Vienna, 12 September 2012 – NextiraOne, Europe’s leading expert in communications services, has won a contract with Wie daham… care homes. With some 1000 beds and 800 employees in nine care centres, Wie daham… is one of the leading suppliers of care for the elderly in Austria. NextiraOne has already implemented a comprehensive communications solution for the Atzgersdorf site near Vienna, providing the highest levels of availability and security in emergencies.

The success of the project was a key factor in decision of Wie daham… care homes to implement NextiraOne’s design for two more care homes under construction, in order to standardise its communications systems throughout its homes in Austria, at the same time increasing the mobility of staff and simplifying administrative processes.

At the core of the communications infrastructure of the new homes is an Alcatel-Lucent IP telephony solution which handles the entire voice communications across all sites. Around 70 DECT handsets (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephones) connected via a DECT channel to the communications system ensures the necessary mobility of nursing and management staff in the three care centres. The collection of patient information is also handled via a wireless LAN. Changes, orders for medication and other information is continuously updated and centrally managed via wireless laptops.

NextiraOne implemented a wide-ranging communications system adapted for the elderly residents of the nursing homes. This includes emergency push-buttons for the patient and at bedsides, in the bathrooms and in treatment areas. Additional comfort is provided by bedside phones specially adapted for use by elderly patients.

The interface between this system, the telephone system and the DECT telephones is made via a central alarm server. If a patient makes an emergency call, this is passed directly to the alarm server which directs it to the DECT telephone and informs care staff immediately with the name and room number of the person.

“We are impressed with NextiraOne’s comprehensive care and their smooth implementation of the communications solution. The increased mobility this has given our employees and the reliability of the networks allows us to look after our residents to the highest level of care,” said Otto Scheiflinger, owner and Managing Director of Wie daham… care homes.

Margarete Schramböck, CEO of NextiraOne Austria, emphasized the benefits of the new solution: “Digital information systems are now an accepted fact in the healthcare sector. Effective technologies adapted to the needs of care home residents are able to provide support in situations where every second counts in order to save lives.”

NextiraOne is also responsible for the comprehensive support and maintenance of the care homes in Judenburg, Judenburg-Murdorf, Zeltweg, Klagenfurt-Welzenegg, St. Martin-Kreuzbergl and the Viennese locations Donaustadt, Atzgersdorf, Brigittenau and Simmering as part of a managed services agreement.