From my past and most recent experience it definitely appears a lot of potential problems/concerns need to be solved in the wireless world both from a provider and device side. The healthcare CIO definitely has a lot on his/her hands. It is not just managing what we consider the traditional "wireless" LAN, but now you add to this the "wireless medical devices", while making sure that the proper security and quality of service is intact. I definitely would say that the CIO of today is having to drink from the wireless firehose.
Now this is just one part of equation. How will the proliferation of GSM/CDMA/LTE devices like the iPad, iPhone, Android SmartPhones for communication (data first, voice second), work correctly within the walls of the hospital? Some say if coverage is bad install a DAS; but do we combine this with WLAN, or how do we coordinate with the carriers for pervasive neutral host coverage? How do make sure the technology that we choose is up to date and can handle LTE at 700MHz with 700MHz Public Safety.
Then now the deployment of the myriad landscape of the RFLS solutions and how does someone sort through all this?
Lastly, add to this Zigbee devices, low power Bluetooth, and the concern of EMI maybe hitting the IEC 80001 radar...definitely this space has become very complex.
Finally, I took calls in the past few months of providers obtaining quotes on Distributed Antenna Systems from three technology providers and four integrators. On the same property the pricing had a delta difference of 250K from the low to the high. Remark was, I do not have a clue what I am looking at!
Would like thoughts on this from the audience as I am planning complete a Technology Assessment and Planning Service surrounding.
