Monash Medical Center in Melbourne, Australia is using wireless networks to access patient records when and where they need them, without having to rely on the proximity of a computer. They have set up a wireless network that includes handheld devices for access to written records by health professionals at all times. The network also includes tablet PCs which can be stationed at the patient's bedside, giving access to X-ray and other pictorial records. Wireless LANs Connect Patients and Careers The use of handheld devices in connection with wireless LANs in these and similar situations in the healthcare industry is revolutionizing patient records, making sure that information is recorded when it is first taken, which means that accuracy and completeness is greatly increased.
With the help of wireless networks medical information is automatically stored electronically, and retrieval is almost instantaneous. The reduction in volume of patient records means that more time and space can be devoted to patient care. Because of the instant access to all records through the wireless LAN, diagnosis is improved while treatment is more likely to be effective.
The Portable Accessibility of Wireless Records This kind of accessibility in a building such as a hospital can only really happen if a wireless LAN is used; cables and other attachments would not allow the necessary portability of equipment as with handheld devices. Hospitals are increasingly high-tech establishments, and wireless networks are likely to increase the effectiveness of the technology.
This type of record system is not the only application of wireless networks in healthcare. In Chicago's Glenbrook Hospital, nurses are able to respond faster to patient's needs with the installation of a wireless voice-over-Internet-Protocol call administration system. This allows instant communication between a patient's call button and a light at the nursing station, and in some cases, allows a voice message or data message to be delivered to a nurse's phone.
Nighttime responses are easier and more effective, giving patients more access to nurses when they need them and making nurses more effective because of greater information about a given situation. Wireless LANs are a simple and effective way of making sure effective communication happens.
Wireless Training for IT Technicians Of course, this kind of new technology means that there is an increased demand for skilled wireless trained technicians, and wireless training is one of the areas that have taken off in IT certification in recent years.
Many technicians need to train while they are working, and have taken online courses as a part of their continuing education. Wireless training allows technicians to expand the scope of their work with networking technologies, and makes them more attractive in the job market. New developments mean that wireless training is becoming a part of IT programs as a matter of course.
Of course the healthcare industry is not the only beneficiary from new technologies and the new applications they are spawning, but it is one that could affect all of us at a critical time in our lives.
In the final installment of, "The Wireless Networked World," we will examine how wireless networks have changed the face of telecommunications.
Read part 4 of "The Wireless Networked World" >> About the Series "The Wireless Networked World" is a four-part series focusing on changes in wireless technology that affect the average persons' life. To learn more about wireless network training, and how you can begin your exciting career in wireless, visit our directory of schools offering degrees in wireless networking.
To view our other articles on the topic of wireless networking, please visit the following links:
The Wireless Networked World: Rapid Growth in Wireless Jobs - Part 1 The Wireless Networked World: Satellite TV and ISPs - Part 2 The Wireless Networked World: Network Access Increases Accessibility - Part 4 
