For years, healthcare organizations have focused on enabling clinical mobility by giving clinicians access to systems, communication tools, and patient data wherever care is delivered. As a result, digital workflows are now deeply embedded in the day-to-day care delivery. But this shift has also created a new dependency: when connectivity is inconsistent, clinical workflows are directly impacted.
Today’s hospital environments require continuous real-time connectivity to support patient monitoring and diagnostics, mobile clinical workflows, imaging and data access, and communication across care teams.
Yet, most existing networks were not designed for this level of demand. Even short disruptions can delay decisions, interrupt workflows, and introduce operational risk.
From access to reliability
In 2026, the conversation is shifting. It’s no longer about enabling access—it’s about ensuring consistent, resilient performance across the entire clinical environment. In this landscape, connectivity has been foundational to workflow continuity, clinical confidence, and the patient experience.
However, delivering that consistent connectivity remains a challenge. Many hospitals still rely on a combination of Wi‑Fi networks and legacy distributed antenna systems (DAS), which weren’t designed for today’s device density, mobility patterns, or real-time demands.
What are leaders prioritizing now?
As connectivity demands grow, healthcare leaders are asking fundamental questions:
- Can today’s connectivity models support emerging AI applications that demand low latency and high reliability?
- How much control is needed over the wireless environment?
- What’s the right balance between short‑term improvements with long‑term strategy?
Rather than pursuing a single solution, many organizations are taking different approaches shaped by their size, geography, clinical focus, and digital maturity. Understanding how peers are navigating these decisions can provide valuable context for planning what comes next.
To better understand how healthcare organizations are addressing connectivity challenges, GlobalData and Ericsson are conducting an independent industry pulse check of healthcare IT and digital leaders.
Your input will contribute to a global benchmark report, helping you understand what connectivity and mobility challenges others are facing and their priorities for the future, thereby enhancing your strategic planning.
The survey takes just five minutes to complete, and all responses are anonymous.
