Teaming With Cisco Systems and Vocera Communications, Sprint Deploys
Customized Wi-Fi Network to Enhance Staff-to-Staff Communications for Optimal
Patient Care
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint (NYSE: FON) announced
today the implementation of a private Sprint Wi-Fi network (IEEE 802.11g) for
the University of California - Davis (UC Davis) Health System to enhance their
wireless voice communication system. This customized solution allows
physicians, nurses and administrators to communicate instantly with each other
to share patient and administrative information from virtually anywhere in the
medical center.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO )
The private Wi-Fi network will be deployed over one million square feet at
the UC Davis Medical Center, a 576-bed facility located in Sacramento, and has
been consistently ranked as one of the top 50 hospitals in the nation,
according to an annual study by U.S. News & World Report.
"Because most of our clinicians are always on the move throughout our
hospital, the communication and information management tools have to be mobile
too," said Dr. Thomas Tinstman, associate director for clinical information
systems at the UC Davis Medical Center. "Sprint assisted us by providing the
infrastructure that supports these needs."
Sprint customized an 802.11g WiFi network for UC Davis that is enabled
through Cisco Aironet Access Points as part of Cisco's strategic relationship
with Sprint. Cisco Aironet provides customers with a standards-based and open
architecture providing the strongest level of security available, and ensuring
effective security management from a central point of control.
Additionally, the custom Wi-Fi network will utilize a Voice over IP
solution via a Vocera Communications System to allow quick and easy
communications between all doctors, nurses and support staff. The system
consists of a software application and a voice-controlled badge that enables
instant, hands-free wireless communication between staff members. Medical
center staff can call resources instantly by name, function or group. For
example, a nurse can call an anesthesiologist by name ("call Dani Charles"),
by function ("call an anesthesiologist"), or call a department by simply
saying "call pharmacy" or "call radiology".
Potential uses for such a Wi-Fi network include a variety of advanced
voice and data solutions such as alignment of voicemail with the system,
integration of the nurse call and alarm notification system, electronic
medical record sharing and providing/authorizing patient orders through
multiple wireless devices.
"This customized use of a Wi-Fi network allowed us to best meet UC Davis'
need to streamline multiple traditional communications systems within the
medical center thus simplifying processes for the medical staff and enhancing
overall patient care," said Cathy Bryant, vice president - Business
Development and State Government, Government Systems Division, Sprint. "UC
Davis is the first hospital in the country where Cisco and Sprint have teamed
to deliver a private 802.11g (54 MBPS) network augmented by our CDMA/1xRTT
services. It will become the primary means of both voice and data for all
critical-care staff."
Sprint is dedicated to providing integrated communication solutions that
help healthcare providers balance patient care, manage costs and comply with
mandated regulations. Leveraging its portfolio of wireless and wireline
assets, Sprint can provide integrated, managed mobility solutions designed for
the healthcare market. In addition, Sprint has built a strong portfolio of
security products and services that healthcare organizations can leverage to
address HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) security
requirements.
Sprint has been recognized for its leadership in vertical markets overall
with the 2004 Frost & Sullivan Telecom Services Vertical Company of the Year
Award and the 2002 Frost & Sullivan Market Engineering Leadership Award for
Customized Healthcare Solutions. For more information, please visit
http://www.sprint.com/healthcare .
The alliance between Sprint and Cisco focuses on meeting customer needs
for wireless and wireline data services through shared market research, joint
development of new products and technologies, and joint sales and marketing.
Sprint Government Systems Division ( http://www.sprint.com/government ) is
based in Herndon, Va., and offers the full range of Sprint product and service
offerings for federal and state government customers. Sprint provides a
variety of voice and data services, both wireless and wireline, to all 50
states.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than
26 million customers in over 100 countries. With more than 61,000 employees
worldwide and over $26 billion in annual revenues in 2003, Sprint is widely
recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network
technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital,
fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint
provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of
Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless
network in the United States. For more information, visit
http://www.sprint.com .
SOURCE Sprint
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Related links:
http://www.sprint.com
http://www.sprint.com/healthcare
http://www.sprint.com/government
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840
CONTACT:
Stephanie Taliaferro of Sprint,
+1-913-794-3658, stephanie.c.taliaferro@mail.sprint.com
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