ATLANTA -- BellSouth (NYSE:BLS) today announced that health care organizations are relying on the provider's flexible, managed VPN service to route medical records and imaging files between multiple patient service locations. This service provides the high bandwidth needed to move large files and permits customers to mix different access speeds and types on the same meshed network infrastructure.
COL Management, based in Lafayette, La., is a medical imaging company that has over 20 imaging locations across the U.S., as well as multiple remote radiologists who collaborate to serve local patients. The imaging firm utilizes digital technology to produce quality imaging that is transported across BellSouth's data network to physicians for patient diagnosis.
"COL Management's business is based on the successful transportation of large image files between multiple facilities, while maintaining a stable environment for other applications in use," said Casey Lasseigne, IT Director, COL Management. "BellSouth's managed VPN service provides efficient delivery of these data files today and we are planning to integrate voice over IP calling capabilities over the same network later this year."
Many businesses have the challenge of linking multiple office locations that are broadly distributed to corporate resources. Each location often has specific network access requirements and, in the past, companies have had to self-integrate and manage these disparate networks across the organization. BellSouth(R) Managed Network VPN provides a managed, network-based solution and delivers full mesh connectivity and class of service to more efficiently route complex data applications across corporate networks. A managed, network-based firewall is available with the service and provides added security for health care organizations that also wish to securely access the Internet via the VPN.
The Managed Network VPN solution is based on MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching), a technology that BellSouth recently announced it will utilize to provide an advanced nationwide data service in 2006. The nationwide service will enable customers to link locations from coast to coast using the most flexible and reliable switching technology available.
Quality Physician Services, an Atlanta-based provider of outsourced practice services, implemented BellSouth Managed Network VPN to reduce the internal management and monitoring requirements associated with a 20-location wide area network. The network supports the company's electronic health record application, one of the core capabilities Quality Physician Services offers to clients as part of its practice management solutions.
"BellSouth Network VPN enables Quality Physician Services to connect directly to physician office clients, using various connectivity options, and manage and store the data on one integrated platform," said Billy Abbate, CEO, Quality Physician Services.
Full mesh connectivity is a benefit of BellSouth Managed Network VPN that customers have examined more closely following the 2005 natural disasters in the Gulf Coast states. The network solution allows each individual location to route data directly to a secondary host site or any other location on the customer network, instead of transmitting through headquarters like traditional hub and spoke architected networks.
BellSouth launched its Managed Network VPN solution in 2003 and it has been one of the company's fastest growing enterprise data products for the last three years. In addition to the health care industry, BellSouth has implemented Managed Network VPN across market segments, including retail, financial services, education and manufacturing.
"Flexible, integrated communication networks are a key enabler of efficient operation in today's environment. This is never more important than in industries, such as health care, where life-saving decisions are impacted by available data," said Dick Anderson, president, Business Markets - BellSouth.
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