In summary
Develop a new, enterprise-grade video-conferencing platform, including centralised multipoint capability with centralised call flow, and interlinking all clinical and corporate centres across the state.
Featuring central management of the video endpoints, the new platform provides unprecedented control across the state, with enhanced troubleshooting capability, and providing a scalable solution that can grow and change with future requirements.
A solution which has transformed video-conferencing for the clinical centres that had operated independently in siloed environments, and which introduced centralised purchasing and support contracts, leading to considerable cost savings for the organisation.
In detail
The state-wide video-conferencing solution for a large health organisation had reached the limit of capacity its legacy design allowed.
Compounding the issue, each of its clinical centres had independent video solutions, from multiple vendors, with limited interaction between them. And the underlying wide area network had reached its own limitations.
With video usage increasing among clinicians, healthcare providers and patients, video traffic was expected to substantially increase. So the organisation specified requirements for a new video-conferencing platform.
The brief was for an enterprise-grade solution, interlinking all clinical and corporate centres across the state. The platform was required to include centralised multipoint capability with centralised call flow.
Because of its extensive experience with large enterprise networks and video-conferencing, Frame was selected to assist with the strategy, design and implementation of the state-wide solution.
Frame was initially engaged to develop the strategic plan and high-level design. Scalability was paramount, and the solution had to cater for multiple technologies such as ISDN and IP. This would ensure the video-conferencing solution was able to handle increased traffic internally between the clinical and corporate centres, as well as support video-conferencing with external parties such as patients, GPs and healthcare providers.
The success of the planning stage led to Frame being contracted to provide the detailed design. Consulting and working with the clinical and corporate centres, Frame redesigned the existing video-conferencing solution to work within the new platform. In this way, the best components of the organisation’s legacy investment were leveraged and integrated within a contemporary design for the latest hardware and software.
A pilot project was using a video link between over-the-bed solutions and consultants. Frame devised the new platform based on this, expanding the infrastructure, capabilities and capacity for the state‑wide system.
It was a design for the next level of video solutions for the organsiation, providing a scalable enterprise‑grade solution that could grow and change with future requirements.
Following stakeholder acceptance of the detailed design, Frame was requested to implement the solution.
Featuring central management of the video endpoints, the new platform provides unprecedented control across the state, with enhanced troubleshooting capability.
The solution has transformed video-conferencing for the clinical centres that had operated independently in siloed environments. What’s more, it has centralised purchasing and support contracts, leading to considerable cost savings for the organisation.
Conducted over 2 years, with up to three staff supporting the scope of work, Frame designed and implemented the video-conferencing platform to use the backbone of the WAN.
To ensure the strategy and design were right, Frame held multiple workshops with stakeholders in the clinical and corporate centres.
As part of developing the strategy, design and implementing the solution, Frame:
- developed standards suitable for current and future requirements, providing the baseline for video environments and usage
- upgraded the capacity and capabilities of infrastructure by implementing additional software and hardware that can expand as the solution requires
- implemented centralised call flow, with centralised multipoint capability that stretches across the state to provide additional capabilities in management and troubleshooting.
Post implementation, Frame has provided intensive ongoing operations support, administration training and Level-3 subject matter expertise. This has enabled administration staff to better support the organisation’s video-conferencing platform for troubleshooting, administration and general use.