Wireless at its heart

Alcatel-Lucent’s wireless network, installed by Khipu Networks, enables Trust employees to perform clinical procedures and access patient information anywhere in the hospital environment, and supports the organisation’s goal of providing “paperlight” electronic access to all clinical, managerial and administrative records by 2010/2011. The Trust, with two hospitals 20 miles apart at Chelsea and Uxbridge, will use the network to deliver sensitive data that requires resilience, security and speed – such as x-ray images, patient monitoring information, pathology results and cardiovascular imaging. It allows staff, with tablet PCs, to record medical information direct from patient wristbands or at their bedsides, and transmit it into a central database, ensuring fast, accurate patient identification and diagnosis. The Trust serves over 80,000 outpatients and 26,000 inpatients annually. The wireless network, based on Alcatel-Lucent’s OmniAccess WLAN technology, will complement and support its existing Alcatel-Lucent fixed data infrastructure. Initially, 300 clinicians and consultants will gain access.