Spital Limmattal optimizes patient care and service with Avaya platform

Integrated platform allows hospital to provide free communications services to patients.

Spital Limmattal in Schlieren (Zurich Canton) secures the extended basic care of over 77,000 patients annually in the Swiss regions of Limmattal and Furttal. It offers high-end medical services and is positioning itself in the market as one of Switzerland’s most patient-friendly hospitals.

In recent years, the hospital has made massive investments in new systems and in a new building with state-of-the-art medical facilities. To guarantee optimal workflows for employees and the best possible care of patients, the hospital wanted to install a platform for internal and external staff communications and an information and entertainment system for patients in the new building.

“To date we had used different channels for our internal and external communications,” explains Roman Plattner, Director ICT at Spital Limmattal. “Pagers, telephones, e-mail and other media were deployed in parallel but were often not compatible or efficient. In addition, our provision to patients of communication media such as telephone, television, radio and internet was no longer up to date. The establishment of an integrated, modern communications platform was one of our key projects when it came to the technical fit-out of the new hospital building.”

The tender for the system included the following specifications:

• Complete integration of all communications channels (fixed line telephony, VOIP, mobile telephony, internet, etc.).
• Ensure availability of all patients and staff by means of a dedicated, device-independent telephone number.
• Individual selection and allocation of required communications channels for different workflows and needs (e.g. for medical personnel, administration personnel, patients, and family members).
• Maximum operational reliability.
• Reliable data protection.
• Cost efficiency.
• Flexibility for future expansions.
• Installation and commissioning within a short space of time.

Spital Limmattal contracted Damovo Schweiz AG to devise the communications platform. Damovo recommended Avaya IX Digital Contact Center, Avaya IX Digital Workplace with Avaya IX Calling as well as Avaya IX Meetings and Avaya IX™ Wireless Handsets for the implementation.

Spital Limmattal’s communications infrastructure had become increasingly complex over the years. Doctors were alerted via pagers, for example, communicated via fixed-line telephone, cell phones and e-mail, and went online or retrieved data stored internally using mobile or stationery computers. During the admission process, patients had to apply for telephone cards, a TV, and internet access; they were usually dependent on stationary devices, and had to pay a significant share of the costs themselves. Taken as a whole, a confusing and out-of-date system landscape had evolved that was both labor-intensive and expensive, despite being of limited benefit.

Damovo is an Avaya Edge Diamond Partner, has comprehensive know-how about all Avaya components, and can precisely assess their performance and the ways they can be deployed. Spital Limmattal accepted the recommendation and chose Avaya as its system provider.

Solutions

Damovo devised a fully integrated communications platform with the following components

• Unified Communications Avaya Aura Core (System Manager, Session Manager, Device Service, etc.)
• Avaya IX™ Contact Center
• LAN/VLAN infrastructure and WLAN
• Managed Service
• Avaya Aura 7.1, highly available, virtualized across two data centers
• Avaya IX™ Workplace Attendant, 4 units
• Alarm server (from third-party provider), firewall inclusive of guest access and patient terminal
• Alerting highly available, virtualized across two data centers
• CTI Equinox, WLAN & lP DECT incl. alerts with 3735 Handsets,
• GSM Client and Alarm apps
• “Bring-your-own-device” solution (BYOD) for patients via Wi-Fi inclusive of TV / radio (third-party provider).
• Avaya Breeze® for admission, office check-in/check-out and patient information.
• Alarm and evacuation with reanimation alarm across 24,000 datapoints.

To guarantee the necessary operational reliability combined with maximum flexibility, and to reduce internal efforts to a minimum, Spital Limmattal also contracted Damovo to operate the communications infrastructure for the hospital as a managed service.

“Damovo has proved to be the ideal partner for the realization and operation of the communications structure in our new hospital building. The experts’ technical knowledge and commitment has allowed them to develop a powerful and future-proof solution that is tailored to our needs. It was put into place with Avaya technology in a short space of time and since then, it has met all our expectations. From the first, preliminary talks to ongoing operation, we are entirely satisfied with the advice and support we have received from Damovo,” Roman Plattner emphasizes.

One of the requirements was that the system should be installed and available within the shortest possible time. This was impressively achieved: Installation was concluded within just a few weeks and, as soon as the necessary prerequisites such as electrical supply or wiring had been put in place, all components worked straight away. Once the new building was occupied, the platform was immediately put to active use and was officially approved by Spital Limmattal a few days later.

“The smooth installation of the entire infrastructure and the problem-free commissioning bore out our choice of Avaya and Damovo,” says Roman Plattner. “Both collaboration within the team and the selected Avaya technology worked excellently. The system is scalable at any time and will be able to meet every conceivable requirement for years to come. And Damovo’s management of the entire service guarantees maximum reliability and manageable costs.”

Smooth and fast commissioning

The installation and commissioning of the new IT infrastructure inclusive of the communications platform for employees and patients was completed very rapidly, as planned, after a lead time of around six weeks. It was only isolated delays in the construction of the building that made a few changes to the plan necessary. The actual move to the new building was organized in an exemplary fashion. For instance, the first child was born in the new delivery room only a few hours after the last birth in the old hospital.

“The components delivered by Avaya enabled a generational leap in our communications technology and made a significant contribution to the exceptional quality of service at our hospital,” says Roman Plattner, summing up the project. “We are now working even more efficiently. The quality of care we offer our patients and their comfort have been considerably increased. The hospital is saving money and benefits from the flexible, future-proof technology. Collaboration with our suppliers and consultants was relaxed and professional at all times.”

Roger Peter, Manager Director Sales, Damovo Schweiz AG, adds: “With the system we installed, Spital Limmattal has achieved substantial improvements with regard to service and costs. As we expected, we were able to install all of the Avaya components without problems and on schedule. Meanwhile the innovative technology and operation as a managed service ensure the highest degree of reliability, as well as maximum flexibility and expandability now and in the future.”