October 12, 2004

Wireless Networking is Growing - especially in healthcare

Businesses are using wireless technology more and more, but this is especially true in the health care field.

Although wireless technology adoption among U.S. healthcare providers is relatively new, a recent FocalPoint Group study indicates the industry will invest $7 billion in this technology by 2010, reported the Information Technology Solution Providers Alliance (ITSPA), a national, non-profit alliance that helps small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) understand how technology and local technology providers can help them succeed.

"SMB decision makers in the healthcare industry are turning to mobile and wireless technology, combined with WIFI networks and care-critical applications and content, to improve the quality of their work and patient care," said ITSPA Sales Vice President Chuck Sharp. "The result is better, faster healthcare at reduced cost.

"For example, mobile medical technology, when integrated with healthcare enterprise IT infrastructure, enables SMB healthcare practitioners to quickly locate medical information," Sharp said. "This helps them spend more time with patients, make more informed decisions and fewer errors, and reduce costs by locating less expensive drugs."

As wireless technology has evolved, so has the array of options for improving healthcare applications and functions. SMB healthcare decision makers are looking for mobile technologies that foster faster and better decision making, as well as allow them to access patient medical information more rapidly.

"Many wireless applications are proving their usefulness by SMB doctors and nurses on a daily basis," Sharp said. "Typically, wireless networks are now deployed to perform functions such as admission assessments, bedside charting, ordering drugs, supply inventory, patient records, nurse shift reports and emergency communications, just to name a few.

"The critical function performed by wireless devices is that they put the data entry and retrieval capability at the point of patient care," Sharp added. "This saves time and ensures accuracy because the caregiver, whether a doctor or nurse, doesn't have to walk to another office or wait until later to enter new information." (full press release)

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