7SIGNAL Helps a Florida Healthcare System Address Workstation on Wheels Connectivity Issues

The large healthcare provider had problems keeping workstations on wheels (WOWs) connected across several locations. 7SIGNAL provided monitoring solutions to uncover underlying issues and solutions.

Key takeaways:

• 7SIGNAL deployed monitoring software at a large Florida hospital system to see what was wrong with workstations on wheels connectivity experienced by nurses.
• Common issues for large healthcare systems stem from interference, diverse clients and application demands, and the requirement that many devices stay mobile, including and beyond WOWs.
• Connection failures impact patient safety, patient satisfaction, EHR data, revenue, and much more! 

7SIGNAL recently deployed its wireless monitoring solutions in a large Florida healthcare system. Its network architect chose our platform after numerous complaints from nurses about their workstations on wheels (WOWs) staying connected, which impacted the level of care they could provide. 

7SIGNAL covered all of the WOWs on the premises, numbering around a thousand, with wireless experience monitoring solutions to understand what was going on and enable solutions. 

The Florida hospital system comprises several hospitals and urgent care, psychiatric, women's health, pediatric care, and cancer treatment centers, among other centers and clinics. As a result, the system needed visibility into connectivity issues across multiple locations.

Common WLAN issues for large healthcare systems and workstations on wheels

WOWs are mobile workstations that allow healthcare professionals to access information at or near where a patient receives medical care. They make it much easier for physicians and nurses to get this data and improve services while also reducing patient wait times.

But WOWs must have consistent access to Wi-Fi to fulfill their purpose and deliver those benefits effectively. They require strong connections that receive and send data consistently and immediately. Without a strong network, information could be delayed and, in some cases, even outdated.

Complicating this need is the fact that healthcare organizations have significant Wi-Fi performance requirements overall:

• The WLAN has to be operating 24/7 since healthcare never ceases. 
• WOWs are just a few of the many types of connected equipment in a hospital, and they all contend for Wi-Fi service throughout the delivery of care. From medical tablets used by providers to guest devices and wearables, there is significant competition that could cause slowdowns and service drops. 
• Many devices and users access high-bandwidth activities, like medical imaging, archiving, scanning, and video integrations.
• Numerous aspects of a healthcare facility, including advanced equipment, complicated structures, and various communication systems, can interfere with Wi-Fi signals. 

All these issues impacting WOWs are exacerbated by the constant mobility of the devices, which can expose roaming problems. WOWs need the right wireless adapters, drivers, and configuration for roaming performance to be acceptable. And when a WOW can’t be mobile and stay consistently connected, it can’t live up to its purpose for nurses and physicians.

Strong Wi-Fi ensures that data transfers, insight gathering, and communication between providers all happen instantly.

How 7SIGNAL can help hospital Wi-Fi

The 7SIGNAL platform—including the Sapphire Eye® and Mobile Eye®—helps healthcare facilities stay connected by uncovering WLAN issues and allowing network managers to address and remain proactive about them. We know that strong connections mean safer patients and more efficient healthcare, given network downtime can cost a hospital $300,000 per hour.

7SIGNAL's Mobile Eye has helped some organizations see 20% fewer help desk calls, 59% less Wi-Fi troubleshooting time, a 43% reduction in network-related unplanned downtime, and over 3,000 productivity hours gained per year.

Try out this quick online assessment to see the possible value of wireless network monitoring. It estimates the ROI that 7SIGNAL’s Mobile Eye could achieve for your organization.

7SIGNAL® is the leader in wireless experience monitoring, providing insight into wireless networks and control over Wi-Fi performance so businesses and organizations can thrive. Our cloud-based wireless network monitoring platform continually tests and measures Wi-Fi performance at the edges of the network, enabling fast solutions to digital experience issues and stronger connections for mission-critical users, devices, and applications. Learn more at www.7signal.com.