Healthcare IT News - July 2008 - (Page 15)

www.HealthcareITNews.com hoSpItalS & IdNs July 2008 ■ Healthcare IT News 15 estimates $1 per square foot. “It’s extremely difficult to imagine a return on investment,” he said. “It’s like air conditioning.” A report published last month by New York-based market research firm Kalorama Information confirms that Frantz’ expectations about increased demand for wireless in healthcare are right on the money. The report, titled “Wireless in Healthcare 2008 (The Market for Bluetooth, RFID, Zigbee, UWB WWAN, WMAN, WLAN and other technologies),” suggests that the compound annual growth rate of wireless sales in healthcare will jump from 22.9 percent to 29.5 percent, lifting sales from $2.7 billion to $9.6 billion, in five Todd Frantz years. Sales of wireless devices in healthcare have grown at close to 23 percent annually since 2005 and will continue to rise, pushing the total market to almost $10 billion by 2012, according to Kalorama. “It’s no surprise that hospitals are earmarking large portions of current and future budgets to wireless development,” said Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information. “In 2003, 25 percent of U.S. hospitals had wireless. That figure will be somewhere between 80 percent and 90 percent in 2010.” Clarian Health Partners is two years into a five-year plan for wireless networking. “All of our facilities are being planned out,” said Edwin Simcox, director of enterprise technology planning. Indianapolis-based Clarian has 100 percent coverage in two of its facilities now and plans to add the same “wall-towall, floor-to-ceiling” antenna coverage in the remaining four. “The future of healthcare is mobile,” Simcox said. “It is not fixed-assets IT.” Like Frantz at Florida Hospital, Simcox views the cost for in-hospital wireless networking as expensive. “We studied ROI in detail,” he said. “We were able to justify it on a cost basis. We believe putting in a single antenna system drives down operational costs in maintaining that antenna system.” Simcox says he’s had several calls from CIOs and CTOs considering an expansion of their wireless coverage. “It is top of mind,” he said. “It really has to do with the existing corporate culture that is already there.” Wil Ankerstjerne, program manager of mobility, architecture and design for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, says the expectations for CHOP, as it is affectionately called, are high because it is also a major research facility. Of wireless, he says, “It’s the hottest technology right now.” The demand for wireless networks grows daily, Ankerstjerne said. He estimates the cost of the wireless network project under way for CHOP at $2.5 million to $3 million. “The ROI is almost immeasurable when you start throwing safety and patient care into the equation,” he said. “How do you measure that?” ■ More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: WIreLeSS 0708 HE mORE CLINICIANS can do untethered, the better, said Lou Martinage of MobileAccess. The push to wireless technology has been good for business at MobileAccess, Martinage said. In the past wireless access might have been limited to one wing of the hospital. Today, he said, they are “fully decked out.” Healthcare is the t Wireless business booms WIreLeSS largest piece of MobileAccess’s market, making up 30 percent to 40 percent. Business has been booming for competitor InnerWireless, too. The Richardson, Texasbased wireless network provider reported first quarter 2008 hospital bookings of more than $10 million. More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: bUSINeSS 0708 Continued from page 12 l Florida Hospital, like others, is encountering complaints about spotty cell phone access, and as clinicians and others add more applications to their smart phones, the complaints multiply, Frantz said. Frantz expects that hospitals everywhere will have to convert to wireless facilities. “It’s not a matter of if, it’s when,” he said. While Frantz was sketchy about cost, he said, “it’s expensive.” He linED inED Over 1,800 emergency departments inin America already know the value Over 1,800 emergency departments America already know the value ®® ofof The System. The T SystemEV ® gives you the critical tools you need The T T System. The T SystemEV ® gives you the critical tools you need toto maximize workflow, from triage to discharge, in an electronic platform. maximize workflow, from triage to discharge, in an electronic platform. With turnkey implementations and unparalleled usability, The T SystemEV With turnkey implementations and unparalleled usability, The T SystemEV improves compliance and reimbursement while keeping you focused on improves compliance and reimbursement while keeping you focused on what’s most important: patient care. To streamline your ED, visit tsystem.com. what’s most important: patient care. To streamline your ED, visit tsystem.com. e l Connect: tSySteM 0708 l How is your hospital adapting to an increasingly mobile world? Send your comments to editor Bernie Monegain at bernie.monegain@medtechpublishing. com. http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=9551 http://HealthcareITNews.com http://www.tsystem.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=9545 http://www.tsystem.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/eConnect.cms?id=9519

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Healthcare IT News - July 2008 Contents IT’s Financial Link eRx Power SOA Q&A Bent on Wireless Digital Switch IT Legacy Change Agent Panasonic 'Book' Taking a Shift Computer Types

Healthcare IT News - July 2008

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