Scarborough NHS Trust is using comms integrator Affiniti
to help improve hospital performance and efficiency by replacing
its core network with a high bandwidth solution equipped with
wireless infrastructure.
The new wireless network will give patients greater freedom of
movement, as staff can continue to monitor and manage their care
whether they are in the ward, the cafeteria or the gardens.
Staff will also be able to access test results at patients’
bedsides - bringing up all results and medical records in
real-time.
Also, the additional network capacity will help the trust
overcome the problem of transporting large files,
such as X-rays. Previously, these images
could disrupt the network, which carries essential applications,
including patient details.
The network will lay the foundations for additional services in
the future, such as
RFID tracking, which is currently being
trialled within the maternity ward, and an IP contact centre
solution.
The new network will benefit both hospitals within the trust -
District General Hospital in Scarborough and a “community plus”
hospital in Bridlington.
Affiniti’s solution is based on Cisco equipment and includes
ongoing network management to ensure the hospital has 24/7
monitoring of the network. The contract for the fixed and wireless
network is worth around £1m over seven years.
David Worth, head of IT at Scarborough Hospital, said, "The
trust is working towards a more interactive IT solution, which
allows staff to be more flexible and real-time in their approach to
patients. The network is the core enabler that will allow this to
happen.”
The network upgrade involves replacing the backbone with a
10Gbit core, based on Cisco equipment, which increases capacity by
over 20 times.
The 2mbps link between sites has been replaced with a 100mbps
link. The wireless network will enable over 210 access points
across both campuses, giving full coverage for wireless voice, data
and location-based services.
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