Case Study You are employed by The Baypoint Group (TBG)

Case Study You are employed by The Baypoint Group (TBG), a company of 50 consultants that assists organizations and businesses with issues involving network planning, design, implementation, and problem solving. You have recently been hired by TBG to work with one of their new clients, Vincent Medical Center (VMC), a large health care facility, concerning their wireless needs.
Each day, VMC doctors and nurses throughout the facility attend to thousands of patients, update medical records, issue prescriptions, and order medical exams. VMC deployed a sophisticated suite of medical software that stores all patient records, exam results, and diagnoses. The system is also fully integrated with VMC's pharmacy and can process purchase orders, payments, and receipts as well as inventory and shipments. However, all data entry and processing currently require that a staff member be at a nursing station or office to access the application and central VMC database.

  1. VMC is interested in learning about the possibilities of upgrading all of its infrastructure and deploying a wireless network to allow doctors, nurses, and all staff to access information from anywhere within the entire medical facility (two buildings). VMC does not want to spend money installing additional network cabling connections to every patient room. VMC has asked you to make a presentation to its administrator regarding the use of a WLAN.
    Create a presentation to deliver to the staff about WLANs. Be sure to cover the following points:
    • Greater mobility for doctors and nurses
    • Ease and cost of installation
    • Easier network modifications
    • Increased network reliability
    • Radio signal interference
    • Security

Full Answer Section

          The Challenge: Current VMC Network (Slide 2)
  • Summarize the current network infrastructure at VMC:
    • Wired network requiring staff to be at fixed locations for data entry.
    • Inconvenience and time inefficiency for doctors and nurses.
    • Limitations in accessing patient information quickly at the point of care.
  • Visual representation (diagram) of the current wired setup (if available).
3. The Solution: Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) (Slide 3)
  • Explain what a WLAN is:
    • A network that uses radio waves to connect devices without physical cables.
    • Key components: Access Points (APs), wireless adapters, network infrastructure.
  • Visual representation (diagram) of a WLAN setup in a hospital environment, showing doctors and nurses accessing data wirelessly.
4. Benefits of WLANs for VMC (Slides 4-7)
  • Greater Mobility for Doctors and Nurses (Slide 4)
    • Explain how WLANs enable staff to access patient records, update information, and order tests from any location within the two buildings.
    • Discuss the benefits of point-of-care data access:
      • Improved efficiency and reduced time spent walking to and from workstations.
      • Faster response times to patient needs.
      • Enhanced accuracy in data entry.
      • Increased time spent with patients.
    • Provide examples of how mobility can improve specific workflows (e.g., a doctor reviewing lab results at a patient's bedside, a nurse updating medication charts in real-time).
  • Ease and Cost of Installation (Slide 5)
    • Compare the installation of WLANs to wired networks:
      • Reduced need for extensive cabling, minimizing disruption to the facility.
      • Faster deployment times.
      • Potentially lower initial installation costs in some scenarios (especially when considering the cost of labor and disruption with extensive rewiring).
    • Highlight the scalability of WLANs: Easy to add or relocate devices and access points as VMC's needs evolve.
  • Easier Network Modifications (Slide 6)
    • Explain how WLANs simplify network changes and expansions:
      • Adding new devices is straightforward (no need to run new cables).
      • Relocating workstations or equipment is easy.
      • Adapting to changes in VMC's layout or workflow is more flexible.
    • Discuss the long-term cost savings associated with easier modifications.
  • Increased Network Reliability (Slide 7)
    • Address concerns about WLAN reliability and explain how modern WLAN technologies ensure robust connectivity:
      • Redundant access points to minimize single points of failure.
      • Advanced technologies like mesh networking and roaming to maintain connections as users move.
      • Quality of Service (QoS) features to prioritize critical medical data traffic.
    • Explain how a well-designed WLAN can be as reliable, or more reliable, than a poorly designed wired network.
5. Potential Challenges and Mitigation Strategies (Slides 8-9)
  • Radio Signal Interference (Slide 8)
    • Explain the sources of radio signal interference in a hospital environment:
      • Other wireless devices (e.g., medical equipment, microwaves).
      • Building materials (e.g., concrete, metal).
    • Discuss strategies to minimize interference:
      • Careful access point placement through site surveys.
      • Using different frequency bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and channels.
      • Employing technologies to mitigate interference (e.g., channel selection, power management).
      • Regular monitoring and optimization of the WLAN.
  •  

Sample Answer

        Presentation Title: Enhancing Vincent Medical Center with Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) Presented by: [Your Name], Consultant, The Baypoint Group Date: [Date] 1. Introduction (Slide 1)
  • Briefly introduce The Baypoint Group and its expertise in network solutions.
  • Acknowledge VMC's need for enhanced mobility and data access for its staff.
  • State the presentation's purpose: To provide an overview of WLAN technology and its benefits for VMC.