Client Virtualization - PC Connection

Print page E-mail page

Messages

Infrastructure Solutions - Client Virtualization

Secure Mobility

Client virtualization—also known as virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)—has tangible benefits for clinicians, physicians, and patients. Since confidential data resides in the data center, client virtualization ensures secure mobility and eases compliance patient privacy regulations. Caregivers gain flexible access to the applications and data they use every day when and where they need it, regardless of device or location.

Capturing and validating data at the point of care increases data accuracy and minimizes reporting errors, contributing directly to quality of patient care. Virtual desktops also improve the patient’s experience. Since clinicians and physicians minimize the time they spend logging on, they can maximize the time they spend with a patient.

Access Apps and Patient Records

When they log on to their virtual desktop, members of the healthcare team can access the tools and information they need—regardless of what device they’re using or where they are located, even outside the healthcare facility. For example, home care nurses can access applications via a secure internet connection from patients’ residences in the same way they can at the hospital.

Boost Data Security

Client virtualization makes HIPAA compliance easier and empowers IT staff to deliver reliable access to critical resources and ensure patient data is protected. Since data resides in the data center, rather than on a local device’s hard drive, a patient’s health information is secured without impeding the mobility of caregivers or creating cumbersome workflows.

Protecting data on mobile infrastructure does require security that encompasses all devices and pathways that are used to store, transfer, and access information. End-to-end protection involves a comprehensive system of practices, policies, and solutions designed to protect data at rest and in motion—such as SSL-secured connections and firewalls.

You’ll also want to implement device-specific security measures like automatic data encryption and enhanced user authentication technologies such as fingerprint readers and smart cards (portable digital identity). A security assessment is an ideal first step to develop a 360° view of your network infrastructure and uncover any security weaknesses.

Lower TCO

Client virtualization also presents an opportunity to save on hardware-related expenses. You can replace standard PCs with efficient, lower-cost thin client devices. You may also be able to continue using legacy hardware that would ordinarily have to be replaced. In addition, thin clients have typical refresh cycles of 7 years vs. 3 to 4 for a typical PC.

Requiring minimal time to deploy, thin client devices can be installed in harsh environments or areas with short downtime windows. They are quieter, smaller, use less power, and have no fan—which means there is no air movement—attributes beneficial in a healthcare setting.

Healthy Savings for IT

Client virtualization and centralized IT management reduce the amount of time healthcare IT organizations spend provisioning, configuring, and monitoring individual devices.

Hardware and software upgrades, application settings, technical support, storage, and backups are significantly more efficient. For example, IT admins can more easily deploy, manage, and support core applications accessed through a centrally-managed data center, rather than tracking application use on devices and operating systems distributed throughout a large hospital campus.

Upgrades and patches are also much easier. Users access updated data center applications immediately, eliminating time-consuming upgrades for each individual device. IT can filter by user or IP to upgrade specific clients if necessary.

Healthcare organizations save significant time and money by managing IT at the data center rather than hundreds or thousands of individual user devices. This also frees IT so that they can focus on mission critical objectives vs. desk side support.

24/7 Support

In the data center, failover settings ensure that even in the event of a server failure, other servers instantly step in to ensure maximum data center uptime and 24/7 availability. You can also optimize data center server performance using resource-based load balancing technology, assigning application processing jobs to hardware with most available resources.

Time for a Checkup

Adopters of virtualization technology will enjoy today’s efficiency benefits, and you will be well positioned to take advantage of future opportunities.

HealthConnection is here to ensure rapid, secure, and reliable access to your data when and where you need it. We can assess your situation and help you create a client virtualization strategy to take the point of care everywhere. To get started with client virtualization solutions, complete this Information Request Form, or contact your account manager at 1-800-395-8685.