Visiting Nurse Service of New York Deploys Optimum Lightpath Services to Help Meet Increasing Demand for New York City Home Care

JERICHO, N.Y., July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Optimum Lightpath®, a market leader in Ethernet-based communication solutions for New York metropolitan area businesses, today announced that Visiting Nurse Service of New York has deployed its award-winning telecommunication services to deliver increased patient care capabilities, cut costs and continue to grow to meet increasing demand and opportunity. The rollout impacts the nation's largest not-for-profit home health organization's more than 140,000 patients in New York City, 3,500 clinicians and 3,000 office space staff. As a result of installing Optimum Lightpath, Visiting Nurse Service of New York has experienced an annual cost savings of more than $150,000.

Overhauling A Network

Visiting Nurse Service of New York's (VNSNY) staff and clinicians were leaning heavily on the Internet to use web-based applications, and for secure communication with other healthcare providers, from the office and out in the field. As Internet usage grew due to strong demand, there was a desire to expand access to more clinicians and staff. Further, VNSNY was eager to roll out a tele-worker initiative and to provide increased support for its 24/7 contact center.

To meet these emerging opportunities and needs, VNSNY relocated its data center and turned to Optimum Lightpath to double Internet bandwidth and improve circuits to support high-quality VoIP services, all at a lower annual cost.  

A Picture Of Health

Following the roll out of an Ethernet, 100% fiber-based telecommunications network that was scalable, stable and cost-effective, VNSNY was in a position to grow and enhance its operations. The organization's clinicians immediately felt the benefits.

"Our clinicians provide services in the home, and their only means of communicating patient information is via their mobile devices through secure connections to the Internet," said Randy Cleghorne, Vice President of Information Technology Services and Support, Visiting Nurse Service of New York. "In order to pick up their case load, upload data from home visits and exchange information with physicians, they need stable, high-bandwidth Internet access. Optimum Lightpath delivered this and is able to provide a seamless telecommunications experience for our entire organization."

The VNSNY's tele-worker initiative has also been put into high gear since the network overhaul, empowering the organization to grow quickly and cut massive overhead costs that would have been associated with providing a dedicated physical location from which contact center staff could work.

"We couldn't be more pleased with how VNSNY has been able to grow and deliver an enhanced experience to patients, staff and clinicians as a result of rolling out smarter telecommunications services," said Cleghorne. "We rely so heavily on this network and downtime isn't an option. With Optimum Lightpath, we know the service is stable and problem calls have been virtually non-existent. As a result, we're able to focus our full attention toward continuing to deliver an outstanding home health offering throughout New York City."

"VNSNY joins a growing number of organizations that have turned to Optimum Lightpath to help power their business in ways they never before thought possible," said Julia McGrath, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Optimum Lightpath. "When it comes to patient care, nothing is more critical than time and speed, and we're pleased to be working with VNSNY to ensure that they always have these critical assets on their side when serving their 140,000 patients throughout New York City."

Optimum Lightpath has selected Visiting Nurse Service of New York as its Customer Spotlight of the Month for July 2010.

About Optimum Lightpath

Optimum Lightpath, a division of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC), is an industry leader in providing advanced Ethernet-based data, Internet, voice, video transport solutions and managed services to businesses across the New York metropolitan area. Optimum Lightpath's Network is a highly reliable, resilient, and scalable fiber-to-the-business-premises network extending more than 4,000 route miles connecting more than 4,000 buildings. Exclusively focused on meeting customer needs in the world's largest business market for 20 years, Optimum Lightpath has been continually recognized for its high level of customer service. For 12 straight years, the New York State Public Service Commission has given Optimum Lightpath its Commendation of Excellence. Optimum Lightpath has received many industry awards for innovation and leadership. For more information, visit www.optimumlightpath.com.

About Visiting Nurse Service of New York

The Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) is the nation's largest not-for-profit home health care organization.  Employing more than 14,000 employees including nurses, rehabilitation therapists, social workers, mental health professionals, nutritionists, physicians and home health aides, VNSNY provides home and community based health care and social services from pre-natal to bereavement.  Established in 1893 by Lillian D. Wald, the founder of public health nursing in the United States, VNSNY provides services to more than 140,000 New Yorkers annually throughout the five boroughs of New York City and in Westchester and Nassau counties.

SOURCE Optimum Lightpath