Internet Access Suggestion for Haukland University Hospital

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Abstract
This paper attempts to discuss a systematic plan for wireless service at Haukland University Hospital. Solutions are offered to support the hospital's needs, as well as its networking security/safety/privacy issues, backup plans for failure, and any unknown variables that may affect their system. There will also be an attempt to emphasize "what" should be done—in what context—and how a wireless system may be utilized and implemented in the hospital.
Hospital Wireless Network

Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana (n.d.)
Cisco® Wireless Control System (WCS) is the industry leading platform for wireless LAN planning, configuration, and management. They provide a powerful foundation that allows information technology managers to design, control, and monitor enterprise wireless networks from a centralized location, simplifying operations and reducing the total cost of ownership. Today's leading healthcare organizations are embracing technology to help address their clinical, business, and regulatory challenges; and it is Cisco's system that we recommend for Haukland University Hospital.

Cisco's Medical Grade Network solutions deliver critical decision-making applications and information anywhere, instantly, with the reliability, security, and resiliency required in a 24x7 healthcare environment. A Medical Grade Network solution for helps eliminate "paper" and charts and gives clinic-based physicians online access to electronic medical records (EMR) for patients (Cisco, n.d.).

AT&T offers a similar wireless system with telephone integration:

However, Cisco's system appears to be better suited for the hospital, and it appears to include far more options, such as a Unified Wireless Network with:
• Anytime, anywhere access to information, promoting collaboration with colleagues, business partners, and customers
• Real-time access to instant messaging, e-mail, and network resources, boosting productivity and speeding business decision making
• Mobility services, such as voice, guest access, advanced security, and location, that help you transform business operations
• Modular architecture that supports 802.11n, 802.11a/b/g, and enterprise wireless mesh for indoor and outdoor locations, while ensuring a smooth migration path to future technologies and services

The Cisco Unified Wireless Network is the only unified wired and wireless network solution to cost-effectively address the wireless network security, deployment, management, and control issues that your enterprise faces. It combines the best elements of wireless and wired networking to deliver secure, scalable wireless networks with a low total cost of ownership. This powerful solution delivers business-class connectivity that enables deployment of innovative applications to streamline business operations and improve productivity."

The Cisco Unified Wireless Network offers:
• Next-Generation Wireless Networking: Greater throughput, reliability, and predictability for pervasive wireless networks with 802.11n and extended wireless coverage and network connectivity with enterprise wireless mesh.
• Simplified Migration to Pervasive Wireless Networks: Learn more about migrating to the Cisco Unified Wireless Network today to deliver cost-effective, secure wireless access for business-critical mobility.
• Guest Access: Cisco wireless network solutions provide a convenient, cost-effective way to offer wired and wireless guest access while maintaining the security of your internal network.
• Location Solution: Monitor and optimize business processes through real-time Wi-Fi device tracking to deliver location-based security, high-value asset tracking, and business policy enforcement.
• Wireless Network Security: Advanced security and intrusion prevention helps ensure that data will remain private and secure and that the network will be protected from unauthorized access.
• Voice-Ready Wireless: Enhance productivity and improve communications using voice over a wireless LAN (WLAN).
• Radio Frequency (RF) Solutions: Spectrum analysis can help detect and eliminate sources of RF interference in wireless networks.

Implementation of an electronic medical record (EMR) solution would consolidate all online information in one place, and eliminate paper charts entirely. TouchWorks™ Software from Allscripts Healthcare Solutions to run over a wireless local area network (WLAN) and wired LAN powered by technology from Cisco Systems®.

TouchWorks is an integrated, modular EMR solution for physicians. The software replaces paper charts and multiple electronic records with one application from which clinicians can access lab and x-ray reports, enter notes, write and fax prescriptions directly to local pharmacies, and more.
Today, each patient's EMR is viewed on a flat screen terminal installed in each exam room in the clinic. The terminal is positioned on a swinging arm so physicians can adjust the screen to share information with the patient. All of the terminals are connected to the Cisco® WLAN. Clinicians equipped with tablet PCs can move freely around the clinic and access any patient chart to answer a question or check the latest lab results. Because Cisco Aironet® wireless access points are deployed throughout the three connected buildings, clinicians can maintain access to their patients' charts from either the hospital or the clinic.

With the new system, physicians are assured of continuous connectivity to patient records. "When we committed all of the patient information to an electronic record and eliminated paper charts, network availability became a crucial requirement," Kamps explains. "We had another wireless vendor in the clinic before we standardized on Cisco, but the signal strength was weak, and clinicians were frustrated by lost signals and the need to restart applications and reenter data. In contrast, with Cisco, we've never had a network failure that affected the physician's access to the EMR."

The Cisco network also provides the performance that was critical for handling increased traffic associated with the deployment of the EMR application. "The Cisco network not only gave us the connectivity we required, but also the performance that physicians expect," she continues. "When physicians are in the middle of an exam and need to input or call up information, they have no tolerance for sluggish response times."

"There is a natural affinity between Allscripts and Cisco," says Steve Schwartz, vice president of strategic alliances for Allscripts. "Our application demands the highest quality network performance. We are continuing to work closely with Cisco to develop solutions that meet the needs of visionary healthcare institutions like CMC/DHK."

Physicians can also access a patient's EMR from any of the seven remote clinics connected via Cisco routers and secured with a Cisco PIX® Firewall. "Physicians can even access the information from home using a password-protected Web interface," Kamps explains, "and perhaps save themselves a trip to the hospital in the middle of the night by reviewing the patient's record remotely."

Thirty-five Cisco ...