If you recently had a discussion about Wi-Fi, I bet it wasn’t a positive one!

Wi-Fi or network infrastructure is a hot topic in Ontario long-term care homes as it helps residents and healthcare professionals combat the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the CBC report, after nearly two months with no visitors, the use of the iPads with high-speed Internet for video calls and other ways of staying connected with loved ones from a distance have skyrocketed in St. Joseph Villa.

However, uninterrupted Internet or Wi-Fi access is the major source of frustration for many LTC homes during coronavirus outbreak.

Why is uninterrupted Internet crucial for LTC homes during coronavirus outbreak?

As more and more Ontario LTC homes adopt technology, their dependency on robust network infrastructure for uninterrupted Internet access is not expected to take a nosedive, especially when remote care and remote connection to family members become routine for residents due to COVID-19.

• To improve care delivery

Due to rising concern over COVID-19, physicians now do not prefer to visit LTC homes. Instead, they provide virtual care to seniors using virtual care tools.

But to make sure the rapid care delivery using virtual care tools, LTC homes should be equipped with continuous Internet access as virtual care tools do not work offline.

• To increase efficiencies

Healthcare workers and other staff working in LTC homes manage most of their work from their laptops, desktops and mobile devices.

Without a proper Internet connection, LTC home staff should downgrade to offline paper-based work which engages staff more in unnecessary tasks.

• To enhance the mental health of residents

Because of the visit ban, residents’ loved ones cannot visit them. Due to loneliness, many residents are undergoing mental health issues.

To enhance the mental health of residents, LTC homes can schedule virtual visits between residents and their family members. But without a fast and uninterrupted Wi-Fi setup, virtual visits remain fantasy!

How to set up Wi-Fi or set up a network in Ontario long-term care homes during coronavirus outbreak, remotely?

Due to the unsettled situation caused by COVID-19, my team of network engineers is working with a different approach but with the same enthusiasm to set up Wi-Fi or network infrastructure in Ontario LTC homes.

Step 1: Networking hardware assessment

• Non-COVID-19 approach:

Decide the time and visit the long-term care home to assess which networking hardware is required and the right placement of each networking hardware to actualize uniform Internet speed throughout the facility.

• Pro remote approach:

Without visiting the LTC home and causing trouble to LTC staff & residents, study the floorplan to assess which network hardware is required and the right placement of each networking hardware.

Prepare the extensive network infrastructure plan which includes the number & type of networking hardware, connection method, and right placement

Step 2: Networking hardware acquisition

Future-proofing network infrastructure with smart network monitoring

• Non-COVID-19 approach:

Ask LTC homes to purchase the networking devices according to the network infrastructure plan and store it safely in the facility.

• Pro remote approach:

Order the networking devices such as Firewall, Switches, Controllers, and Wi-Fi Access Points through a distribution network and receive them at the workplace.

Step 3: Networking hardware configuration

• Non-COVID-19 approach:

Visit LTC home with a team of network engineers and configure networking devices while causing trouble to staff & residents, using their resources, and affecting their regular operations.

• Pro remote approach:

Use own resources, configure networking devices at the workplace, test it and ship pre-configured devices to LTC home.

Step 4: Networking hardware deployment

• Non-COVID-19 approach:

Halt all existing online senior care tasks and deploy the networking hardware, interfering residents, staff and their privacy.

• Pro remote approach:

Help LTC home’s IT team to deploy the pre-configured networking hardware remotely by using a groundbreaking technology - AR-based Remote Assistance Technology.

Future-proofing network infrastructure with smart network monitoring

It is not so rare to experience errors in network infrastructure. But it is rare to find instant support to fix the errors, especially remotely within minutes.

Here is where the smart network monitoring service plays its role. The network support team evaluates networking hardware actively to optimize their availability.

The automated incident response enables LTC homes to automatically report an error in network infrastructure to the network support team.

As soon as the network support team gets an alert, they act quickly and solve the error to maximize the uptime.

Let’s connect to strengthen the foundation - the network infrastructure

We are Ontario-based one of the top IT management and consulting firms, working closely with many LTC homes.

I would like to share a case study, showcasing how we planned, designed, configured and deployed the network infrastructure in an Ontario-based LTC home within 3 days, remotely.

While comparing an LTC home with 39 casualties and an LTC home with zero casualties, the CBC report states that saving lives is a matter of how quickly we respond to LTC challenges.

Let’s schedule a virtual meeting to discuss modern network infrastructure, plan out a remote network establishment strategy, and strengthen the foundation to respond quickly to LTC challenges.