Hospital IT solutions

Hospital IT solutions: The digital foundation of modern hospitals

No monitors in the intensive care unit, no test results in the outpatient department, no ward rounds using a tablet – without functioning IT, every hospital would grind to a halt today. Digitalisation in the healthcare sector thus makes hospital IT a critical lifeline: it must be available round the clock, protect sensitive patient data, constantly integrate new applications and remain cost-effective in the process. CANCOM plans, implements and operates IT solutions for hospitals and clinics throughout the German-speaking world – from the network socket to the cloud, from HIS integration to 24/7 operation. Holistically conceived, with vendor-neutral advice and tailored to everyday clinical practice.

What hospital IT must deliver today

The requirements in the healthcare sector differ significantly from those of traditional corporate IT. A hospital operates 24/7, and reliable IT systems are essential: if the technology fails, patient care is immediately jeopardised. Medical systems, administration and building services share an established infrastructure; regulatory requirements for data protection and information security are increasing; and, at the same time, clinical teams expect new digital applications to be available quickly and seamlessly. Added to this is the economic pressure: IT managers are expected to enable innovation whilst optimising operating costs.

A look at Germany shows just how seriously policymakers are taking this issue: under the Hospital Future Act (KHZG), billions have been invested in the digital transformation of German hospitals – from digital documentation to IT security. Regardless of funding schemes, one thing applies across the entire DACH region: a strategically planned, scalable IT infrastructure is essential to realising the full potential of digitalisation.

• High availability: Redundant systems and well-thought-out contingency plans for uninterrupted operation
• Security: Protection of patient data and systems against cyber-attacks – without hindering clinical processes
• Interoperability: Open interfaces to enable data to flow between the hospital information system (HIS), subsystems and medical technology
• Scalability: An architecture that grows in line with new applications, locations and data volumes
• Operational feasibility: Solutions that can be maintained and further developed with a realistic level of staffing

Hospital network and Wi-Fi in the hospital

The network is the nervous system of any hospital. Mobile ward rounds, networked infusion pumps, patient monitoring, logistics and guest Wi-Fi place highly diverse demands on bandwidth, latency and security – yet must all run on a shared infrastructure. CANCOM designs hospital networks that connect these worlds whilst keeping them clearly separate: High-performance LAN and Wi-Fi environments with comprehensive coverage extending into operating theatres, patient wards and outdoor areas, professional network management and segmentation that isolates medical technology from office IT and meets the requirements of NIS-2 and other regulations. As a certified partner of leading manufacturers such as Cisco and HPE Networking (Aruba + Juniper), we rely on tried-and-tested technology – available on request as a Network-as-a-Service model with predictable monthly costs instead of a high initial investment. Our experienced and certified team of experts will support you throughout all project phases – from consultancy and implementation right through to ongoing operational support.

Servers and Storage: Computing Power for Growing Data Volumes

Medical imaging, laboratory data, digital patient records: data volumes in the healthcare sector are growing rapidly – and with them the demands placed on server and storage systems in hospital environments. CANCOM designs and operates data centre infrastructures designed for availability and performance: virtualised server environments, storage architectures ranging from Network Attached Storage (NAS) to Storage Area Networks (SANs), as well as backup and disaster recovery solutions that enable rapid, automated recovery in the event of an emergency. As a long-standing virtualisation partner with Premier status at VMware, we modernise legacy environments step by step – without risky ‘big bang’ migrations whilst hospital operations continue.

Cloud in healthcare: hybrid, secure, cost-effective

The cloud has also arrived in the healthcare sector – albeit with a sense of proportion. Whilst collaboration, administration and many new applications can be economically sourced via scalable cloud solutions, highly sensitive clinical systems are often deliberately kept in the organisation’s own data centre or in certified data centres in Austria and Germany. CANCOM develops hybrid cloud strategies that combine the best of both worlds: cloud technologies where they deliver scalability and speed, and on-premises infrastructure where data sovereignty and low latency are crucial. Our experts provide support from the strategic cloud readiness analysis through migration to ongoing cost optimisation – ensuring that the cloud remains a tool and does not become an end in itself.

HIS Integration and Interoperability: HL7, FHIR and openEHR

The hospital information system (HIS) is the leading system in almost every hospital – but it is never on its own. Radiology, laboratory, pathology, medication, billing systems and an ever-increasing number of digital applications need to exchange data with the HIS. Real added value is only created when this data exchange takes place in real time, in a structured manner and in both directions: a vital sign reading is automatically added to the patient record, and a prescription is automatically sent to the medication system.

CANCOM consistently relies on international interoperability standards: HL7 as the established basis for message exchange between clinical systems, FHIR as a modern, API-based standard for mobile and web-based use cases, and openEHR for the structured, vendor-neutral storage of clinical data. This ensures your data remains usable in the long term – regardless of which systems you use in the future. To achieve this, our integration teams work closely with leading HIS manufacturers and connect new solutions via defined interfaces, rather than building fragile stand-alone solutions.

The CANCOM Smart Health Platform plays a key role: it functions as an open ecosystem through which compatible applications from various software vendors are securely connected – having been tested for security standards and interoperability. For IT departments, this means: a single integration framework instead of dozens of isolated interfaces, better data quality and well-informed decisions based on consistent information.

Improved quality of care through interconnected data

As technical as hospital IT may sound, its true measure is the outcome of treatment. Only when information is available seamlessly across specialist departments, systems and service providers does digitalisation deliver its benefits at the bedside: complete medical reports, no duplicate examinations, and decisions based on up-to-date data. Seamless data integration and real-time data exchange between clinical systems are therefore far more than just an IT issue – they form the basis of patient-centred care and a noticeably higher standard of treatment. This also enables treatment outcomes to be compared and improved across departmental and organisational boundaries. CANCOM consistently designs its IT architecture with this goal in mind: the focus is not on the technology itself, but on what it delivers for patients and the quality of care.

Medical technology IT: When medical devices become part of the network

Infusion pumps, ventilators, imaging systems: modern medical technology is networked IT – with its own protocols, long life cycles and specific operational and security requirements. CANCOM brings both worlds together: we integrate medical technology systematically into the hospital network, ensure accurate inventory management and connectivity to clinical systems, and lay the technical foundations for use cases such as the automatic transfer of vital signs data to the HIS – for example, via an HL7 interface with the Alviscan self-monitoring kiosk, or with the HiMed Cockpit proX patient terminal featuring HL7 and FHIR integration. But the networked hospital encompasses even more: Building services and operational technology, such as lifts, air-conditioning and access control systems, are increasingly becoming part of the network. A holistically designed hospital IT concept not only connects these systems but also protects them – because every connected device increases the attack surface. We explore in more detail how to protect the growing IoMT and OT landscape from cyber-attacks on our page dedicated to IT security in the healthcare sector.

Digital workstations and AI-supported applications in everyday clinical practice

Hospital IT does not end in the server room. Doctors and nursing staff now work on the move – using ward trolleys, tablets and smartphones, and at different workstations. CANCOM equips clinical teams with well-designed workplace solutions: centrally managed end devices with Mobile Device Management, single sign-on for quick system switching during everyday ward duties, and collaboration tools for working across sites. AI-powered applications are increasingly finding their way into these workflows: From generative assistants that speed up routine documentation to the intelligent automation of recurring processes in administration and IT operations. In this way, digital solutions noticeably ease the burden on clinical workflows. We help you identify use cases that deliver real added value – and implement them securely and in compliance with data protection regulations.

Operations, maintenance and managed services: taking the strain off your IT department

The skills shortage does not spare IT departments in the healthcare sector either. At the same time, the system landscape continues to grow with every digitalisation initiative. CANCOM Managed Services provide relief here – in a modular way and exactly where you need it: from monitoring individual components, through the operation of networks, data centres or workstations, to comprehensive operational responsibility with clearly defined service levels. Your IT department retains control and gains the freedom to focus on clinical projects, whilst our teams take care of maintenance, updates and support – round the clock if required.

Hospital IT with CANCOM: Strategically planned, reliably operated

Whether it’s a new build, refurbishment or phased modernisation of existing facilities: CANCOM supports hospitals with a holistic approach – from analysis and target architecture right through to implementation and operation. Our healthcare teams understand the processes in outpatient departments, wards and operating theatres from hundreds of healthcare projects and translate clinical requirements into viable, bespoke IT strategies. The result is future-proof, optimised IT landscapes that support clinical workflows rather than holding them back – and a partnership that does not end after go-live. This healthcare expertise delivers real added value: it combines proven reliability with innovation in the healthcare sector – ensuring that technology translates into tangible benefits for healthcare professionals and patients. As an experienced partner to the healthcare sector, we always approach IT from the perspective of patient care.

• Analysis & Strategy: Infrastructure assessment, target vision and roadmap for your hospital IT
• Architecture & Implementation: Network, data centre, cloud and integration – implemented across all vendors
• Interoperability: HIS integration and data flows based on HL7, FHIR and openEHR
• Operation & Support: Managed services with an SLA, monitoring and a 24/7 option