- +49 711 1378636-0
- info@openthinclient.com
- Mo - Fr: 9:00 - 18:00
Hundreds of clients. In operation 24/7. IT that endures: openthinclient in clinical operation
🚧 Initial Situation and Challenges
With a steadily growing number of patients and high requirements for
availability, data protection, and efficiency, Essen University Hospital
faced several challenges in the area of IT infrastructure.
In particular, the management and maintenance of Thin Clients as well as the
integration of new software components required flexible,
future-proof solutions.
• “Outdated” IGEL Thin Clients that could no longer be updated
• High requirements for data security,
availability, and system stability
• Complex network infrastructure with many buildings
• Need for uniform central management and fast
replacement options in the event of hardware defects
• Necessity to integrate authentication methods
such as smart card login and two-factor authentication
️ Implementation with openthinclient
️ The first contact between Essen University Hospital and openthinclient took place in 2010 at CEBIT. Representatives from both sides entered into discussions there – among other things about the challenges with existing thin client systems that could no longer be updated to new software versions. The actual decision in favor of openthinclient was made shortly thereafter – as part of a successful test with the existing IGEL hardware. Since then, openthinclient has been consistently established and further developed as the central platform for thin client operations at Essen University Hospital.
Solution approach and implementation steps:
• Targeted pilot test with existing IGEL clients
• Successful use of the current Citrix ICA client
• Procurement of new openthinclient hardware
with integrated fiber-optic network card (FTTD – Fibre to the Desk)
• Integration of a single sign-on solution (Evidian)
• Live operation in a real-time environment (24/7),
among others on wards, in patient admissions, and in laboratory areas
Technical Requirements
The IT infrastructure of UK Essen requires a solution that is
stable, secure, and easy to administer. openthinclient meets
these requirements through centralized management, network boot
via PXE, and a hardware-independent system architecture.
New devices should be able to be put into productive use in the
shortest possible time – completely without manual configuration on site.
• Fiber-optic connections (LWL) up to the workstation
for potential-free, interference-resistant connections
• PXE boot, no local software installation required.
This means that in the event of hardware theft, no
patient data would leave the premises
• Smartcard login SSO
• Citrix, KIS system Medico (CompuGroup Medical)
• SHA, CATO, RIS, PACS, laboratory software, intranet, Microsoft Office, SAP
• Ability to quickly replace defective devices without renewed
installation or configuration
Conclusion and Feedback
openthinclient has been an integral part of the IT infrastructure of Essen University Hospital since 2010 – stable, secure, and low-maintenance. The solution has proven itself especially in 24/7 areas such as wards, sterile supply services, or patient admissions.
One major advantage: Nothing is installed on the clients.
Disruptions or outages? Virtually none.
“The majority of thin clients are in operation 24×7. If a device fails, the responsible service employee takes a new device from the warehouse, reconnects the cables for monitor, keyboard, mouse, and network, and finally enters the MAC address of the new thin client in the openthinclient Manager and in DHCP. After booting the device, the employee on the ward can, as usual, insert the smart card into the reader and thus continue working within a few minutes.”
“Over the years, openthinclient has proven to be an extremely reliable solution at UK Essen. Throughout the entire period of use, there were virtually no disruptions or outages that would have impaired hospital operations. This is intended to remain the case in the future…”
(Alexandra Emmerich, IT Systems Engineering)
University Hospital since 1963
Today’s University Hospital began its work in 1909 as the “Municipal Hospital” with four clinics. Since then, UK
Essen has steadily expanded and developed further, and attained university status in 1963. As a maximum-care hospital, UK Essen is today
the largest university hospital in the Ruhr region concentrated at a single location, and thus the “Hospital of the Ruhr Metropolis.” With 1,300 beds and
more than 8,000 employees, UK Essen treats around 55,000 inpatients per year and approximately 300,000
outpatients. With its many ultra-modern clinics and additional buildings, the university hospital is a small city within the city.
