Sisters of Mercy Health System, the Hatboro, Pa.-based healthcare provider, is benefiting from IP-based phones over wireless in its installation of the Ascom IP DECT System wireless base stations and phones at a number of its hospital sites.

"We were looking for a wireless system and failover," says Felix Merlino, manager of telecommunications for the healthcare organization, noting integrator InfoLogix designed and installed it.

Hospital staff has welcomed IP phones over wireless as a good alternative to a paging system to contact needed medical personnel. While the wireless equipment doesn't interfere with any other hospital equipment, there can be issues with blocked reception, which have to be addressed by adjusting base stations.

The firmware for the IP DECT equipment has to be patched from time to time, notes Cory Lindley, the healthcare provider's senior telecommunications analyst, adding, "As we move further into the VoIP realm, I can see that will be a regular occurrence." Patching requires systems to be shut down and rebooted so it's important to have a second gateway as backup, he points out.

Just considering use of wireless access points in network design raises considerations in terms of the Payment Card Industry (PCI) security rules, says Bernie Rominski, IT security officer for Regis Salons.