- +49 711 1378636-0
- info@openthinclient.com
- Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 18:00
Hundreds of clients. In use 24/7. IT that lasts: openthinclient in hospital operations
🚧 Initial situation and challenges
With a steadily growing number of patients and high demands on availability
availability, data protection and efficiency, Essen University Hospital faced a number of
faced a number of challenges in the area of IT infrastructure.
In particular, the administration and maintenance of the thin clients and the
integration of new software components required flexible
future-proof solutions.
- „Obsolete“ IGEL thin clients that could no longer be updated
- High demands on data security,
availability and system stability
- Complex network infrastructure with many buildings
- Need for standardized central administration and fast
replacement option in the event of hardware defects
- Need to integrate authentication procedures
such as smartcard login and 2-factor login
️ Implementation with openthinclient
The first contact between the University Hospital Essen and openthinclient was made at CEBIT in 2010. Representatives from both sides got talking 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 afterwards - 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 ThinClient operation at the UK Essen.
Solution and implementation steps:
- Targeted test run 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)
- Productive operation in a real-time environment (24/7),
including on wards, in patient admissions and in laboratory areas
Technical requirements
The IT infrastructure of the UK Essen requires a solution that
is stable, secure and easy to administer. openthinclient fulfills
these requirements through centralized management, network boot
via PXE and a hardware-independent system architecture.
New devices should be used productively in the shortest possible time
without any manual configuration on site.
- Fiber optic connections (LWL) to the workplace
for potential-free, interference-resistant connections
- PXE boot, no local software installation necessary.
This means that in the event of hardware theft, no
patient data would leave the house
- Smartcard login SSO
- Citrix, HIS system Medico (CompuGroup Medical)
- SHA, CATO, RIS, PACS, laboratory software, intranet, Microsoft Office, SAP
- Option to quickly replace defective devices without having to replace them again
Installation or configuration
Conclusion and feedback
openthinclient has been an integral part of the IT infrastructure of the
Universitätsklinikums Essen – stabil, sicher und wartungsarm. Besonders in 24/7-Bereichen wie Stationen, der Sterilgutversorgung oder der Patientenaufnahme hat sich die Lösung bewährt.
A big advantage: nothing is installed on the clients.
Malfunctions or failures? Almost none.
„Most ThinClients are in use 24×7. If a device fails, the responsible service employee takes a new device from the warehouse, reconnects the cables for the screen, keyboard, mouse and network and then enters the MAC address of the new TC in the openthinclient manager and in the DHCP. After booting up the device, the employee on the ward can now insert the smartcard into the reader as usual and continue working within a few minutes.“
„openthinclient has proven to be an extremely reliable solution at the UK Essen over the years. During the entire period of use, there have been virtually no disruptions or failures that would have impaired the hospital's operations. This should 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 a „municipal hospital“ with four clinics. Since then, the UK
Essen has steadily expanded, developed and achieved university status in 1963. As a maximum care hospital, the UK Essen is today
the largest university hospital in the Ruhr region centered on one location and thus the „Hospital of the Ruhr Metropolis“. With 1,300 beds and
with 1,300 beds and over 8,000 employees, the UK Essen treats around 55,000 inpatients and around 300,000 outpatients every year.
outpatients. With its many ultra-modern clinics and other buildings, the University Hospital is a small city within the city.
