Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology
Thu, February 5, 2009 Newly Opened Cancer Treatment Centers of America Hospital Powered by Qwest
GOODYEAR, Ariz.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--The newest hospital in the steadily growing Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) network is relying on a high-speed networking solution designed by [ Qwest Communications ] (NYSE: Q) to help deliver a fully integrated, patient-centered treatment experience that combines traditional, state-of-the-art medical treatments with scientifically supported complementary therapies.
[ CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center ], a 213,000-square-foot facility, resides on a 25-acre site in Goodyear, Ariz., near Phoenix. Qwest designed and delivered an advanced communications network that gives the CTCA patient care team reliable, real-time access to patient records, medical imaging and sophisticated health care applications.
"At CTCA, we are constantly looking for ways to improve patient care for those living with cancer," said Chad Eckes, chief information officer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. "Qwest's first-class communications solution enables the new facility to deliver leading-edge medical technology and innovative medical therapy in a manner that increases operational efficiencies and reduces costs and paper."
By consolidating technology on a single managed platform, medical institutions nationwide can reduce costs and increase operational efficiencies. Qwest's converged broadband network, with its underlying optical connectivity, has capacity to support rates up to 40 gigabits per second. The Qwest network is one of the most advanced networks available, offering best-in-class service level agreements and access speeds to enterprises and government agencies of all sizes nationwide.
"Information technology solutions are improving the quality of health care for Americans – a fact that has been widely recognized by the nation's leading health care providers and the new administration in Washington," said [ Teresa Taylor ], [ executive vice president, Qwest Business Markets Group ]. "Hospitals like CTCA are using affordable, tailored solutions from Qwest to improve patient care and quality of life while also increasing operational efficiency."
All four CTCA hospitals are connected by Qwest's wide-area networking solutions. The network is based on Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology, enabling doctors and staff to share critical patient information between locations using speeds up to 45 megabits per second.
In addition to the wide-area network, a private fiber ring supports CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center to deliver a fully redundant, self-healing voice and data platform so doctors and staff can reliably transmit, digitally store and retrieve patient records almost instantaneously. The hospital's private fiber ring is supported by two separately located Qwest central offices. In the unlikely event that one office suffers failure, the hospital's network traffic would be automatically re-routed. The high level of security offered by Qwest's solution helps the hospital meet HIPAA compliance requirements.
"As part of our commitment to delivering a high standard of care to patients across the CTCA network, we must ensure the systems that support quality care and patient safety as well as administrative processes are available 100 percent of the time," said Rakesh Patel, director of IT for Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Supported by Qwest's all-digital network, CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center is the first fully "paperless" hospital in its network with an exclusively electronic records management system. The other three CTCA hospitals are based in suburban Chicago, Philadelphia and Tulsa.
About Qwest Business
Qwest Business is a choice of 95 percent of Fortune 500 companies offering a comprehensive portfolio of data and voice networking communications solutions for businesses and health care customers – from individual doctors' offices to large hospitals – nationwide. As health care providers increasingly adopt advanced life-saving digital technologies and administrators seek to ensure compliance with an array of regulations, more are turning to Qwest for technical expertise, responsive account management, and world-class services that exceed customers' expectations for quality, value, and reliability. Visit [ Qwest.com/business ] to see why medical and health care institutions coast to coast rely on Qwest services that support [ HIPAA compliance requirements and patient satisfaction ].
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America®
Founded in 1988, Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) provides a comprehensive, patient-centered treatment model that fully integrates traditional, state-of-the-art medical treatments with scientifically supported complementary therapies such as nutrition, naturopathic medicine, psychological counseling, physical therapy and spiritual support to meet the special, whole-person needs of advanced cancer patients. With a network of cancer treatment hospitals and community oncology programs in Arizona, Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Washington, CTCA encourages patients and their families to participate in treatment decisions with its Patient Empowerment MedicineSM model. For more information about Cancer Treatment Centers of America, go to [ cancercenter.com ].
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