46 I ICT TODAY
Passive Optical LAN Transforming
ICT in Health Care
By John Hoover
Healthcare facilities have undergone rapid changes in recent years with a focus on digital
transformation taking center stage. New technologies are being introduced to the market
to enhance digital critical care, mobility, internet of things (IoT) and smart buildings. To keep
pace, the healthcare industry must continue to innovate and embrace new ways to deliver
the best care to patients.
Unfortunately, many facilities still rely on a traditional copper-based LAN. In many
cases, the equipment, cabling and network architecture has been in place for a decade
or longer and was not purpose-built for the future of health care (Figure 1). Healthcare
campuses are struggling to address the IoT explosion, the influx of wireless devices,
assurance of greater stability through constant availability and strict quality of service
(QoS) in support of their mission-critical services.
