How to Modernize a Care Network Without Replacing Everything

Modernising a healthcare network does not have to mean replacing everything at once. In most cases, you can upgrade existing infrastructure in phases, starting with the components that carry the greatest risk or deliver the most benefit. Especially in healthcare, where system continuity directly affects patient safety, a well-considered approach is essential. The questions below help you make the right choices step by step.

What are the biggest risks of an outdated healthcare network?

An outdated healthcare network brings three concrete risks: increased vulnerability to cyberattacks, insufficient bandwidth for modern healthcare applications, and a growing likelihood of failure due to ageing hardware. In an environment where electronic patient records, medical imaging, and real-time monitoring must be continuously available, these are not theoretical risks but operational hazards.

Outdated network equipment often no longer receives security updates, leaving known vulnerabilities exposed. Hospitals and healthcare institutions are an attractive target for ransomware precisely because the pressure to restore systems quickly is high. At the same time, data demands on healthcare networks are rising due to applications such as digital radiology, video consultations, and IoT medical devices. Networks installed five to ten years ago are often not equipped for this.

Compliance also plays a role. Healthcare institutions are subject to strict regulations regarding data protection and information security. A network that no longer meets current security standards also carries legal and reputational risks.

Which components of a healthcare network can be replaced in phases?

Most healthcare networks are well suited to phased modernisation. You can start with the components that carry the most risk or deliver the greatest performance gains, without taking down the entire network. Access switches, wireless access points, firewalls, and WAN connections are logical first steps.

Active network equipment

Switches, routers, and access points are relatively straightforward to replace without needing to adjust the rest of the infrastructure. Outdated access switches at department level are often the weakest link. Replacing these with modern, managed equipment improves both performance and visibility into network traffic. Modern routers also offer better segmentation, which is essential for separating medical devices from office environments.

WAN connections and fibre optic

The connections between locations, such as between a main hospital and satellite care centres, are another logical place to start. Outdated leased lines or ADSL connections can be replaced with fibre optic connections or SD-WAN solutions without touching the local networks. Fibre optic solutions provide the bandwidth and reliability that modern healthcare applications require.

How does SD-WAN work as a modernisation layer over existing infrastructure?

SD-WAN adds a software-driven management layer on top of existing WAN connections, without needing to replace the underlying infrastructure. You retain your current connections but gain central control, intelligent routing, and visibility across the entire network. This makes SD-WAN a popular first step in healthcare network modernisation.

In practice, this means traffic is automatically distributed across available connections based on priority and quality. Critical traffic, such as a video connection for a teleconsultation or a real-time link with an EHR system, gets priority. Less critical traffic, such as software updates, is handled in the background. This improves the user experience without additional investments in bandwidth.

An added benefit is central management. Where previously you had to configure each location individually, SD-WAN lets you manage all sites from a single console. This reduces the management burden and minimises the risk of configuration errors. Modern networking solutions combine SD-WAN with security features such as segmentation and encrypted transport, which is directly relevant for healthcare institutions.

When is full replacement the better choice?

Full replacement is the better choice when the existing infrastructure is structurally inadequate and phased upgrades cost more than they deliver. This is the case for networks older than ten to fifteen years, no longer supported by the manufacturer, or with fundamental architectural flaws that cannot be resolved with an SD-WAN layer or additional hardware.

Concrete signs that replacement is necessary:

• The cabling no longer supports the required bandwidth, for example cat5 installations in environments that need 10 Gbps
• Equipment has reached end of life and spare parts are no longer available
• The network architecture lacks essential segmentation, causing medical devices and office networks to run on the same segment
• Compliance requirements cannot be met without structural changes

In those cases, it is worthwhile to consider a complete redesign, immediately establishing a future-proof architecture. A phased rollout is still possible, but the design starts from a clean slate. We help organisations make that assessment, so you invest where it is truly needed.

How do you ensure continuity during a network migration in healthcare?

You ensure continuity during a network migration in healthcare by working with a detailed migration plan, temporarily maintaining parallel infrastructure, and scheduling migrations outside peak hours. Every step must be tested before the old situation is decommissioned, and a fallback scenario must always be available.

Preparation is the most critical component. First, map all systems that depend on the network, including medical devices, alarm systems, and building management systems. Determine the maximum permissible downtime for each system. Based on this, you establish a migration sequence that begins with the least critical components.

During the migration itself, a number of measures are essential:

• Establish a rollback procedure for each migration moment
• Ensure out-of-band management, so you can reach and manage network equipment even if the primary network is temporarily unavailable
• Actively monitor during and after each migration step
• Communicate in advance with all departments involved about planned work and expected impact

A good monitoring and management environment is indispensable here. Proactive network monitoring gives you real-time insight into the health of the network and signals problems before they escalate.

What security requirements apply specifically to healthcare networks?

Healthcare networks must meet strict requirements in the areas of data protection, network segmentation, and access security. The GDPR and the NEN 7510 standard are the most important frameworks in the Netherlands. NEN 7510 sets specific requirements for information security in healthcare and is in many cases a requirement for certification and tendering.

The most concrete security requirements for a network of a hospital or other healthcare institution are:

• Network segmentation: medical devices, patient data systems, and office environments must be placed in separate network segments
• Encryption of data traffic: sensitive patient data may only traverse the network in encrypted form, both internally and over WAN connections
• Access control: only authorised users and devices may gain access to specific network segments
• Logging and monitoring: all network access must be logged and anomalies must be actively flagged
• Availability: critical systems must be configured redundantly to prevent downtime

Encryption deserves particular attention. Not only for data in transit, but also at the level of the physical connection. Protection of sensitive data starts at the network layer, and layer 1 and layer 2 encryption provide a fundamental level of protection that application security alone cannot offer. For healthcare institutions thinking about the longer term, it is also wise to already account for quantum-resistant security, a development that is becoming increasingly concrete for organisations working with long-term sensitive data.