News
Wireless network streamlines patient care at Poole Hospital
16 July 2008
Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Dorset is deploying an
Alcatel-Lucent Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) to help improve
patient care at its 789-bed hospital.
The new network, to be installed by Alcatel-Lucent Business Partner
Khipu Networks, will be used in association with printed patient
wristbands to ensure patient safety by automating blood tracking and
ultimately streamlining the drug dispensing. The new network will also
improve bedside care by improving knowledge sharing among the clinical
staff with secure access to patient records and hospital resources.
The new network is based on the Alcatel-Lucent OmniAccess WLAN
technology. Poole Hospital opted for the Alcatel-Lucent solution because
of its high availability, the ease with which it integrates with the
Trust’s existing network access control (NAC) solution, and its
scalability. The initial rollout will provide up to 400 staff with
wireless access and is capable of supporting more than 10,000 devices.
With the new network, staff can check medical notes, instantly book
x-rays, MRI and CT scans and follow-up appointments, all from the
patient’s bedside. Paperwork is greatly reduced, freeing time for
clinicians to focus on their patients.
“Wireless is absolutely imperative if we are to deliver the best
possible quality of care to our patients,” said Bob Down, IT Manager,
Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. “With the new network, our clinical
staff can instantly confirm that the right patient is receiving the
right blood and the right medication, and these checks can be undertaken
anywhere in the hospital — at the bedside, in theatre or on the wards.
We can cut down on the paperwork while improving the safety of the
services we offer. This is great for both our staff and our patients.”
In 2009, the Trust plans to add voice over IP (VoIP) to the wireless
network, which will dramatically reduce the its telephony costs. Among
those tested by Poole Hospital, only the Alcatel-Lucent WLAN could
seamlessly support the handover of calls between wireless cells without
loss of quality.
“Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s infrastructure requirements
are very exacting. Network failure is simply not an option, and with
more wireless applications planned for the near future, there can be no
compromise when it comes to security, scalability or availability. With
Alcatel-Lucent, the Trust has found a solution that best meets all of
its stringent demands,” said Vil Dhutia, Commercial Consultant, Khipu
Networks.
Khipu Networks, which already manages the hospital’s NAC solution,
won the contract to undertake the new WLAN installation based on the
high level of knowledge, support and responsiveness it provided.
Post-deployment, Khipu will offer network support, and will be involved
in the rollout of new services over the wireless network.
“Poole Hospital is not only eager to comply with best practice
guidelines governing patient safety, it has taken the initiative to
introduce services that will improve the standard of the medical care it
provides,” said David Parker, vice president for Alcatel-Lucent’s
enterprise activities for UK & Ireland. “We’re complimented that our
wireless technology will play a central role in the delivery of top
quality medical services.”
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