Cost
Nurse call system cost: what a care home pays for
The cost of a nurse call system depends on the building, the number of rooms and the way you pay. A single price per room therefore says little. This page sets out what the cost is made up of, the choice between lease and buy, and how to compare quotes.
Updated
What the cost of a nurse call system is made up of
| Item | One-off or recurring | What it depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Transmitters and sensors | One-off, or part of a rental price | Number of rooms and which sensors each resident needs |
| Receivers or central unit | One-off | Size and construction of the building |
| Cabling and installation | One-off | Wired or wireless; with a wired system often a large item |
| Handsets for care staff | One-off, with replacement | Pagers, DECT handsets or smartphones |
| Licence or subscription | Per month or per year | Number of sensors, care staff or locations |
| Maintenance | Recurring | The contract, and who replaces the batteries |
| Management | Your own hours | Whether you can manage it yourself, or the supplier has to come out |
For every quote, ask which of these items are included. A low purchase price with a high monthly price can cost more over five years than the other way round.
Why a price per room says little
A price per room is an easy figure to compare, but only if the same items are in it. The sensors differ per resident. The number of receivers differs per building. And one quote includes the handsets, the installation and the licence, while another leaves them out. So work out the price per room yourself, from complete quotes and over the same period.
Lease or buy?
Broadly there are three forms:
- Buy. You pay for the equipment and the installation in one go, and for maintenance after that.
- Rent or lease. You pay per month for equipment and service together, usually with a term of several years.
- Buy with a licence. You buy the equipment and pay per month for the software and the service.
With a monthly amount, look at the term, the notice period and what happens if you add or give up rooms or locations.
Wired or wireless: what difference does it make?
In a wired system a cable runs to every room. In a new build that is part of the construction work. In an existing building it means work in ceilings and walls, often while residents are living on the unit.
In a wireless system you place receivers and fit sensors. Installation is therefore quicker. Against that there are recurring costs: batteries in the sensors and usually a licence for the software.
How to compare quotes
- Calculate over the same period, for example five years.
- Assume the same number of rooms, care staff and types of sensor.
- Include the handsets for care staff. If you already have smartphones, you can leave that item out for a system that runs on them.
- Ask what expanding costs: one more sensor, one more unit, one more location.
- Ask what stopping costs: the term, and what happens to the equipment.
- Count your own hours: who adds a carer, who moves a sensor?
The pricing model of Daza Connect
- One-off: a fixed amount for purchasing the gateway and the sensors.
- Per month: a licence. The amount depends on the number of locations, care staff and sensors.
- No cable to every room: the sensors work wirelessly through a gateway.
- No separate handsets: the app works on Android smartphones, shared or personal.
- Low start-up costs and no long-term contracts: you start small and expand whenever you wish.
We do not give amounts here, because they depend on your situation. Request a quote and we will work it out for your locations.