x
The Olympia Eye and Laser Centre in Windhoek, Namibia is committed to leveraging advantages tied to the fast-paced evolution of sophisticated technology in their operations. Owned by a leading Namibian ophthalmologist, Dr Jonathan Joffe, this home to office conversion lies adjacent to his private residence where both home and office are fitted and fully supported with Molex PowerCat Cat5e, Cat6 and Fibre Optic solutions.
Overview
Established in 1996, The Olympia Eye and Laser Centre is fully equipped to diagnose and treat the most challenging of eye disorders including corrective surgical procedures. Dr. Joffe’s consultative approach includes complete medical work-ups and thorough patient diagnostics, relying heavily on the accuracy of tests conducted by very specialized equipment. Ultimately, results are digitally collated at a central point by the ophthalmologist. The sophisticated nature of the medical services offered at The Olympia Eye and Laser Centre drives the requirement for continual technology upgrades in support of their critical equipment and processes. As technology improves in the ophthalmological field, so does the scope of the medical solutions at the Centre. There’s commitment at The Olympia Eye and Laser Centre to embrace the latest medical advances and to acquire the latest technology in support of these advances. Likewise their IP (Internet Protocol) infrastructure needs to complement these advances.
The Challenges
The biggest challenge faced by the installer, Cabling Solutions, was to ensure that interruptions to this busy practice were kept to a minimum while upgrades were implemented. Providing a guarantee that the operating theatre was always available and ready for use, whether for scheduled procedures or for emergencies, was a top priority. There was also a need for a reliable, resilient, high performance network system to support the continuously advancing and evolving nature of the practice. “The practice is a dynamic one and excellence is the only acceptable outcome,“ says Mr. Louis Meyer of Cabling Solutions, “things either get done properly or they do not get done at all and the chosen network cabling solution must be able to accommodate these highly specialized demands,” he adds.
In addition to its core business, the Centre’s security, administration and telephony functions are also supported by the IP infrastructure, making a totally integrated system another key deliverable for this installation. The chosen infrastructure solution must accommodate all of these IP-enabled systems. The implementation of new medical devices along with smart building solutions maintains the Centre’s elite status. EoIP is the cornerstone of their sophisticated technology platform.
The Solution
Cabling Solutions and The Olympia Eye and Laser Centre enjoy a professional relationship that spans 16 years. “There is passion in what we do and our commitment to quality is crucial to how we perform on a daily basis,” says Meyer. “This project is also unique because the client is very technology savvy and actively participates in solution evaluation. In the end, we both agreed that Molex
was the only solution for this installation.”
Molex Premise Networks (MPN) provides the ideal breadth of technology for this multiple solution installation. MPN’s suite of solutions accommodate the evolving needs of this practice as evidenced by the patch panel to consolidation frame installation. The flexible configuration of this equipment allowed for a fully populated patch panel in the Data Centre and minimized the need to go back and disrupt services because the information points are only terminated from the consolidation frame to the outlet in the skirting. This design allows for more head room for future growth, when more points are needed in certain locations. The Molex recommendation of 50% head room took into account planned outlet density with the practice’s needs in mind, as well as
the location of the consolidation frame to the output position. Come expansion time, the practice will be fully geared in terms of cabling already in place.
“The planning for future growth has always been crucial because our equipment includes a state-of-the-art excimer laser and we are soon to add a femtosecond laser within the next 12 months,” says Dr. Joffe. “In addition to this, we are currently expanding the practice to include a dedicated eye laser theatre and the network foundation simply must accommodate that growth,” he comments.
Conclusion
The combined PowerCat 6, PowerCat 5e and Fibre Optic solutions, allow The Olympia Eye and Laser Centre to operate like clockwork every day, ensuring minimum interruptions and optimum patient care. This unique design allows room for future growth and the implementation of new advancements in treating eye disorders. DB Space cc, the sole distributor of the Molex brand in Namibia, teams with Cabling Solutions to ensure that the Centre’s IP infrastructure supports expansion, and delivers both top performance and efficient system integration as evidenced
in this recent project. The DB Space commitment to local stock and quality service goes a long way to supporting customer requirements on this critical project.
“At the outset when we were planning for the installation of high-end medical devices, I researched the Molex solutions. Today I am confident that these solutions, along with the services provided by the certified installer, support my vision of providing a leading, cutting edge surgery Centre that is able to adapt to new innovations in my field,” says Dr Jonathan Joffe.
