WIRELESS SOLUTIONS NEWS

Alerts, messaging and voice bring value to mobile clinicians

4 May 2010
Gothenburg, Sweden

Alerts, messaging and voice bring value to mobile clinicians
New Ascom IP-DECT system to Spectrum Health

Research Triangle Park, NC – May 4, 2010 – Ascom Wireless Solutions, the leading supplier of on-site communications, is pleased to announce that Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan will continue to use Ascom as their on-site wireless system provider for mission critical voice and messaging.  Spectrum Health will upgrade its existing Ascom personal wireless telephony system with Ascom’s new state-of-the-art IP-Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) system.

Jason Joseph, Director of Clinical Technology and Information Solutions at Spectrum Health states:
“We chose the new Ascom IP-DECT system because of our past experience with Ascom and their ability to provide a good balance of communication features that fit our requirements.  We performed a comparative evaluation for a new solution considering alerting and messaging thresholds, form factor, features, usability, and total cost of ownership.  The evaluation team decided that Ascom provided the best solution for our needs.”

Ascom will be providing Spectrum Health with over 1,200 wireless handsets at both Butterworth and Blodgett hospitals.  In addition, Spectrum Health has also decided to expand coverage at its new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital with an additional 250 handsets.  This will allow Spectrum Health to send automated alerts from its systems directly to mobile care providers with Ascom handsets.

The new IP-DECT system operates in the same 1920–1930MHz spectrum that they have used with their current wireless phone system, which is set aside by the Federal Communications Commission, for on-site wireless communications.  Spectrum Health chose the IP-DECT system over Ascom and other manufactures 802.11 WLAN network based systems given their years of experience with Ascom’s dedicated wireless telephony platform providing unmatched voice quality of service and redundancy.  The total cost of ownership is projected to be lower with the new IP-DECT platform.

“I’m delighted that Spectrum Health will continue as one of our most valued customers and are able to take advantage of our Valued Customer Program that is being offered to all customers in our installed base.  This will give Spectrum Health the opportunity to capitalize on the full value that medical device alerts, text messaging and voice bring to mobile clinicians” says Chad West, President and CEO of Ascom US.

For more information visit www.ascom.com or contact:
Tom McKearney
EVP Marketing & Business Development, Ascom US
Phone: +1 919-234-2507
Email: tom.mckearney@ascomwireless.com

Ascom Wireless Solutions (www.ascom.com/ws) is a leading provider of on-site wireless communications for key segments such as hospitals, elderly care, independent living, manufacturing industries, secure establishments, retail and hotels. More than 75,000 systems are installed at major companies all over the world. The company offers a broad range of voice and professional messaging solutions, creating value for customers by supporting and optimizing their Mission-Critical processes. The solutions are based on VoWiFi, IP-DECT, nurse call and paging technologies, smartly integrated into existing enterprise systems. The company has subsidiaries in 11 countries and 1,200 employees worldwide. Founded in 1955 and based in Göteborg, Sweden, Ascom Wireless Solutions is part of the Ascom Group, listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange