Myth-busting hospital connectivity challenges in modern healthcare

If you’ve ever tried to make a mobile call from a hospital – or watched a clinician stand by a window to try and get signal to their smartphone – you’ll know that using a mobile device inside a hospital can be a challenge. Hospitals are often mobile signal not spots, with their thick walls and complicated layouts blocking 4G/5G signal from entering from outside. 

The right hospital connectivity brings network from all the mobile network operators, EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone, as well as all the mobile virtual network operators such as Sky Mobile, indoors so everyone can use their devices no matter which network they’re on. But there’s still a lot of confusion about how to get the right hospital connectivity in place. So read on as our Public Sector Director, Nicola Mortali, busts some of the most common myths below.

Myth 1: We have hospital Wi-Fi, that’s all we need

Wi-Fi is a well-known technology but because it uses unlicensed spectrum (the invisible radio “airwaves” used to carry calls, messages and data through the air without cables), it can become overburdened and fail. This not only means patients can’t use it to communicate with loved ones, but it can also seriously impact business continuity and resiliency across the hospital. Peer-to-peer messaging apps, electronic patient records and more are disrupted if a hospital only has Wi-Fi and it goes down. 4G/5G, on the other hand, uses licensed spectrum, meaning it is very secure and has a guaranteed quality of service. This allows applications to continue to work should the Wi-Fi be disrupted or fail. 

Wi-Fi also usually has a log in process before people can use it, which can be a challenge for some. And when it comes to Wi-Fi calling, not everyone has that feature enabled on their phone. It also relies on a hospital’s Wi-Fi network, which is primarily designed for data use and can become congested or unreliable as people move around the building, with calls dropping when switching between access points. But almost everyone knows how to use a smartphone or tablet to make a call or send a message, meaning having mobile signal in the building makes it easy to stay in touch for those who might struggle with logging onto Wi-Fi.

By enabling people to use their phones just like they do outside, it also cuts down on nurses or other staff having to relay messages between patients and loved ones not in the hospital. This lets clinicians and other staff spend more time caring for patients. In fact, according to our Mobile Connectivity ROI Index NHS and Healthcare, higher workforce productivity is seen as the biggest opportunity for healthcare organisations when it comes to enhanced 4G/5G connectivity; 62% of the 100 C-suite leaders and IT Directors from NHS and healthcare organisations across the UK we surveyed said better indoor connectivity could boost workplace productivity.

Myth 2: You can’t get 4G/5G from all the mobile network operators on one system

Neutral hosts like Freshwave specialise in working with all the MNOs to bring their networks into buildings for their customers. By using a neutral host, it means one set of digital infrastructure can be used to provide every network you need (this also includes the mobile virtual network operators, such as Tesco Mobile and VOXI). We’ve brought all operator connectivity to many NHS hospitals, including The Princess Alexandra Hospital and Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.

Myth 3: You can’t deploy 4G/5G connectivity in older hospitals

Multi-operator in-building mobile systems can be deployed in almost any building. As well as new build hospitals, such as The Grange University Hospital, we’ve also brought it to older estates such as The Princess Alexandra Hospital which has served its community since the 1950s. We’ve also deployed all-operator connectivity in many Grade I listed buildings, ensuring that even 19th century buildings benefit from 21st century connectivity.

Myth 4: Repeaters are a good option for 4G/5G connectivity in hospitals

A repeater is a technology that relies on outdoor mobile signal which it then amplifies and “repeats” into the building it’s installed in. It doesn’t create any new mobile capacity; it draws on what’s present outside. Because of this, it can be affected by changes in the outdoor environment, such as a new building blocking signal, or a new development bringing more people into an area, who will also be drawing on the same outdoor mobile signal.

A dedicated multi-operator in-building mobile system, on the other hand, creates new capacity. One option is small cells which are low power cellular coverage boxes that provide mobile service for people in a carefully defined area inside. They’re similar in size and shape to a Wi-Fi access point. A second option is a distributed antenna system (DAS). A DAS enhances mobile coverage in large, complex environments like large hospitals, stadiums, airports, and multi-building campus facilities. Whether a lead-lined wall is blocking outdoor mobile signal or the number of people trying to use their phones is too high – DAS is ideal for providing consistent, reliable connectivity in the largest, most challenging spaces and places.

Both of these technologies connect securely to the MNOs’ networks, guaranteeing the quality of service. They’re unaffected by any changes outdoors as the system exclusively serves the building it’s deployed in. In a critical environment, such as a hospital, they provide the quality and reliability of service that’s essential to keep everyone in the hospital connected and everything running smoothly. We also provide an ongoing managed service for all our small cell and DAS deployments to ensure they’re always optimised. 

Myth 5: The whole hospital needs to be connected at the same time

Having been part of many NHS trusts’ market engagements, helping CIOs, and clinical teams understand dedicated connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service, we’re under no illusions about the competing digital needs of any hospital environment. Given budgetary constraints, some hospitals have a more pressing need for connectivity in certain parts, such as in urgent and emergency care. 

Our all-operator small cell solution, Omni Network, allows mobile signal to be deployed in priority areas and gives a roadmap to future deployment which can be developed in tandem with budgets when needed. It provides network resilience, digital capability, and improved patient care, so staff can see how assured connectivity can help one part of the hospital. It can then be scaled up in the future if a hospital would like to extend the mobile connectivity to other departments.

This allows a hospital to also experience first-hand how they get a greater aggregated return on digital investments they’ve already made. For example, seeing how peer-to-peer messaging apps work more smoothly in an area with dedicated multi-operator mobile connectivity, rather than falling silent in not spots or when the Wi-Fi is congested or down. Dedicated multi-operator connectivity isn’t just about mobile signal for phones and devices; it provides added value for the other digital tools a hospital has already invested in and supports long-term service innovation.

We’re a supplier on two connectivity frameworks recommended by NHS England: Crown Commercial Service Network Services 3, and G-Cloud 14, meaning a simplified procurement journey.

Myth 6: Our bleeps do the job; we don’t need mobile devices

In 2019 the UK Health Secretary announced that NHS trusts should phase out the use of pagers (bleeps) for non-emergency communication and replace them with modern alternatives such as mobile phones and secure apps by the end of 2021. The policy aimed to improve communication efficiency, reduce costs and support digitalisation across the NHS. 

However, many hospitals have been cautious about fully completing this transition, in part because of concerns about the robustness and reliability of mobile coverage and Wi-Fi inside large healthcare buildings. Dedicated multi-operator in-building mobile systems remove any need for nervousness. They provide the reliable coverage needed to get the most from mobile devices, giving modern healthcare teams the fast, reliable data they need for bedside access for EPRs, imaging, diagnostics and clinical messaging tools such as Alertive. 

Curious to find out more? Check out how we connect patients and clinicians. And you can download our Mobile Connectivity ROI Index NHS and Healthcare here. 

If you’re interested in learning more about mobile connectivity in the NHS, read about frontline staff, the patient perspective, and core inefficiencies in our blog series.