Benefits of Network Monitoring in Healthcare

In today’s world, a healthy IT infrastructure is essential to the success of any industry. But it becomes increasingly important when it comes to the healthcare industry, where “business as usual” often involves saving people’s lives. In these situations, the critical significance of the work they do—from entering data on a patient’s file to alerting doctors to urgent needs—necessitates that every component of their network performs optimally at all times. 

With advances in technology, the network of a typical healthcare business is both ever-evolving and ever-expanding. For example, healthcare organizations have begun leveraging mobile devices like smartphones and tablets to handle tasks like accessing medical records and submitting prescriptions. In many ways, these future-focused developments are improving the quality of care patients are receiving. But as the number of devices connecting to your IT network continues to grow, it presents a greater need for oversight.

If networks aren’t properly monitored at the administrative level, it can significantly compromise the quality of care to patients. Because of the risks that accompany poorly monitored networks—especially healthcare IT networks—it’s imperative that healthcare organizations are backed with a scalable network monitoring solution.

Here are some important benefits of healthcare network monitoring:

Keep Medical Devices Up and Running

​As the importance of the Internet of Things (IoT) grows in the healthcare industry, any device that connects and transmits health data from patient to physician—whether wired or wireless—should be monitored. Devices in the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) can be monitored to ensure the device is working and providing the most accurate data possible. With a healthy network, doctors can ensure they're always getting the most accurate and up-to-date patient data from x-ray and MRI machines, ultrasound machines, and more. Another example is ventilators, which can be monitored to alert administrators to a potential error or problem with the device before it fails, and consequently, fails to keep a patient safe.

Remote Patient Monitoring

With the IoMT, patient care can extend beyond clinical or hospital settings. Remote patient monitoring from wearable health devices like glucose monitors, pacemakers, CPAP machines, blood pressure or pulse monitors, and more can help doctors get key health data from patients 24/7. Network monitoring software can help keep your network strong so the information from these devices can be more quickly received. Plus, with the advent of telemedicine, doctors need to ensure they have adequate bandwidth and reliable connections so they can utilize video appointments with patients unable to come into their office.

Accurate Medical Records

In today’s healthcare world, most patient’s medical records are electronic, and those systems need to be monitored and maintained. But if a hospital’s network isn’t being well-managed, things like an application error could be overlooked. These errors disrupt the accuracy of patient information and can lead to lackluster healthcare. By identifying and remedying network performance issues, a network monitoring tool can prevent these problems before they can happen.

Monitoring for Non-Medical Devices

Outside of your medical devices, hospital and healthcare facilities need to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for the safety of doctors and patients. Network monitoring software can monitor key devices that keep your facility up and running like thermostats, uninterruptible power supply, and HVAC among others. Furthermore, it’s important that communication and messaging devices like intercoms or email servers are monitored so healthcare officials can reach each other when emergencies occur. And network monitoring can even be used to ensure your security systems, alarms, and sprinkler systems are fully functional and ready when needed.

Take A Proactive Approach to Healthcare Monitoring

Intermapper, powerful network monitoring software from Fortra, can help you keep your healthcare network healthy and strong. Your network goes beyond your network, and with Intermapper, you can map and monitor everything from IT and facility devices to IoMT devices—anything with an IP address—to get real-time views of your entire network.

Intermapper’s alerts help you stay ahead of outages by monitoring network traffic and letting you know when there’s trouble. It’s easier to provide your patients with the quality care they need when you enhance the reliability of your network and ensure all systems are performing optimally. Plus, Intermapper is HIPAA compliant, which means that users won't have to worry about not meeting compliance mandates.

When it comes to healthcare, business means protecting life. And in that line of business, only the best network monitoring solution is acceptable.