to the team and get back to you.

[yujay ramakrishnan]

Hi Jason

Would be possible to chat over Microsoft teams or Zoom?

Kind regards

Yujay

[JasonCallTelemetry]

Sure, I sent you a private message with contact information.