How to Manage COVID-19 Technology Changes

The COVID-19 global pandemic has changed practically every way of life.  From how we do business, to how we teach our children, almost nothing has stayed exactly the same.  In no place is that truer than in healthcare.  Do a Google search for “how healthcare will change” and you’ll see plenty of articles from healthcare experts explaining long-term and short-term impacts on the industry from the pandemic.  

Here are just a few opinions from various sources:

• Telemedicine has been accelerated by a decade: telehealth services weren’t invented during the pandemic, but they saw rapid, widespread use in a way not imagined pre-COVID.  Patients and providers alike are dedicated to finding ways to promote the safe delivery of care and virtual delivery has proved increasingly attractive.  Every source we read agrees that these services are here to stay.
• Remote patient monitoring has significant value: Providence St. Joseph Health stood up a remote patient monitoring program for COVID-positive patients in only 72 hours.  The platform uses remote devices to enable providers to monitor patients’ symptoms on a daily basis, without requiring in-person visits.  Experts say that the technology could be used to monitor chronic conditions even under normal, non-pandemic, circumstances.
• Major technology projects growing in importance: from telecommuting to screening chatbots and virus tracking tools, healthcare IT leaders saw an almost overnight need to fast-track major technology projects.  Many of these tools will become the new norm, and hospitals are taking notice of what this means for a digital future.

With rapid changes and an increasing reliance on technology, healthcare facilities can’t afford unreliable wireless networks.  Providers need to know without a doubt that they have uninterrupted, real-time access to all patient data, and that wirelessly connected devices will send immediate alerts if a patient needs instant care.  Employees responsible for everything from managing patient intake to overseeing financial departments need access to the internet.  Patients need WiFi to be able to stay in contact with family, and need to feel confident in wirelessly-connected monitoring devices.  Wireless technology impacts all areas of healthcare and must be optimized.

Wyebot’s Wireless Intelligence Platform (WIP) delivers leading WiFi Assurance: real-time, proactive analytics and actionable information so your network stays optimized no matter what happens. 

Complete Wireless Ecosystem Visibility – Remove Mystery from the Network with WIP

WIP’s fingerprinting identifies every connected device and identifies any performance related issues.  Instant, visual updates of the entire network are provided on WIP’s dashboard, along with actionable information on any issues.  There are no blind spots or unidentified network users.  During times of sudden change, with many new devices entering the network every day, only absolute visibility solutions deliver the detailed level of information that IT teams need to be supported in their mission-critical tasks.  

Automated Detection, Notification, and Mitigation – Limit Downtime and Promote Patient Care

WIP uses the data it gathers to learn how to recognize normal network behavior.  Once it has this information, It can automatically detect any anomalies using its AI-based engine.  IT is immediately alerted to issues, and provided with the root cause as well as recommended resolutions.  This proactive method supports the quick resolution of all issues before end users are affected.  

Remote Network Test Suite – Troubleshoot at Any Time from Any Where

WIP’s Test Suite can run over both wired and wireless networks on a scheduled or periodic basis.  The entire platform is remote capable, enabling IT to troubleshoot issues from any location.  This is especially helpful when IT teams are responsible for many remote locations and/or are unable to travel due to weather or other conditions.  WIP automatically alerts IT to any failed tests.

Historical Forensics – Optimize the Network for Future Use, Now

If a facility needs to know exactly how the network has changed since the beginning of the pandemic, historical forensics are the answer.  WIP automatically stores data from the past day, week, or month in tables and graphs.  Data can be reviewed at any time and exported for easy sharing.  This data provides IT and building administrators with relevant information on network usage and capacity, giving them everything that they need to effectively and efficiently plan network upgrades.

Network Optimization Saves Time and Money

Healthcare facilities are dynamic.  Even under normal conditions they can be fast-paced, complex environments.  These situations are only exacerbated by the pandemic.  In these complex environments, technology teams have hundreds of thousands of devices to monitor, devices that affect every aspect of healthcare.  Using a WiFi Assurance healthcare solution like WIP means that these teams have instant, real-time access to the actionable data that they need to optimize the network.  An optimized network ensures that all life-saving and mission-critical technology works consistently and reliably at a high-level.  Work with WIP today.