MEDSTAR HEALTH CURES WAN DILEMMA WITH IRG PRIVATEIP
The mission of MedStar Health is to serve the needs of their patients in the Baltimore/ Washington region by providing superior, comprehensive health care services in a patient-first environment. Their extended network of seven hospitals, almost 100 affiliate locations, and over 23,000 employees makes MedStar Health one of the premier not-for-profit healthcare organizations in the country. MedStar's primary business is healthcare, not telecommunications, and when it came to selecting a new network partner, they wanted a company who could live up to the same superior standards they have set for themselves.
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CIO Challenges
With corporate headquarters, two separate data centers, and almost 100 medical practices spread out across the mid-Atlantic, MedStar was in need of a partner who could provide a secure, managed, broadband-enabled network that was available to every facility. MedStar also required the network service to be pro-actively managed 24/7/365, meet specific HIPAA requirements, be installed during approved service windows to minimize physician-patient interruptions, and include new premise equipment to replace existing, end-of-life units.
After exploring VPN options, MedStar concluded that its patient information was just too sensitive to traverse the public Internet, even if the data was encrypted. They needed a network that was completely separate from the public Internet, but could still provide comparable bandwidth at VPN price points, as well as have failover capabilities built-in at the network level.
The IRG solution
IRG was tasked with implementing a network infrastructure that would meet MedStar's IT objectives while maintaining a high-level of security to protect patient information. Due to its inherent exclusivity, PrivateIP was a natural fit. By offering various last mile options, MedStar was able to make their own decision on what type of access was best for each facility. Dual host connections, one to each data center and with BGP configuration, were implemented to allow for dynamic failover and redundancy, further improving remote site up-time.
Within 60 days, PrivateIP service was installed and operational at all designated MedStar locations and the network was under 24/7/365 management. "IRG's PrivateIP implementation has been great, and they have kept us informed each step of the way. Their proactive management is very accurate and helpful. This is a feature we were not used to receiving from previous carriers," said Nick D'Apice, Manager of Network Communications for MedStar Health.
IRG delivered:
 WAN connectivity via IRG PrivateIP network
New network CPE installed at each remote facility
BGP configuration at IRG|Core to allow for failover between host connections
24/7/365 pro-active network management of all locations, down to the remote CPE
Custom NOC procedures
Customized monthly bill
Download a printable pdf of the MedStar Health Case Study
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