Structured Cabling: Spotlight on Health Care

Technology needs and opportunities have never been greater in the health care industry, and structured cabling provides the backbone to enable the latest technologies, such as IP-based video security, wireless networks and access points, paging systems, CCTV, electronic medical records (EMR), etc. In order to perform at their best, these technologies need the infrastructure provided from a well-designed and quality cabling system.

A multitude of data elements including large file formats such as x-rays, charts, lab results and other visually represented datasets comprise today’s health records. Structured cabling provides the backbone to enable seamless exchange of health information from disparate data sources across networks from care facilities to various consumers of health data.

JASON, an independent group of scientists that advises the Federal government on matters of science and technology, in a report called “A Robust Health Data Infrastructure” and posted by the Department of HHS, provides a comprehensive look at the technical challenges in today’s health information technology system and proposes a future state vision for an effective and efficient interoperable health IT “ecosystem”. The following questions are posed:

• How can complex data handling techniques and Internet-based technologies be applied to health care to promote the development of real-time integrated datasets at a scale seen in other industries?
• How can the various users of health data in the clinical research and public health communities be presented with tailored and highly specific data views in near real time based on routinely collected health data?
• What fundamental data management capabilities are needed to support potential future requirements in an open-ended manner?

A combination of electronic health records (EHRs) and improved exchange of health information could serve a number of useful purposes. A few of the frequently cited benefits include:

• Satisfying the growing demand of patients for flexible access to their own health information
• Offering faster, interoperable access to patient records by health care providers
• Reducing errors within individual records and across records
• Reducing redundant testing and diagnostic procedures
• Producing more complete health records and more accurate health data
• Facilitating better communication among health care providers and patients

Whether any of these benefits can be realized depends not only on the framework for health information technology and exchange, but also on the details of any such implementation. It is therefore vitally important to get those details right. Perhaps the most important framework detail is the transportation of large amounts of data.

Network design can account for both today’s technology and tomorrow’s expansion requirements. In light of fast-changing technology needs, fiber optic cabling installation offers the most scalable, flexible and high performing solution when it comes to speed and reliability, with ample bandwidth. Furthermore, maintenance and management issues rise in importance as the reliance on health data grows. If you’ve commissioned a certified team of contractors and engineers experienced in health care solutions, you’ll benefit from their anticipation of future needs – helping to minimize costs and disruptions when upgrades and add-ons are required in the future. Find a company that plans, installs, maintains and guarantees their work.

The need to manage patient information and provide state of the art care quickly and efficiently at this capacity will put increasing pressure on the industry to evolve technologies quickly. Having a solid infrastructure to handle immerging technologies will be the key to staying on the leading edge.

To learn more about Carlson Communications structured cabling services and our experience in the health care industry, please contact us