The healthcare industry demands the highest levels of security around patient data sharing. Connectivity barriers have made it a challenge for clinicians to easily access and analyze patient data securely on any device from any location. Healthcare's first 5G hybrid network is designed to change that.
In a recent conversation with Heather Nelson, MHA, CHCIO, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Boston Children's Hospital, we delved into challenges faced by the hospital’s information technology (IT) infrastructure and the benefits of the 5G network for clinicians and patients.
What inspired Boston Children's Hospital to adopt this cutting-edge technology?
At Boston Children’s, we’re all about pushing the boundaries of healthcare technology. When we were exploring options to update our electronic medical records (EMR) system, we identified a need to advance connectivity to help our healthcare professionals access critical patient data seamlessly. The solution had to be able to scale to support thousands of devices.
Advancing our communication technology to ensure clinical efficiency is only a portion of our goal. This new partnership will upgrade our communication to make it easier for clinicians to collaborate and for patients to stay in closer contact with their care team.
Why does the IT infrastructure need an upgrade?
Wi-Fi has worked well, but we’re looking to the future. Wi-Fi only extends within hospital walls and offers limited bandwidth — think about supporting thousands rather than hundreds of devices. We needed connection across all campuses and in remote practitioner locations. The 5G hybrid network will enable this work.
How did the collaboration get started?
Consultants from Pixel Health did a comprehensive audit of our network and wireless infrastructure at the hospital. The findings identified opportunities to make clinical communication and collaboration more effective and extend the ability to communicate with mobile devices in a secure environment for sharing patient information.
Pixel Health developed a comprehensive solution with Ingram Micro and T-Mobile, using a 5G Hybrid Network from T-Mobile’s Advanced Network Solutions (5G ANS) as a solution for the IT needs at Boston Children’s to support clinical excellence and further strengthen patient care.
What are your thoughts on the future of connected healthcare with this 5G hybrid network?
It’s exciting to think of the future use cases that the 5G hybrid network can scale to support as well, like in-home patient care with 5G remote monitoring and AI-based prioritization where patient requests are prioritized in the workflow for faster decision making — sending the right specialist to the right patient at the right time.
The technology lays the groundwork for future healthcare innovations. The possibilities truly energize me and my team.