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Customer Story: Hamilton Health Sciences

Delivering Reliable Emergency Communications Across One of Canada’s Largest Healthcare Networks

Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) operates a diverse, multi‑site hospital network that includes a Level 1 trauma centre, children’s hospital, cancer centre, rural hospital, and the country’s largest palliative care unit. Supporting different care needs across locations requires fast, coordinated response to incidents at all times.

From Traditional Tools to Modern Crisis Communication

For HHS, preparedness is not theoretical. The organization plans for violent incidents, fires, mass casualty events, and large‑scale system disruptions. Historically, methods such as switchboards and overhead paging were familiar but slow and heavily dependent on internal infrastructure. During high‑pressure events, these limitations made it difficult to mobilize leadership quickly and maintain coordinated control across multiple hospital sites. BlackBerry® AtHoc® provides HHS with a modern, resilient platform for emergency communication, enabling rapid alerting, targeted messaging, and structured incident command without relying on internal email or messaging systems.

15 minutes

To establish incident command during major IT disruptions.

Minutes, not hours

To deliver high‑priority emergency alerts to leadership and staff.

Up to 1 hour saved

Per alert using pre‑planned templates and automated staff groups.

Leading Through High‑Pressure Incidents

For Andrew Moull, Emergency and Disaster Management Manager at Hamilton Health Sciences, speed in emergency response isn’t theoretical; it’s an operational reality. Since 2014, he has led emergency preparedness and response efforts across the organization, where decisions must be made quickly and coordination can’t break down.

During critical incidents, we need to bring leadership and response teams together immediately. BlackBerry AtHoc allows us to alert the right people within minutes and maintain control when decisions can’t wait.

Andrew Moull, Emergency and Disaster Management Manager

Hamilton Health Sciences

Having a reliable system like AtHoc is absolutely invaluable,” says Moull. “It simplifies crisis communication, allowing us to focus on managing the emergency.

Operational Confidence When It Matters Most

Proven Resilience During Real‑World Disruption

The value of that resilience became clear during a major IT disruption triggered by the CrowdStrike incident. With devices affected unpredictably, HHS could not rely on email or internal collaboration tools to coordinate response. Because BlackBerry AtHoc operates independently of internal networks, the emergency management team was able to issue high‑priority alerts within minutes. Senior leadership was mobilized, and an incident command centre was established in approximately 15 minutes, enabling HHS to manage multiple operational periods and maintain continuity of operations throughout the crisis.

Scaling Coordination Across the Healthcare Network

Since then, HHS has expanded its use of BlackBerry AtHoc across a broad range of emergency scenarios, including fires, mass casualty incidents, and external disruptions affecting nearby facilities. During a fire at a nearby YMCA shelter, HHS quickly notified staff and leadership across multiple hospital sites. By using pre‑planned alert templates and dynamic staff groups integrated with HR systems, the organization reduced notification time by up to one hour per alert, allowing teams to focus on managing the incident rather than coordinating communications.

Built for Clarity and Speed Under Pressure

BlackBerry AtHoc’s intuitive design allows even minimally trained staff to use the system effectively, which is a critical advantage in high‑pressure healthcare environments. For HHS this simplicity has translated into faster decision‑making, clearer situational awareness, and stronger coordination across its entire network. Today, BlackBerry AtHoc plays a central role in helping HHS protect patients, staff, and operations, ensuring the organization can respond decisively when conditions are most demanding.

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