Networks are the backbone of many healthcare organizations’ technology initiatives. Networks support all of a health system’s traditional workflows in addition to newer remote work infrastructure, virtual care platforms and Internet of Medical Things devices. These technologies play an important role in helping healthcare organizations achieve the goals of the Quintuple Aim.
As more organizations migrate to the cloud, having a strong network becomes even more important. Many healthcare IT teams need help figuring out how to bridge the gap from on-premises storage to the cloud amid their digital transformation journeys.
Organizations are also increasingly focused on software-defined networks and automation to create efficiencies to ease IT staff and skills shortages.
Modernization will be crucial for healthcare organizations as network load and complexities increase. Upgrading to a modern wireless standard such as Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 can better support healthcare technology initiatives. However, it’s important that organizations have a clear picture of their existing network ecosystem before upgrading. That’s where a network assessment comes in.
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The Benefits of Wi-Fi 6E for Healthcare
Wi-Fi 6E provides several benefits for healthcare organizations. According to Luke Schiavone, CDW solution architect for networking, Wi-Fi 6E provides four times the throughput of Wi-Fi 5 (or 802.11ac). It also supports higher density, so access points can serve more people within a hospital, clinical or research setting. With Wi-Fi 6E, the APs are more power-efficient, meaning they don’t need to draw as much power from the switches.
“Switching to Wi-Fi 6E can provide more coverage and help the organization better future proof its networks because it’s a newer technology,” says Schiavone.
Wi-Fi 6E includes stronger security measures. The wireless standard has implemented WPA3, a security protocol with more robust authentication than previous versions.
Networking Modernization Considerations for Healthcare
Healthcare organizations often have long networking refresh cycles, so when they do upgrade to the latest wireless standard, they expect the modernized infrastructure to support the organization for several years.
“More times than not, you’re going to see corporations at the cutting edge because they have the money, flexibility and agility to jump into a new standard, whereas organizations that are getting tax dollars are going to wait until everything’s settled and other people have done it. They don’t want to be the first,” says Schiavone.
He also points out that many healthcare organizations prefer to wait until a new Wi-Fi iteration is ratified. Vendors may do things differently, and there could be a lack of interoperability before ratification occurs. Wi-Fi 6E has been ratified, so newer devices are likely compatible with the standard. However, a hospital’s existing laptops, phones and connected devices may or may not be able to operate with Wi-Fi 6E, says Schiavone. It’s important that organizations ensure their devices are compatible with the standard before upgrading.
“As we move further down the road, you’re going to be able to use Wi-Fi 6E with more devices,” says Schiavone.
In addition to device compatibility, healthcare organizations need to make sure their networking infrastructure will also support Wi-Fi 6E. Newer APs will have two connections so they can make full use of the expanded throughput. But a hospital with older network infrastructure may have only one wire available from each AP, meaning they may have to replace the AP with a newer one if they want to fully utilize Wi-Fi 6E’s capabilities.
Prepare for Networking Modernization with Assessments
Before starting any network upgrades, healthcare organizations should conduct a network assessment. Working with a technology partner such as CDW gives organizations access to networking experts who can help them assess their network’s current condition and create a modernization roadmap to achieve their desired end state.
An assessment can help healthcare IT teams determine if the upgrade requires any wiring changes or new AP placement and if there are any existing dead spots on the site.
“The organization will be able to make a more informed decision about where they are and where they want to get to,” says Schiavone. “We can take them through that journey and help them decide whether they’ll jump in with both feet or do this modernization in sections. We help with strategy, planning and budgeting.”
Some organizations may decide to add APs wherever they want coverage as they grow over the years. However, this can lead to gaps in coverage. Schiavone recommends that health systems work with a CDW engineer to do a validation survey and create a predictive heat map, which can anticipate coverage and ensure that the campus has 100 percent utilization.
An assessment should be done as early as possible in the networking modernization process. An organization should have a strong understanding of what’s going on in their own network before the organization spends time and money on upgrades. A partner like CDW can help the organization map out a modernization strategy, whether wired or wireless, and determine which equipment is needed to enable Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
Working alone can be a challenge for organizations that don’t have experience with network upgrades. They can run into issues that they might otherwise have avoided if they’d connected with a technology partner. The potential consequences, such as outages or network vulnerabilities, can be painful.
“At CDW we talk to engineers to figure out what those gotchas are so we can bring the customer through this process with as little pain as possible to make it more successful,” says Schiavone. “These upgrades are something that organizations will have to deal with sooner or later, and an assessment will absolutely help them to navigate those waters more smoothly. It will make for an easier transition than trying to figure it out all on their own.”
