SAN DIEGO -- Spotwave Wireless today announced that they have been selected as the in-building wireless provider for Columbus, Ohio's Riverside Methodist Hospital. Riverside recently deployed SpotCell 2500Xe in-building wireless solutions from Spotwave to ensure that their physicians and staff using cell phones and PDAs, which have become one of the primary means of intra hospital communications, have reliable connectivity in all areas of the facility.
Healthcare organizations are increasingly turning to wireless devices as a way to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and even communicate directly at the point of care. As part of the hospital's strategic IT and telecommunications planning, a progressive wireless strategy involved the use of hospital-wide cell phones, as a convenient, reliable means to stay connected. However, adequate coverage throughout the facility was lacking since building materials were preventing a strong outdoor cellular signal from penetrating. This impairment meant the return on the strategic wireless investment in the phones and devices would be limited.
"Our physicians and staff need to be reachable anywhere, and while we determined cellular technology was one of the primary means to achieve this connectivity, we needed to ensure they worked everywhere," said Jim Lowder, vice president of Technology. "We turned to Spotwave to deliver the coverage. We liked their scalable approach, and the fact that their carrier-approved SpotCell 2500Xe supported both voice and data services. The cost-effectiveness of the solution and the ability to scale to other facilities in the OhioHealth network were important factors as well. Consistent coverage is a critical factor in being able to measure our return on wireless investment."
After an initial site visit Spotwave was able to analyze the Riverside facility and make recommendations concerning where coverage improvement was required. While some of the higher floors of the hospital had more than adequate signal strength, the ground level through fourth floors needed improved coverage for the wireless devices to work reliably. All told, Spotwave was able to deliver product to more than 800,000 sq ft, equating to less than 70 percent of the hospital's total area, for less than 20 cents a square foot, a price point unmatched by conventional in-building solutions.
"In hospitals, where patients and medical staff are constantly moving, communication is paramount; and as more hospitals begin to run enterprise applications on their handheld devices, coverage cannot be taken for granted," said Paul Tinney, vice president of Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Spotwave Wireless. "Spotwave is pleased to help Riverside ensure that their mission critical wireless devices are working where they are most needed, throughout all the facilities in the OhioHealth family."
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