Network technology

Wireless benefits

Imagine the following scene. A nurse’s pager buzzes, so she stops what she is doing and rushes to the source of the alarm. When she gets there, she finds that the patient who buzzed her simply needed a drink of water. Had the systems been in place to route the request to a more relevant person, the nurse would not have had to be disturbed.

Unfortunately this kind of scenario is all too common in todays healthcare organisations, with wasted time being one of the more minor consequences. Not only are records being lost and incorrect prescriptions issued, but, according to a recent NHS report, nearly 1,000 operations are abandoned each year as a result of administrative problems.

Many of the above issues, each of them serious, could be rectified through the correct use of information and communications technology.

The problem

Although UK hospitals are pioneering many new technologies, most of them, ironically, are still using outdated means of communi­cation pagers being just one example.

Hospitals and their staff are under constant pressure to deliver results. Along with lengthening waiting lists, and the patient dissatisfaction that arises as a result of this, healthcare workers have enough to deal with without being hindered by poor communications as well.

The benefits of wireless technology

New wireless technologies are now being implemented, however, that enable healthcare professionals to keep in constant contact with each other, and to access and record patient information wherever they are, dramatically cutting the time they spend looking for the relevant information.

Analyst, Gartner predicts that the introduction of wireless local area network (WLAN) or WiFi technologies (see jargon buster, below), for example, will increase by 64% over the next year.

Though WLAN is not new, interest in the technology is growing as enterprises realise the potential it has to improve communications. For the healthcare service in particular, WLANs can form the basis of a network on which mobile handsets can be used, giving instant access to a closed communications loop for medical staff. And running voice calls over such wireless networks, unlike the traditional paging system, means healthcare professionals can be connected directly to the department or person of their choice, so the exact problem or reason for contacting a particular person can be discussed. Response times are thus speeded up, resulting in more efficient use of staff time and, as a consequence, better care for patients.

In a separate report, Gartner found that security was a top five concern for 95% of businesses considering implementing WLAN technology.1 How to manage a WLAN, once introduced, was another major concern.

Both of these issues seem to perpetuate the myths associated with the technology. While this may have been justified a few years ago, WLANs have since matured and are now remarkably safe and reliable. Quality of service and speeds are now significantly better than in the early years of the technology. They are also becoming an increasingly popular tool in global business.

Using existing WLAN installations for voice applications is the next step in exploiting a technology that is already changing the way we work. Adding this capability also increases the value that hospitals can gain from investing in a wireless infrastructure.

Another wireless choice for hospitals, widely used throughout Europe, is DECT (digital enhanced cordless telecommunications) technology, which also provides mobile voice, messaging, security and integration with applications. DECT, which has been in use since 1988, deals with the problem of security by running voice communi­cations over a separate network.

Where wireless can work

Wireless technology offers a new level of reach, with the network permeating areas of the working site that were previously unreachable. In business terms, the system has the potential to increase efficiency and, in turn, provide a clear path to a return on investment (ROI) by allowing hospitals to manage the skills they have on the ground at any one time.

A 2005 Intel study on the impact of mobile working in acute clinical environments supports this argument. It found that investment in mobile networks, devices and wireless-enabled applications delivered measurable ROI for healthcare organisations by helping to streamline internal processes. Benefits included reductions in the amount of time spent locating pathology results, less time taken to retrieve surgery notes and reductions in the time taken charting patients.

To underline further the benefits of using WLANs for voice traffic, a recent article in the British Medical Journal found that 35% of traditional handsets carried by hospital porters interfere with medical equipment. Using either WiFi or DECT handsets eliminates this problem and allows for a smoother, less problematic service and far better patient care.

Hospitals of the future

While the advantages of using modern wireless networks for voice traffic are clear, hospitals often dont apply the same drive to implementing best practice for work procedures as they do for surgery or medical research. So how will the situation change?
In reality, many hospitals are benefiting from increased focus on technology as a way to save on costs. Many of the larger hospitals already own a WLAN, and the application of voice (or voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)) into this network is not a big step to take. There will, however, be some initial outlay in replacing pagers and walkie-talkies. Some staff training will also be needed to help them make the transition from their traditional methods of communi­cations to any new handsets.

Wireless technology is already being embraced by many trusts and, little by little, from patient check-in systems to tablet PCs, WLANs are changing the face of healthcare. Voice is the next step in a move towards true wireless working that is already well under way.

Mike McDaid is Sales Director for EMEA for mobility solutions provider Kirk telecom, a SpectraLink company.

References

1. Insurance-Canada.ca.
www.insurance-canada.ca/ebusiness/canada/gartner-security-major-concern-607.php (accessed 20.11.06)