University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Trust has
created the UK’s largest single wireless network to support 7,000
users across eight hospitals.
The network includes offering data access to the new £422m UCLH
flagship hospital on Euston Road in London, and will eventually
allow staff to access a paperless patient records system while on
the move.
Equipment from Aruba Networks is being used to support the
system, including three Aruba mobility controllers to deliver
secure and encrypted access, and 300 wireless access points.
"This is a great illustration of the vital role that wireless
technology has to play in a modern hospital environment," said
Kevin Jarrold, director for information management at UCLH.
"Moving away from paper-based patient records to a wireless
system frees up the way that medical staff work – not only is
information more accurate, but notes can be referred to and updated
in real time from anywhere in the hospital,” he said.
Jarrold said this is particularly useful when a patient is being
moved and the doctor requires access to their records en route.