Vodafone Germany and Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf (UKD) building Europe’s first 5G clinic

Vodafone and Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf (UKD) are building a 5G campus network in North Rhine-Westphalia, a state in western Germany.

The initiative, Europe’s first, will use Vodafone’s recently launched RedBox. RedBox is a 5G network in a box, allowing multi-building coverage using a public-private network running on speeds of up to 3.7Gbps.

Vodafone’s RedBox. Photo from Vodafone ©

In 2020, more than 100,000 patients will benefit from the 5G technology, which consists of small antennas and data centres that enable the exchange of data in real time and form the central interface to the IT infrastructure of the university hospital.

Vodafone’s RedBox will enable many services to be implemented, including a patch which monitors the patient’s vital signs independently, and in real time, via the 5G network to a central patient monitoring unit. If, for example, a patient’s heart rate changes it will allow doctors and nurses to react quickly and prevent the patient’s condition from worsening.

Real-time data transmission can also help with computer-assisted tumour surgery. As part of what is known as ‘mixed reality’, highly complex 3D structures of the brain can be projected by a computer so that the surgeon can better orientate themselves. The 5G connectivity also means that the best experts in the country can virtually switch to the operating room to advise the doctors on site should the need arise.

Information using mixed reality is made available in the operating room. Photo from Brainlab ©

Prof. Dr. Frank Schneider, Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of the Düsseldorf University Hospital said, ‘’Fast and digital technology can save lives. We saw that not least during the corona pandemic. The secure exchange of data at high speed is important in order to be able to reliably assess the condition of patients in real time. By promoting ‘Giga for Health’ projects, we can give digital technologies in hospitals an important boost.’’

Read the full story on Europe’s First 5G Clinic here.