Boston Children’s Hospital is ushering in a hybrid 5G network while gearing up for a unified Epic electronic health record system. The hospital’s CIO sees this technology as a foundation for future healthcare innovations, enabling in-home patient monitoring and AI-driven specialist prioritization. The hospital aims to streamline its operations by adopting a single Epic platform by 2024. In collaboration with T-Mobile, they’re creating the first hybrid 5G network in healthcare, supporting seamless data access across campuses and homes, with a vision for enhanced patient care and quicker decision-making through AI integration.
Boston Children’s Hospital has unveiled its cutting-edge hybrid 5G network, marking a significant step forward in its mission to integrate the Epic electronic health record system. The hospital’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) expressed enthusiasm about this technology, emphasizing its potential to pave the way for future healthcare innovations. This scalable network is primed to facilitate in-home remote patient monitoring and the implementation of AI-driven specialist prioritization.
Boston Children’s Hospital recently revealed its intentions to migrate to a unified Epic electronic health record, aligning with the strategies of institutions such as Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City and UPMC in Pittsburgh. This transition, scheduled for 2024, seeks to streamline operations across all care sites, and the hospital’s IT department is diligently working to ensure a smooth transition.
Concurrently, Boston Children’s is embarking on another groundbreaking technological endeavor in partnership with T-Mobile. Together, they aim to launch what is being hailed as the healthcare industry’s first hybrid 5G network. In an illuminating blog post, T-Mobile engaged in a conversation with Heather Nelson, the hospital’s CIO, to explore the potential of this innovative network for patient care.
Heather Nelson articulated the need for enhanced connectivity when upgrading their electronic medical records system. Seamless access to critical patient data for healthcare professionals was paramount, and their quest extended to accommodating thousands of devices while extending connectivity to various provider locations, even patients’ homes. In this context, she remarked, “Wi-Fi has served us well, but we are looking ahead. We require comprehensive connectivity across all campuses, including remote practitioner sites, and the 5G hybrid network is poised to facilitate this endeavor.”
Furthermore, Nelson envisioned future applications where the network would support in-home patient care through 5G remote monitoring and AI-driven prioritization. This cutting-edge approach ensures that patient requests are seamlessly incorporated into the workflow, expediting decision-making processes and ensuring that the right specialist reaches the right patient at the right time.
