ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Altura Communication Solutions, a leading provider of enterprise network services and solutions and a Platinum-certified Avaya BusinessPartner, announced today that Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) in Ann Arbor, Mich., selected Altura to design and implement an Avaya IP Telephony network. The new network will help enhance patient care, create operational efficiencies and lower costs. Avaya Inc, is a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services.
With implementation now in progress, the IP telephony network will provide seamless, intelligent communications to more than 10,000 employees, physicians and patients throughout the SJMHS health care network in Michigan. SJMHS is a nationally recognized health care system with three facilities in southeast Michigan and a Ministry Organization of Novi, Michigan-based Trinity Health.
For SJMHS, IP telephony provides a means to enhance patient care, streamline communications and control external communications costs. The network will also enable the SJMHS healthcare system to blend IP, digital and analog technologies, allowing SJMHS to control the pace and place of migration to IP telephony. Additionally, SJMHS is evaluating numerous other IP-based applications that will enhance patient care and increase operational efficiencies throughout its organization.
"We decided to migrate to IP telephony for many reasons, including the ability to improve patient care, add more locations as we grow and implement new IP-based applications to streamline operations," said Rosanne Carey, director of corporate telecommunications for Trinity Health. "Altura designed a solution that provides the same level of stability as our existing TDM voice network, from network consultation to network design, to the first stages of implementation."
"Altura is providing Avaya's industry-leading solutions and services to one of the most prestigious healthcare enterprises in the Midwest," said Ken Archer, vice president, North America Channel Sales, Avaya. "A BusinessPartner that first understands the customer's business issues and addresses their needs through skillful application and implementation of a complex IP solution delivers great value to their customer."
With a data backbone network in place, SJMHS contracted Altura to design and deploy IP Telephony onto its existing network. With Avaya Communication Manager IP telephony software at the core of the design, Altura's plans included Avaya Media Servers and Gateways to link outlying locations and distribute advanced features to users wherever they are based. Since communications are so critical in healthcare environments, Altura designed the network with dual servers and with local survivable processors that maintain continuous access to communications in the event of a network or system failure.
"As the industry's top rated enterprise communications service provider, we pride ourselves on providing our customers with powerful solutions and the highest quality network services and support," said Bob Blazek, president and chief executive officer, Altura Communication Solutions. "This project is particularly pleasing because the Altura-Avaya solution is enabling Saint Joseph Mercy Health System to enhance the care they provide to their patients."
The new Avaya IP Telephony network is currently serving the hospital's Woodland Health Center and Woodland Cancer in Livingston, Michigan along with selected clinical areas on the main campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Over the course of the next 24 months, the Avaya IP Telephony network will serve the remaining hospitals in Saline, Livingston and the remainder of its clinics and office buildings throughout Michigan.
A Platinum-certified Avaya BusinesssPartner, Altura Communication Solutions specializes in providing network solutions and support services to enterprises throughout North America. Ranked as the number one enterprise service and support organization by the Telecom Manager's Voice Report for six consecutive years, Altura has more than 2,500 customers in healthcare, government, education and financial services markets.
About Altura Communication Solutions
Headquartered in Anaheim, California, Altura Communication Solutions sells and services a variety of products, including voice over IP switching systems, unified communication systems, contact centers, multi media conferencing systems, network system management tools, data switching and routing products. The company has nationwide service capabilities and an enterprise customer base of more than 2,500 companies in the financial, education, healthcare and government markets. To learn more about Altura's solutions and service capabilities, please visit the corporate website at: http://www.alturacs.com/ or call Altura toll free at: (800) 654-0715.
About Avaya
Avaya Inc. designs, builds and manages communications networks for more than 1 million businesses worldwide, including over 90 percent of the FORTUNE 500(R). Focused on businesses large to small, Avaya is a world leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol (IP) telephony systems and communications software applications and services. Driving the convergence of voice and data communications with business applications -- and distinguished by comprehensive worldwide services -- Avaya helps customers leverage existing and new networks to achieve superior business results. For more information visit the Avaya website: http://www.avaya.com/.
About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) and its health care professionals offer the latest medical knowledge and compassionate care at three convenient facilities in Southeast Michigan. SJMHS has earned a reputation as a top health care system. Leading national and regional magazines named SJMHS as a top hospital for childbirth, heart attacks, back pain and knee replacement. Its physicians rank as top doctors in specialties that include cardiovascular, orthopedics, oncology, neurosciences, gastroenterology and urology. Saint Joseph Mercy Health System has been spotlighted as one of the few health systems in the United States that uses a computerized order entry system, a key component that improves patient care and drastically reduces medication errors.
Contact: Mark Izumi Deb Kline
Altura Avaya Media Relations
(602) 458-4012 908-953-6179
© 2006 PR Newswire
