Cellular Specialties, Inc., announced that Lee Memorial Health System, Fla., has selected its products and solutions to implement in-building wireless service in two facilities.

 

CSI specializes in the design and implementation of in-building wireless solutions. Lee Memorial selected CSI after consulting wireless carriers Sprint, AT&T (News - Alert) and CenturyLink.

 

With growth in the hospital capacity and facilities and with an employee base of 1,000 physicians, wireless coverage inside the hospital became imperative. Recently, a 122-bed expansion was completed with the addition of four more floors. Also the System’s new Gulf Coast Medical Center which has more than 300 beds with emergency and trauma centers needed wireless coverage.

 

In-building coverage is essential as the use of cell phones by doctors and others inside the hospital required highly reliable connectivity. Cell phones were the primary communication system within the hospital, according to hospital sources.

 

In a release Bob Votta, director of network technology services at Lee Memorial, said, “At Lee Memorial, we’re in the business of saving lives. Our trauma center is considered one of the finest in the country. Our doctors and workers simply cannot do their jobs at such a high level without access to reliable wireless coverage throughout our facility.”

 

The process of designing and deploying the in-building wireless network was difficult owing to problems related to infection control, working in tight corners using caution tape and also employing sterile gear in some locations.

 

CSI’s experience in medical environment installations, an understanding of FCC (News - Alert) frequency regulations, knowledge of Wireless Medical Telemetry (which involves remote monitoring of patient’s health by radio technology) helped it to complete the installation optimally.

 

“CSI truly understands the FCC regulations surrounding Wireless Medical Telemetry and the fact that you can’t simply broadcast wireless voice and data over any frequency or at high power levels in a hospital without interfering with key medical equipment,” said Kelley Carr, president, CSI’s Custom Solutions Group.

 

Carr pointed out that this was a delicate situation and required in-depth knowledge of installation within a medical environment.

 

The company’s Custom Solution’s Group or CSG is an in-building wireless service organization which is approved by major wireless service providers in the United States. It has implemented several solutions including voice, data, WiFi (News - Alert) and RFID in healthcare organizations.

 

Lee Memorial’s physicians will be able to use in-building wireless for scheduling, conferencing, pagers, references and use iPhones now. CSI proposes to showcase its wireless in-building solutions besides presenting “Transforming Healthcare with Wireless Communications” at the HIMSS10 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Atlanta to be held March 1-4.