As you are aware, the medical profession is on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, when ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, contacted TDS with a request to provide an internet upgrade for a COVID-19 Respiratory Clinic, TDS jumped into action.
“There was a tremendous amount of hand carrying and bending the processes to shorten what is normally a 90-120 day install,” said Jim Kohler, manager of Field Services. “It was well worth getting this done in five business days, especially since ThedaCare plans to use this location as part of their COVID response.”
To complete the project, TDS spliced fiber into the building, ran the engineering project parallel with the Metasolv order, and turned up a new Internet connection for ThedaCare in a week, with a goal that the clinic would now be ready for patients.
“We engineered the internet and the MetroEthernet install as the same project,” according to TDS’ Jeff Christie, strategic account executive. “Once we installed the MetroEthernet connection and they started using it, we disconnected the internet connection and that allowed them to take their equipment they were using for the internet connection to another new site they are setting up for testing patients for COVID-19.”
Christie noted that ThedaCare wanted a MetroEthernet connection in that building to better meet their needs, but the internet connection could be turned up a little faster. “So, we installed that first, then followed it up with the MetroEthernet install.”
Since March 13, TDS’ Lynette Maynes, manager of Infrastructure Support, said there were “more than 135 emails exchanged and a lot of work involved by several people to carry this project over the finish line for Theda. However, none of this surprises me because I have worked with all the players involved and they are all very customer focused, always professional and possess a can-do attitude.”
ThedaCare’s Communications Manager Bill Schmidt was thrilled with the results. “The TDS Team did a fantastic job in helping ThedaCare establish a COVID-19 Respiratory Clinic in a very short timeframe. We greatly appreciate the service and support from TDS!!”
This testing clinic is located on Gateway Drive in Appleton and is a new facility for testing COVID-19 patients. Hopefully, no one will have to use this facility, but it is ready if the need arises.
Additional projects at ThedaCare
TDS also provided a quick turnaround for an internet upgrade for ThedaCare at their primary data center to accommodate their increased Internet traffic for at-home workers. Christie said that project was completed in three days.
TDS completed an upgrade of their SIP trunking at both their data centers to accommodate their at-home workers. That project was completed the day after the agreement was signed.
Finally, TDS added the Personal Mobility feature packages to some of ThedaCare’s DID numbers to better position employees to work at home. That order was completed on time on Friday, March 27.
