Leo connectivity for hospital communications

San Francisco General, one of Northern California's busiest public hospitals, must remain operational through power outages, disasters and network disruptions. Emergency departments depend on uninterrupted connectivity to coordinate patient care. To strengthen emergency readiness, Eutelsat Distribution Partner IP Access International and Remote Satellite Systems International integrated a blended satellite solution that keeps hospital communications online when traditional networks fail.

The Challenge: Maintaining Critical Communications

Emergency departments depend on continuous connectivity to coordinate patient care, yet power outages, disasters and damaged fibre lines can sever communications when they are needed most. Congested cellular networks add further risk during large-scale incidents.

The challenge is particularly acute when:

• First responders transmit vital signs, electrocardiograms and patient history from ambulances before arrival
• Health information exchange between paramedics and receiving staff requires real-time data flows
• Trauma and stroke cases demand instant coordination across departments, buildings and partner agencies
• Non-technical staff have to implement and follow complex back-up communications protocols in the event of failover

The Need: A Unified Satellite-Backed Network

San Francisco General needed connectivity to remain operational regardless of conditions on the ground, with instant failover capability, easy-to-manage controls and independence from terrestrial infrastructure. The hospital’s emergency staff needed a unified communications system that would support coordination across departments, buildings and partner agencies without introducing operational complexity.

Specifically, the hospital sought:

• Lower latency for critical applications including telehealth consultations and real-time data exchange
• Streamlined operations suitable for non-technical clinical staff working under pressure
• A resilient network architecture maintaining continuous access to electronic health records, imaging systems and external emergency coordination channels

The Solution: Blended LEO and Terrestrial Paths

The system integrates advanced satellite and terrestrial components into one unified operational network:

• A Hughes 1120W LEO Terminal for fast, low-maintenance satellite access
• A Dejero GateWay M6E6 using Smart Blending Technology™ to manage and blend multiple network paths intelligently
• SuperGIG™, delivered and supported by IP Access International, providing the orchestration layer that combines satellite and terrestrial connections into a single, resilient service

Both hospital buildings connect through a shared satellite gateway, creating a unified hub that supports continuous communication between departments, multiple campuses and external emergency agencies—even during severe disruption.

Unlike traditional failover solutions that wait for complete link failure, Smart Blending routes individual data packets across the best available network in real time—whether satellite, 5G cellular or fibre. When any single path becomes congested or unavailable, traffic seamlessly shifts without interruption. This ensures coordination remains uninterrupted around the clock through Priority Access across Verizon, T-Mobile Priority and FirstNet—critical for first responder communication and inter-hospital transfer when every second counts.

Impact: Reliability That Saves Lives

The blended network delivers continuous communications across crises, enabling paramedics to transmit real-time vital signs, ECGs and patient data through health information exchange directly to the ambulance-receiving team. Intelligent path selection ensures clinical workflow never depends on a single link, supporting rapid multi-team coordination across departments and partner agencies when every second counts. The result is future-ready infrastructure built for resilience under pressure.
 

Frequently Asked Questions About Hospital Emergency Connectivity

What types of emergencies require resilient hospital connectivity?

Hospitals depend on continuous network access during natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires, mass casualty incidents, cyberattacks that disable primary systems, and infrastructure failures including power outages or damaged fibre lines. Time-critical trauma and stroke cases rely on uninterrupted data flows between ambulance crews and emergency departments to transmit vital signs and imaging that guide treatment decisions. When connectivity is maintained, paramedics can share real-time patient assessments, enabling hospital teams to prepare operating rooms and coordinate specialist response before the patient arrives.

What are the main emergency codes used in hospitals?

Hospitals use standardised emergency codes to trigger immediate, coordinated responses across departments. Code Blue signals a cardiac arrest requiring rapid resuscitation, Code Red indicates fire and Code Yellow typically signals a bomb threat or internal disaster requiring heightened precaution. Modern emergency communication protocols rely on digital systems requiring continuous network connectivity 24 hours a day to alert staff, coordinate resources and document patient care in real time. When emergency departments lose connectivity, staff must revert to manual processes that slow triage and delay test results.

How does blended connectivity help reduce emergency room wait times?

When connectivity is maintained, patient data transfers faster between paramedics and hospital staff, enabling more accurate triage before arrival. Inter-hospital transfer coordination improves because receiving facilities can review imaging, lab results and clinical notes in real time through health information exchange, eliminating delays caused by incomplete information. Continuous network access also supports automated wait time tracking, resource allocation dashboards and telehealth consultations that help emergency departments process patients more efficiently.

What is health information exchange and why does it matter for emergency departments?

Health information exchange enables emergency departments to access patient records, medication histories and recent test results from other facilities electronically, improving care coordination and reducing duplicate testing. When first responders and receiving hospitals can share real-time data before patient arrival, emergency department teams can prepare more effectively and make faster treatment decisions. This connectivity is particularly critical during mass casualty events or when patients present unconscious. Effective health information exchange reduces readmission risk by ensuring discharge teams and follow-up providers have complete information about emergency department care and medications prescribed.