VMware Helps Patients

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- U.S. healthcare providers of all sizes are turning to VMware (NYSE: VMW) virtual desktop solutions to relieve many of the "pain points" of desktop computing, including high management costs and low data security. National providers such as Kindred Healthcare and major regional providers including Huntsville Hospital and Metropolitan Health are now using VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) to give care providers the mobility and reliability they need to access patient information at the point of care, and at the same time, enable data center staff to manage IT more efficiently with the strict security controls required by government regulations and patient privacy needs.

VMware VDI integrates VMware Infrastructure 3 and the new VMware Virtual Desktop Manager 2 in an easy-to-manage desktop virtualization solution. With VMware virtual desktops, healthcare providers can host traditional desktops as virtual machines running on centralized servers in a datacenter, making management easier for IT staff and controls on sensitive data stronger.

Caregivers can access their virtual desktops remotely from any traditional PC, laptop, or thin client, giving them greater flexibility. IT administrators can authorize access only to applications and data necessary for each user, and data never resides on the physical device, preventing loss or theft of data. This level of control is especially important in the healthcare industry where the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandates the security and privacy of health data.

Kindred Healthcare increases caregiver mobility with VMware

Kindred Healthcare is the largest post-acute healthcare provider in the U.S. with approximately 230 nursing centers, more than 80 long-term acute care hospitals and more than 35,000 licensed beds. Kindred needed a better way for its nursing and physician staff to easily access patient data while complying with HIPAA requirements. Kindred deployed VMware virtual desktops on wireless thin clients, mounted on rolling carts. This has enabled caregivers to enter and access medical information securely at the bedside, while letting IT centrally manage patches and upgrades, control access to sensitive data, reduce hardware costs, and provide better patient support."Our medical staff needs the flexibility to move around the point of care, without being hampered by cumbersome PCs," said Rob Rhodes, technical consultant at Kindred Healthcare. "Our 'Workstation on Wheels' solution, using VMware virtual desktops on thin clients, can run on a single charge all day long, giving doctors, nurses and clinicians unfettered bedside mobility without interrupting access to patient data and care information."

VMware Inc.