Wi-Fi 7 in Healthcare: What IT Leaders Need To Know

What Makes Wi-Fi 7 Different: Understanding the Technology

Brandon Butler, senior research manager with IDC’s network infrastructure group, explains that Wi-Fi 7 includes a range of enhancements compared with previous standards.

“Wi-Fi 7’s enhancements are aimed at making Wi-Fi more efficient, particularly for large numbers of users or devices connecting to indoor wireless networks simultaneously,” he says.

The game changer is the 6 gigahertz band, which more than doubles the number of channels available, enabling hospitals and clinics to connect more medical devices and systems without interference or performance degradation.

An enhancement called multi-link operation lets devices use multiple Wi-Fi bands at once, boosting the reliability of Wi-Fi connections.

Gayle Levin, head of wireless product marketing at HPE Networking, says Wi-Fi 7 also comes with security requirements for safeguarding sensitive patient data and privacy that directly support compliance standards such as HIPAA.

“WPA3 improves password protection through forward secrecy and resistance to brute-force attacks, and Enhanced Open provides data encryption for open networks,” she explains.

DIVE DEEPER: Here's what you need to know about Wi-Fi 7 and infrastructure modernization.

AI and IoT Devices Will Push Healthcare Networks

Levin says that artificial intelligence (AI) depends on data, and healthcare networks must be reliable and high-performing to transmit the large volumes of data from connected medical systems, imaging equipment and patient monitoring devices to be processed locally in data centers or in the cloud.

“Adoption of AI is expected to put pressure on the network and drive WLAN refreshes as healthcare organizations leverage analytics and automation to improve patient outcomes, streamline workflows and enhance clinical decision-making,” she says.

She adds that the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is increasing in healthcare — from patient monitors to smart buildings and asset tracking — to help drive better patient outcomes, improve staff productivity and reduce operating costs.

This means the network must support growing numbers of diverse types of medical and operational devices that use different technologies, such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, and ultra-wideband and USB port extensions, which drives complexity.

How Wi-Fi 7 Enhances Healthcare Operations and Patient Care

Levin says that Wi-Fi 7 delivers greater performance and efficiency to decrease operational costs while supporting bandwidth-intensive healthcare applications such as telehealth, medical imaging and real-time patient monitoring.

“Its higher capacity and lower latency also improve connectivity for mobile clinical workstations, AI-assisted diagnostics and smart hospital systems that rely on continuous data, as well as enhanced security to lower the risk of cyberattacks,” she says.

Lynne Dunbrack, group vice president for public sector at IDC, says the faster, more reliable and lower-latency connectivity provided by Wi-Fi 7 is essential for mission-critical healthcare applications, high-density device environments, and advanced technologies such as AI, robotics and virtual reality.

“Improved network capabilities will enable the reimagination of the delivery of healthcare services that are digital-first through the deployment of enhanced telemedicine, videoconferencing and connected health technologies,” she says.

Considerations for a Wi-Fi 7 Deployment in Healthcare

Levin says healthcare organizations should consider growth due to AI, IoT and patient connectivity related to the increasing number of connected medical devices, smart hospital systems and digital health applications that rely on high-performance wireless networks.

“When deploying Wi-Fi 7, healthcare environments may need to upgrade the campus switching to support multigig and higher PoE to accommodate advanced medical equipment, clinical workstations and real-time monitoring systems to support higher speeds and throughputs,” she says.

Butler says it’s critical to factor in the total cost of ownership, including hardware, software and ongoing support.

He suggests considering Network as Service consumption models that offer subscription-based pricing that includes hardware, software and services.

“Find a reliable partner,” he adds. “Pick a vendor whose strategy aligns with your organization's ethos, use cases and sustainability goals.”

LEARN MORE: Why should healthcare organizations undergo a networking health check.

Future Proof Your Network: When and Whether to Upgrade to Wi-Fi 7

Butler notes that Wi-Fi 6E delivers excellent performance and security at a slightly lower price point than Wi-Fi 7, in general.

“Some organizations prefer to deploy the latest Wi-Fi standard to future proof their network investments,” he says. “Generally, we see organizations upgrading their wireless networks every three to five years.”

He adds that many organizations also do “rolling” upgrades, in which a portion of the network is upgraded annually.

Levin says she agrees that Wi-Fi 6E can be more cost-effective and a good choice for healthcare organizations that are looking to gain more bandwidth with 6GHz but are not ready to move to Wi-Fi 7.

“However, Wi-Fi 7 is a better fit for healthcare organizations who want to take advantage of some of the new features that increase performance, security and efficiency critical for supporting AI-driven diagnostics, smart hospital systems and real-time clinical workflows,” she says.