Healthcare organisations are constantly evolving to meet both market and patient demands. In 2019 before the COVID pandemic, patients in the United Kingdom spoke to their General Practitioner (GP) face-to-face in 70% of their appointments, and 30% by phone, video or online. At the peak of the pandemic, this flipped: only 30% of appointments were in-person, while 70% were remote.
Even though this percentage has decreased since the height of the pandemic, remote appointments give patients an alternative way of reaching their healthcare provider and is especially useful in situations where they may be unable to attend in-person. But the digitalisation of the industry goes beyond just appointments – in fact, it is helping to shape more streamlined, effective services in several key ways.
Enhanced data management achieved through the latest technologies is helping healthcare institutions to store and analyse medical data much more effectively. This can lead to faster diagnostics, and more tailored provision of care to patients. Data collected by wearable technology and other connected devices is also supporting the remote monitoring of patients, enabling providers to detect any falls or warning signs of illness.
These digital services are improving the quality of experience for patients: now they can access care remotely, view test results in real-time online, and reduce the need for them to come into clinics or other sites when it would be better for them to stay at home. Additionally, this means streamlined services and a reduced wait-time for those who do need to attend in person.
Key to all these services is connectivity. As these systems continue to change, centralised and telehealth services need a secure fibre optic network to provide high-speed communication, bandwidth and reliable security. This has led to several institutions investing in fibre infrastructure in order to let these applications run smoothly, and at scale.
Supporting modern services
For the successful management of large medical databases and remote healthcare services, these institutions must have reliable connectivity. That’s not the only concern, however. No matter the institution, most parties will be sharing sensitive, confidential information for patient care.
Patient data is a prime target for cybercriminals. Between January to September 2024 the average number of weekly cyberattacks per healthcare organisation was 2,018, representing a 32% increase from the same period the previous year. This means providers must have enough bandwidth to ensure patients receive the best possible care while ensuring the data storage facilities used by the institution remains secure.
Additionally, we continue to see new, novel approaches to medicine. As complex processes such as genome sequencing and the testing of therapies using Artificial Intelligence (AI) grow more popular, they require data centres that can scale to work effectively.
Building capable networks
Fibre remains the pre-eminent form for these applications – it offers the most flexibility, and the highest speeds out of all connectivity options. In fact, third-party suppliers are now supplying the next-generation fibre connectivity required for fast, reliable networks consisting of patient data. Using the same transceivers and optical solutions found in data centres across the world, these suppliers are bolstering the availability and speed of digital tools, boosting efficiency while reducing complexity.
When it comes to sourcing these optical transceivers, network builders have two options: they can either buy branded optics from leading Network Equipment Manufacturers (NEMs) or purchase compatible solutions from third-party vendors.
In many cases, suppliers of third-party solutions use the same components from the same sources as those used by NEMs. Each time a new NEM optic is launched, the supplier will carry out detailed analysis and testing of the part to ensure any optic they produce mirrors its capabilities and is compatible with the NEM’s environment. As these solutions come at a fraction of the cost, they are an effective way in establishing the connectivity needed for telehealth and other linked applications, without breaking the bank.
Using the latest technologies
Thanks to this process, compatible optical suppliers are providing customers with 100G, 400G and 800G transceivers – alongside direct attach cables (DACs) – to provide the high data rates and low latency required to support modern healthcare applications.
Many of these applications use extended wavelength-division multiplexing (xWDM) capabilities to enhance the bandwidth available to operators. A key function which sends multiple data signals over a single optical fibre (through different light wavelengths), xWDM can help expand the digital storage facilities of a network – helping to alleviate the strain created by hosting mass amounts of patient data and other applications – in a cost-effective manner.
In recent years, we have also seen several dual channel small form-factor pluggable (DSFP) modules enter the market from third-party suppliers. Because of their highly dense nature, these components are increasingly being deployed to ensure optimal signal integrity, even at high speeds.
As a result, these solutions can offer the high band potential required to support emerging technologies and concepts in healthcare, such as genome sequencing and AI tools.
The third-party advantage
Another benefit of using these compatible optical transceivers is reliability. In a sector where lives may depend on the connectivity available, these solutions can deliver a well-ran, seamless network with minimal interference required by the healthcare provider.
Rather than carrying out the mass batch testing methods typically deployed by NEMs, some third-party suppliers are avoiding fault or dead-on-arrival optics through a rigorous testing and validation process.
Once this process has been completed and the product shipped, a few of the best third-party suppliers now offer a level of technical support few NEMs can match, such as round-the-clock care should any issues with the components arise, Teams of engineers are on hand to visit customer sites to ensure networks run effectively. In such as fast-paced, critical sector where resources are often stretched to the limit, this service may prove a key decision-maker when it comes to choosing components for a network.
Making the right choice for your network
Suppliers like AddOn Networks are now supplying the broadest, most diverse solutions within the optical market. Offering the same level of performance as NEM solutions, but typically at 50 to 70% of the cost, these compatible components hold the key to overcoming the demands placed on networks by the healthcare industry.
By using the latest fibre components, organisations will benefit from robust server connections to deliver ‘always on’ connectivity for patient services.
It’s these advancements within the fibre optic sector that will ensure networks used by healthcare providers will remain reliable even as demands grow.
Author details: George Ashwin currently serves as a UK Channel Director for AddOn Networks
