When internet service goes down, a care facility feels it immediately. Cloud-based EHRs stop loading, voice over IP phones go quiet, eFax stops arriving, and remote support tools become unreachable. Yet many buildings run on a single consumer-grade connection that was chosen on price years ago.
This guide compares common connection types and explains how to build redundancy without overspending.
Before comparing providers, list what would fail if the internet went down:
Cloud-hosted EHR or EMR
Phone system, if it is internet-based
Pharmacy, lab and eFax services
Security cameras with cloud features
Remote monitoring and nurse call integrations
Resident and guest Wi-Fi
Staff email and cloud tools
The more critical items on the list, the more you should invest in reliability, not just speed.
Fiber is generally the most reliable and offers speeds that are the same in both directions. It is a strong choice where available, especially in a building with many users and cloud applications. Availability varies by location, and rural facilities may not have it yet.
Cable is widely available and often cost-effective. Download speeds are usually much higher than upload speeds, which can limit cloud backup and video. Shared neighborhood capacity can cause slowdowns at busy times.
Business-class dedicated circuits come with service level agreements, static addresses and defined repair times. They cost more, but may be appropriate for the primary connection in a larger facility.
Some rural areas rely on fixed wireless providers. Performance can vary with distance, weather and line of sight, so ask for references from nearby customers.
5G or LTE routers are useful as backup connections. Satellite services have expanded options for remote locations, but latency and weather considerations matter for voice and real-time applications. Test before relying on any of these for primary service.
The strongest design uses two connections from different providers and, ideally, different physical paths. If both providers use the same buried cable route, a single dig can take down both.
A practical setup for many facilities:
A primary wired connection, preferably fiber or business cable
A secondary connection from a different carrier, possibly a cellular backup
A firewall or router that supports automatic failover and, if needed, load balancing
Phone and critical systems configured to survive a switch between connections
Remember to test failover by unplugging the primary during a planned window, because a failover that has never been tried often fails when needed.
Count concurrent users and devices, then add cloud applications, video, backups and resident streaming. Resident use can be the largest consumer in senior living. Separate resident Wi-Fi from clinical traffic, apply fair usage limits, and consider quality of service settings so the EHR and voice traffic get priority. It is usually better to size for growth over the next few years than to pay for an upgrade each year.
What is the service level agreement, and what are the repair time commitments?
Is speed symmetrical, and is it guaranteed or best effort?
How many other customers share the connection?
Do you provide static IP addresses, and at what cost?
What is the contract term, and what are the termination and relocation fees?
What is the support process, and is there a business-hours-only limitation?
Which upstream carrier do you use, and do you share physical routes with other providers?
Keep a page with account numbers, support phone numbers, circuit IDs, router locations and login details stored securely. During an outage, the person who knows the account may not be on shift.
UnityCare IT helps healthcare organizations compare internet options, design failover and manage carrier relationships when something breaks. If your building has a single connection and a lot riding on it, we can help you plan a more resilient design.
Call or text: 405-285-3845
New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: UnityCare Technologies, 2524 N Broadway Ste 554, PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034-4172