In-Building Wireless for Healthcare
Provision of enhanced in-building wireless services to increase efficiency and reduce costs
With the increasingly ageing, growing global population set to push medical resources to the limit over the next two decades, there is intensifying pressure on the healthcare industry to look at new and dynamic ways to boost efficiency. Many leading healthcare providers are now embracing wireless technology and in-building wireless coverage as part of the solution to improving efficiency and communication.
Wireless services may include:
Wireless Medical Technology Services (WMTS)
Wireless medical technology has made huge strides in the last few years and continues to gain pace. As well as providing increased comfort and mobility to patients, wireless medical telemetry devices allow healthcare organisations to manage resources more effectively and ultimately improve medical efficiency and practices. These medical services include:
- Ambulatory vital signs monitoring
- Wireless cardiogram sensors
- Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID) with real time presence
- Internet Protocol (IP) over WLAN-based communications systems
Commercial cellular communications
The emergence of pioneering, new mobile applications has dramatically increased the mobility and expectations of healthcare professionals, patients and their families for ubiquitous coverage wherever they may be on the healthcare campus.
Public Safety Communications
Healthcare providers have the need and very often the regulatory requirement, to improve the provision of wireless services in their facilities. This is most apparent in the area of public safety. In recent years, ensuring the safety of emergency service personnel entering a building in their day to day work and in emergency or disaster situations has become critical. These services are required throughout the facility, not just in A&E or the main entry points.
The Solution
The healthcare campus brings its own unique set of challenges for the provision of reliable wireless coverage. Different materials such as steel and tinted glass, cause in-building penetration of RF signals to weaken resulting in reduced data rates and even complete loss of signal. Without comprehensive, reliable and unified coverage, the healthcare facility is at risk from poor signal, and black spots which could lead to dangerous lapses in patient monitoring and communication systems.
Zinwave's unique 3000 Wideband Active Distributed Antenna System (DAS) removes many of the traditional issues and considerations associated with delivering multiple RF services in buildings. It provides ubiquitous coverage for all wireless services on one easily installed system. In addition, services can easily be routed to the areas of the building where they are required i.e. WiFi can be routed to the office area, but may not be required on the wards - see diagram.
Key Benefits of the Zinwave 3000 DAS
Wideband
Supports any service, protocol and modulation scheme from 150MHz to 2700MHz
Low component count
With as few as four components, an in-building wireless network can be built to support any mix and any number of services
Lowest cost per sqm
Comprising of a single hardware layer, the Zinwave 3000 system becomes more and more cost effective compared to a traditional solution with each additional service
No costly upgrades
Additional services can be added without the need for supplementary hardware, therefore avoiding further cost & disruption
Easy planning & installation
Self-calibration and auto-configure features simplify design & deployment
Summary...
There are many exciting advances in wireless medical technology and emerging mobile applications that could signficantly increase eficiency in healthcare without the need for sacrificing patient care or heavy finanancial outlay. However, in order to take advantage of these groundbreaking new developments, it is essential that there is ubiquitous, reliable in-building wireless coverage in place. Zinwave, as a member of American Hospitals Association (AHA), is committed to providing active DAS coverage to healthcare facilities and working in partnership with the healthcare provider to help maximize eficiency and communications.