Modernizing Critical Network Infrastructure for a National Pediatric Healthcare System
Executive Summary
One of the nation’s top children’s hospitals and leading provider of advance pediatric care systems engaged Judge Consulting Group to lead a major Edge Network Refresh across two of its most critical facilities. This initiative involved upgrading foundational network infrastructure that supports direct patient care, clinical workflows, and critical care environments.
THE CHALLENGE: Executing High-Impact Network Upgrades in Active Clinical Settings
The client’s legacy edge network infrastructure required a comprehensive refresh to meet growing demands across departments where real-time connectivity is essential, including emergency care, intensive care, neonatal units, oncology, and advanced imaging. The existing systems were aging, and performance limitations posed risks to operational efficiency and patient care.
The client needed to upgrade 146 network switches and perform physical enhancements across 82 Intermediate Distribution Frames (IDFs). These upgrades had to take place in live, high-stakes care environments, requiring precise coordination, zero downtime, and alignment with clinical schedules and safety protocols. The work was spread across two locations, including the hospital’s main campus and one remote site.
THE SOLUTION: A Phased, End-to-End Network Refresh with Built-In Operational Safeguards
Judge Consulting managed all phases of the six-month network refresh, leveraging Cisco infrastructure and proven deployment practices to ensure a seamless transition. The engagement began with staging and updating hardware, followed by detailed configuration reviews and software code upgrades. Judge then led pre-migration validation and executed live migrations, including Layer 3 gateway transitions and final switch onboarding, while maintaining strict alignment with clinical operations. Throughout the process, Judge worked together with the client’s internal IT and facilities teams to schedule deployments around critical care windows. Post-migration stabilization, or day 2 support, ensured performance remained strong and any issues were quickly resolved.
THE RESULT: A Reliable, Scalable Network Foundation for Critical Healthcare Delivery
Judge Consulting successfully upgraded all 146 switches and completed physical enhancements across 82 Intermediate Distribution Frames (IDFs), modernizing the infrastructure that supports real-time communication and operations for critical care departments. The new network environment delivered immediate improvements in speed, stability, and scalability, ensuring that clinical teams have uninterrupted access to the systems and data they rely on.
Most importantly, the project was completed on-time and without disruption to patient care. The healthcare system can now support more advanced technologies and future digital initiatives with confidence. This successful engagement not only reinforced Judge’s ability to execute high-stakes infrastructure projects in sensitive environments but also positioned the team for continued work across the broader network.
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