A hybrid
VoIP-TDM and
unified communications system was the answer for one healthcare
organisation when it learned that support for its existing
telephony system would soon disappear.
When BryanLGH Medical Centre made the decision to upgrade from a
reliable and highly appreciated - yet increasingly antiquated -
Siemens
TDM-based telephony system, the hospital had to make a
difficult decision. As a healthcare facility, a fully reliable
communications system is of the utmost importance, yet BryanLGH
recognised that it needed to be prepared for the future of
communications.
Comprising two campuses named East and West, eight off-site
clinics and various mobile groups, BryanLGH had to consider factors
including distance and mobility of staff between hospitals and
around the region, as well as ease of use for its nearly 4,000
users.
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| More information on hybrid VoIP | Transitioning to VoIP can be made easier by using
a
hybrid PBX. David Jacobs explains in this
tip.
Variations of VoIP and telephony systems are discussed in
the VoIP models and services
guide. |
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| |
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After some initial consideration involving costs and necessary
hardware, BryanLGH reached an internal compromise to retain the
strengths of the TDM system while becoming fully capable of making
a complete migration to VoIP at a later date.
To make this decision, the telecommunications staff at BryanLGH
went to their longtime service provider, Windstream Communications.
For more than 25 years, Windstream had been helping the hospital to
determine and develop the communications systems that fit the needs
of the healthcare community. This established partnership meant
Windstream already knew and understood what the medical centre's
current system was and could easily help BryanLGH identify what
type of system would now fulfill its needs.
In addition to requesting a VoIP-enabled, TDM-based hybrid
system , BryanLGH wanted the new communications systems to take
advantage of unified communications features, a standardised
voicemail system that worked across all campuses and clinics, and
centralised management of the system.
Bids returned by various suppliers ran the gamut from telling
BryanLGH that TDM was no longer a feasible solution to insisting
that a hybrid system was not available. Susan Hopkins, manager of
telecommunications at BryanLGH, said that was the moment she began
to wonder whether the ideal system would be possible at all.
"We were worried that if a hybrid system could be found, it
would be too cost-prohibitive and we would be forced into a strict
VoIP-only system," Hopkins said. "Patient care had to come first,
and that means a 100% reliable communications system."
When Siemens returned the bid, the communications supplier was
able to offer a hybrid TDM/VoIP system that fit BryanLGH's needs.
As the medical centre had had previous experience with Siemens -
the East campus was still utilising its Siemens 9751, though
support for it was disappearing – BryanLGH was confident that
Siemens could live up to its promise to provide the exact system
the medical facility needed, Hopkins said.
The medical centre installed two networked Siemens Hi-Path 4000
Real-Time IP systems at its main locations while deploying access
points to its remote locations - this scheme means BryanLGH has
enough resiliency to effectively support the level of
communications its users need. The Siemens system also meant that
BryanLGH was able to retain much of its existing TDM
infrastructure.
Upgrading the voicemail system - previously two separate systems
at each of the two hospital campuses - involved replacing the
existing systems with a Siemens HiPath Xpressions unified
communications system. For the end users, all messages, including
e-mail, voice, mobile and fax, are now on one system and available
on one interface for both on-site and remote employees. BryanLGH
also chose to deploy the HiPath ProCenter contact center system,
which allows incoming patient calls and inquiries to be handled in
a more efficient manner. Hopkins noted in particular that the
countdown feature, which informs patients how much more time it
should take to reach a particular person, is enjoyed by both the
scheduling centre staff and patients.
"By embedding real-time communications into our mission-critical
business processes, Siemens has improved our staff's productivity
and efficiency and our overall quality of care," Hopkins said.
Still in the process of transitioning the remaining buildings,
BryanLGH anticipates that the new system will be fully installed
during October 2007. Placing the less critical sites - such as the
wellness centre - within BryanLGH's scope on an internal VoIP
system allows the medical centre to become more comfortable with
VoIP while keeping the hospitals and critical clinical centres on a
TDM system for reliability. The hybrid system, Hopkins said, will
ease the transition to full VoIP when BryanLGH decides that is the
appropriate next step.