Planning for Coverage, Capacity in Healthcare Network Upgrades

Planning for network coverage and connectivity in healthcare network upgrades takes more than simply adding access points to existing infrastructure. Understanding how wireless signals interfere with physical barriers and what kinds of devices are connecting to the network is key to a successful network.  “In a healthcare setting, the network has to be extremely reliable because it��s literally life or death,” Aruba Networks Product Marketing Manager Rick Reid told HITInfrastructure.com. “You have to plan coverage capacity, backup systems, and application intelligence just to make sure that things work — and that they work 24/7.” Network planning is a vital step organizations need to take to gain visibility into their network. This plan includes accounting for coverage and capacity. Planning for coverage is one of the first steps in the healthcare network planning process. All mobile devices, including Internet of Things (IoT), need to be able to easily and securely connect to the network from anywhere. “You have to build a network for coverage; the devices have to work everywhere,” said Reid. “Once a hospital moves to that critical communication method, you have to make sure it works in the stairwell and it works in the hallways, and you can’t have any dead spots.” The active nature of healthcare professionals adds to the urgency of coverage everywhere. Clinicians need connectivity to access communication tools even when they are outside of the building taking a break.