Complaints about Wi-Fi in care facilities have a familiar pattern. The tablet loses connection at the end of the hall, the medication cart drops off the network in one wing, and residents say their streaming never works. Because wireless is now central to charting, communication and resident satisfaction, an aging or poorly designed network can slow down everything. Upgrading it is a significant project, so planning and budgeting carefully pays off.
Staff report slow or interrupted access in particular areas
Devices frequently disconnect when moving between rooms
Equipment is several generations old, or no longer supported with security updates
Access points were added over time without an overall design
The network was designed for laptops and now supports many phones, tablets, carts, voice devices and resident televisions
Different parts of the building have different brands and settings
Before choosing equipment, write down what the network must do.
Clinical use: Which devices connect, where they are used, and what applications are time-sensitive?
Voice and real-time traffic: Do you use wireless phones, voice badges or video calls?
Resident and guest access: How many devices should it support, and what experience do you want to provide?
Building systems: Cameras, nurse call, thermostats and door systems that may use wireless
Coverage areas: Resident rooms, common areas, outdoor spaces, courtyards and parking
Growth: New wings, renovations or additional residents expected in the next few years
A wireless site survey measures how signals behave in your actual building. Building materials, such as concrete, brick, metal framing and the water in plumbing, affect coverage. Resident room doors, mirrors and elevator shafts do too.
A predictive survey uses floor plans and models to estimate how many access points you need and where to put them
An on-site survey measures real signal strength and interference, and is more accurate, especially in older buildings
A post-installation validation survey confirms that the finished network meets the requirements
In a facility with many resident rooms, access point placement matters. Placing them in hallways can leave rooms with weak signal behind closed doors, so some designs place access points in or between rooms.
Capacity versus coverage: Many devices in one area require more access points, not just a stronger signal
Frequency bands: Newer standards use the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands, which provide more capacity but shorter range than 2.4 GHz
Network separation: Use separate wireless networks for staff, clinical devices, building systems and guests, as described in a segmentation plan
Wired backbone: Access points need quality cabling and switches with adequate power over Ethernet capacity and speed
Management: A central management platform simplifies updates, monitoring and troubleshooting
Security: Use modern encryption, strong authentication for staff networks and avoid shared passwords where possible
A wireless project includes more than access points. Typical cost components are:
Access points and licenses or subscriptions for management
Network switches, with power over Ethernet
New or repaired cabling and installation labor
Controllers or cloud management
Site survey and design
Configuration, testing and staff training
Disposal of old equipment
Contingency for surprises, such as discovering failing cable or ceiling access problems
Obtain multiple quotes and ask each vendor to show the survey results that justify the number of access points. Be cautious about proposals that skip the survey.
If the entire building cannot be done at once, prioritize.
Fix areas with the greatest clinical impact first, such as medication carts and nurse stations
Then address resident rooms and common areas
Finally, address outdoor and secondary areas
Plan each phase to minimize disruption, and avoid shift changes and medication passes.
Keep the old network running until the new one is validated
Test every type of device that will use the network, including carts, phones and building systems
Communicate with staff about schedules and what to expect
Have a rollback plan
Network equipment generally needs replacement every several years, depending on the vendor's support schedule. Include refresh in your capital planning, and keep a record of warranty and support end dates.
UnityCare IT assists healthcare and senior-living organizations with wireless assessments, site surveys, design and phased installation. If your staff complain about connectivity, a short assessment can show whether the cause is hardware, design or configuration, before you commit to a major purchase.
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