As we reflect on Juniper Networks’ most recent EMEA Healthcare Virtual Summit, we’d like to extend our appreciation to those who attended and hope that it was of value to each of you. We felt it was a huge success filled with a lot of great feedback and we look forward to hosting future events soon.
Throughout the event, the importance of reliable and predictable data transport in an era of healthcare digital transformation was a common theme. There’s no doubt that the network is the lifeblood of the healthcare enterprise. It functions like the human body’s vascular and immune systems, transporting and protecting critical information 24/7/365. Additionally, the network plays a vital role in keeping the organization healthy and functioning properly. A healthy network means organizations can quickly scale and support new applications and technologies that can assist in driving better patient outcomes, as well as identify and overcome constant cyberattacks. A healthy network also requires a deep level of visibility and understanding of user and device experiences.
Through 2020 amidst COVID-19, many healthcare providers discovered that the network should – and could – have been a more strategic asset to the organization, perhaps more than originally perceived. As healthcare providers continue to ensure their network can keep up with the demands of applications in an IoT-driven world, it’s important that each organization takes a holistic look at the network from this point forward.
Emerging healthcare technologies and the accelerated deployment of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), telehealth/virtual visits and remote health monitoring need the support of high-performing networks that can scale on demand. According to IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Health Industry 2021 Predictions, digitally enabled remote care and clinical trials will drive 70 percent growth in spending on connected health technologies by providers and life science companies by 2023.[1]
With many ‘band-aided’ networks in place today, Juniper Networks is here to assist in helping define and architect a new level of care to help healthcare providers be fully prepared for continued digital acceleration. This includes extending artificial intelligence (AI) and digital engagement tools that truly enable clinicians, patients, guests and staff to have better experiences and outcomes.
Legacy Infrastructure can be a Millstone to Innovation
Traditional legacy infrastructure simply cannot keep up with the emerging needs of the modern healthcare ecosystem. It is limited in terms of innovation and new functionality, which can slow the progress of a healthcare provider who has created a culture of innovation. Take for example, Wireless LAN (WLAN) controllers, which were created over a decade ago. While the controller architecture was great for managing yesterday’s network of APs where wireless clients were limited and connectivity was merely seen as a convenience, they are not equipped for the modern era of mobility in healthcare environments. As more and more community healthcare providers adopt a cloud-first mindset, it’s important to ask, “Shouldn’t the network strategy align to those key application strategies as well?”
This is one mission Juniper strives to achieve. By utilizing a modern microservices cloud architecture and machine learning, Juniper’s AI-driven healthcare solution dramatically simplifies wired and wireless operations, providing unprecedented visibility into user and device experiences. With automated operations and support with root cause analysis capabilities, Juniper’s solution will also drastically reduce time to resolution for support issues. Additionally, for users who struggle with the cobwebs of complexity, vulnerabilities and outages, our solution has embedded intent-based automation and analytics to eliminate risk and simplify all aspects of the network design, build, deploy and operate phases.
Personalized medical services and experiences are a priority for healthcare organizations. Our goal is to help optimize workflows and lower the costs associated with healthcare delivery while offering personalization in care plans to improve the experience and outcomes. Juniper’s microservices architecture removes the need for controller upgrades, allowing the medical network to evolve as quickly as the devices connecting to it. Additionally, to drive improved digital engagement with patients, guests and clinicians, the Juniper solution has embedded location-based services capabilities designed to:
- Reduce late or missed appointments by providing turn-by-turn directions
- Engage patients and guests with proximity alerts such as greeting upon arrival, COVID-19 protocols, influenza reminders, digital coupons
- Locate vents, pumps, wheelchairs and other critical assets within one-meter proximity
- Map journey and foot traffic patterns for contact tracing protocols
- Integrate with digital door locks to prevent unauthorized access (or exit)
- Enhance hygiene and cleanliness protocols while also detecting temperature anomalies in refrigerators, freezers and incubators.
Cost Reduction, Enhanced Operational Efficiency and Simplification
With nearly every healthcare provider worldwide needing to reduce costs, enhance operational efficiencies and simplify everyday tasks, there comes an opportunity to leverage technology to streamline and redefine workflows with minimal disruption. Juniper brings a unique set of capabilities and offerings to meet healthcare providers’ demands:
- A highly efficient, truly integrated, secure and flexible network that enables the transformation agenda
- Open, standards-based solution to ensure seamless migration and interoperability between all network, security and IT components
- Full client-to-cloud visibility with an intense focus on user experience vs the device connection state (complete visibility into user sessions and propelling digital transformation initiatives)
- An increase in resilience and network availability of 99.999 percent
- Industry-recognized technology, most notably delivering superior, seamless user experiences from client to cloud:
- Positioned as a Leader in the Gartner 2020 Magic Quadrant for Data Center and Cloud Networking
- Positioned as a Visionary in the Gartner 2021 Magic Quadrant for Indoor Location Services, Global
- Positioned as a Leader ‘highest for execution’ in the Gartner 2020 Magic Quadrant for Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure
As the healthcare industry stands at the precipice of becoming a true, fully digitized industry that delivers better care at reduced cost, we must break away from traditional network architectures and look at fit-for-purpose networks for the modern healthcare era: networks that are based on open standards, simplicity, user experience and affordability. Now is the time to explore the possibilities, making the change to vendors and solutions with the organizations’ best future in mind.
Learn More
Watch the EMEA Healthcare Virtual Summit on-demand
Juniper Solutions for Healthcare
[1] IDC FutureScape Webcast: Worldwide Health Industry 2021 Predictions (DOC #US47273321 / JAN 2021)
