Companies Team to Provide Wireless Service for Health Care

Dell, Intel and Motion Computing announced the launch of the Mobile Point of Care (MPOC) Wireless Assessment service which was designed for the assessment, designing and validation of the quality and coverage of wireless networks. The increasingly complex and mobile health care environment demands seamless and reliable access to patient information as a critical feature of safe, quality care, and the newly launched service is expected to become the backbone of health care information flow.

Through the new service, which provides 100 percent coverage and 24/7 access to patient information, health care customers are enabled to assess whether their wireless network is reliable or not. The new service is able to provide a comprehensive wired and wireless network analysis, design and validation which ensure the robustness of customers' networks.

The health care industry has been moving towards assessing and treating patients through the use of mobile technology. Around 80 percent of hospitals are expected to have a wireless network by 2010, which accounts for a $10 billion investment in the next five years. The high reliability of hospitals' wireless networks is a critical requirement considering the significant patient care on the line as well as the major investment.

The MPOC Wireless Assessment service, a customizable network design and implementation, can feature:
- Site Survey and RF Analysis : Radio Frequency spectrum analysis and detection tools meant to discover interferences on already existing networks. At the same time, a physical evaluation of the facility examines which issues are likely to adversely impact network performance.
- Wireless Network Design : The development of the network design architecture is made through the use of network modeling and tools, which enable a proper construction and placement of wireless network components to offer support for a seamless end-user experience.
- Network Validation : The growth and maintenance needs are ensured through an analysis and a detailed report on the newly deployed wireless network.

“In the world of health care, having secure and constant wireless connectivity is critical to patient safety,” said James Coffin, vice president and general manager, Dell Health Care and Life Sciences. “Today’s hospitals are complex technology environments with many users on a variety of mobile devices that are continually moving from room to room. Making a service like this that helps ensure seamless connectivity that supports interoperability is key to caregivers’ ability to efficiently deliver high-quality care.”