Medical-grade wireless connectivity is becoming a basic healthcare utility, like power, HVAC and water, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management magazine website.

The ability of caregivers to roam wirelessly, access electronic health records and have other information delivered anywhere can create efficiencies, lower costs, increase access and improve the quality of outcomes, the article said.

Facilities have several different and discrete wireless networks that serve individual applications and devices.

Some of the many different wireless devices within a facility include:

• Wireless data, typically called an 802.11 wireless network

• Bluetooth devices, which are wireless nurse call devices and medical equipment

• Asset tracking using a radio-frequency network

• Cellular phones

• Digital pagers

• Two-way radios

• Fire and life safety mobile communications

• Multimedia applications

• Patient telemetry and other wireless medical devices

Read the article.