Background
A large healthcare campus in the southern United States required an advanced connectivity solution to link multiple facilities, including:
Three separate hospital buildings, each with its unique networking requirements.
Multiple six-story parking structures spanning a large area.
A combination of indoor and outdoor environments necessitates robust and reliable network performance over long distances.
Project Leads
Chief Information Officer (CIO): Tasked with implementing technology to ensure the safety and seamless operations of the healthcare campus.
Network Design Consultant: Responsible for designing and installing an optimized network infrastructure to meet the hospital's stringent requirements.
Challenges
In a healthcare environment, especially one spanning multiple facilities, ensuring patient and employee safety is paramount. The project faced several challenges:
Delivering reliable connectivity across long distances between remote facilities.
Supporting security systems, emergency communication, and future-ready Wi-Fi infrastructure.
Limitations such as a single telecom closet for a multi-floor parking structure should be addressed.
Minimizing costs and infrastructure while ensuring high performance and flexibility.
Maintaining robust network security to reduce risks to patient safety and healthcare operations.
Solution
Stanford Optics provided a tailored solution leveraging advanced fiber optic technology to address these challenges:
Composite Cabling for Seamless Connectivity:
Deployed GYDTS loose-tube lightweight fiber optic cables for high-density applications and superior performance over long distances.
Used ADSS (All-Dielectric Self-Supporting) cables, ideal for outdoor aerial installations, to connect facilities without requiring metallic components.
Installed GYTC8A 8-shaped self-supporting fiber optic cables to link remote parking garages and buildings.
Future-Ready Infrastructure:
Designed the network to support multiple systems, including security cameras, emergency call systems, and high-speed Wi-Fi.
Integrated advanced fiber-to-the-edge (FTTE) technology for flexibility and scalability.
Cost and Space Efficiency:
Eliminated the need for multiple intermediate distribution frame (IDF) closets using composite cabling with remote powering capabilities.
Reduced conduit and cabling infrastructure, resulting in significant cost savings on materials and labor.
End-Face Inspection and Testing:
Conducted rigorous polarity testing, insertion loss (IL), and return loss (RL) tests to ensure reliable signal transmission.
Used 3D interferometer testing to verify precision alignment of connectors and minimize connection failures.
Results
The healthcare campus achieved a highly reliable and future-ready network that met all their needs:
Enhanced Patient Safety: A secure and robust network ensured seamless operation of critical healthcare communication systems.
Optimized Space Utilization: Reduced telecom closet requirements freed up valuable space for other operational needs.
Cost Savings: Using advanced cabling and reduced infrastructure lowered overall project costs.
Future Scalability: The network can support additional technologies as the facility expands or upgrades.
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