Why On-Premises UC Is Vital for Healthcare Organizations

In an ideal world, effective communication would be easy, but the reality for most hospitals and clinics is often more complicated. Regarding unified communications (UC), leaders must meet rising patient needs with shrinking budgets while operating in a complex and highly regulated technology ecosystem.

On-premises UC platforms allow healthcare organizations to optimize their infrastructure and investments while maintaining data security. Over a third (37.5%) of healthcare organizations report exclusively using on-site deployments, while 12.5% rely on single-tenant private hosted cloud solutions.

There are many reasons why healthcare organizations prefer to keep their UC solutions on-premises. For those with budgetary concerns, it may be simpler and more cost-effective to keep their existing ecosystems. Others prefer the security of maintaining full oversight of their data.

At Mitel, we know on-prem doesn’t mean compromising on modern features. On-premises UC solutions provide healthcare organizations with unmatched security, reliability, and integration capabilities that evolve with the industry's unique demands.

Safe and Sound with On-Premises Data Security and Reliability

Safety is at the top of healthcare leaders' minds, whether protecting sensitive data from hackers or responding quickly to a physical emergency. The frequency and severity of cyberattacks and workplace violence have been rising over the past few years, leading to some striking statistics.

• 94% of all US hospitals reported a financial impact due to a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, in February 2024. Seventy-four percent experienced a direct effect on patient care, including significant disruptions to eligibility verifications and pharmacy operations.


• 81% of US nurses experienced workplace violence, including physical abuse and verbal threats, in 2023. Forty-five percent reported an increase in violence over the previous year.

Whether an attack is physical or digital, the ability to maintain effective communication during a crisis can mean the difference between life and death for critical patients. The reliability of on-premises UC can keep a situation contained, reducing the impact on business continuity.

On-premises UC solutions allow healthcare organizations to maintain greater control of their data. By hosting the infrastructure within their physical environment, they have complete oversight over their patients’ electronic health records (EHRs), financial data, and other confidential details.

Many healthcare leaders choose to use on-premises servers for security reasons, but the truth is that data is only as secure as the network it’s on. Private cloud or hybrid solutions with end-to-end data encryption, provided by a trusted partner like Mitel, are also highly secure for sensitive data for those looking to move away from a completely on-prem solution.

Keeping Up with the Times: Maintaining Compliance

Healthcare is one of the most highly regulated industries worldwide, requiring strict control over sensitive patient information. Mandates require rigorous security measures and end-to-end encryption to safeguard data and emergency communications. Examples of regulations include:

• HIPAA
• GDPR
• PCI DSS
• Kari’s Law
• RAY BAUM’s Act

Healthcare laws are often region-specific and constantly evolving, so UC solutions must always be agile enough to maintain compliance. On-prem and private cloud solutions are custom-built for each customer, so there’s no waiting for a significant update to be rolled out whenever regulations change.

Room to Grow with Flexible and Scalable Solutions

Some might think on-site UC platforms are static or less flexible than their cloud-based unified communications as a service (UCaaS) counterparts, but that’s a misdiagnosis. All hospitals and healthcare clinics run on complicated tech stacks, from EHR management and patient communications to specialized equipment and digital monitors. Many use legacy systems connected with custom integrations.

Keeping UC on-prem can be vital to maintaining data oversight and keeping these delicate ecosystems. However, as healthcare systems expand from their main campuses to include satellite or mobile clinics, incorporating a hybrid approach can keep providers connected with their patients and colleagues no matter where they are.

In these cases, healthcare leaders may take a measured approach to migration, weighing where it makes sense to move to the cloud or to stay on-prem. The core on-site platform often remains intact at the central location while new offices are set up with an integrated hybrid cloud solution. This controls on-premises UC while delivering the go-anywhere scalability of UCaaS.

Mitel Powers Modern Communications On-Premises and Beyond

No matter the deployment, Mitel’s communications and collaboration solutions create exceptional patient and provider experiences tailored to every healthcare organization’s needs. Our high-performance on-site and private cloud platforms are:

• Flexible: Healthcare is a fast-paced, rapidly changing industry. UC solutions must keep up with the day-to-day demands of hospitals, clinics, and care centers while maintaining compliance and data security.


• Integrated: Patient communications, staff scheduling, virtual visits, and emergency alerting – all seamlessly connected on one unified platform. The Mitel Strategic Alliance (MSA) offers hundreds of pre-certified integrations, making working within each unique environment easy.


• Omnichannel: Simplify workflows with streamlined communications and collaboration solutions that work on any device. Staff and patients can connect via voice, text, or video, delivering high-quality healthcare and improving outcomes.


• Innovative: Digital healthcare is now standard – but Mitel’s UC solutions go far beyond video consultations. The new Virtual Care Collaboration Service (VCCS) is the only solution that uses AI, augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR) to transform the healthcare experience for patients, providers, and payers.

Whether you’re looking for a new provider to optimize your legacy system or considering a transition to the cloud, Mitel provides responsible and pain-free migrations that minimize downtime and disruption. Our healthcare communications experts understand the healthcare industry's unique needs and work with our customers to find the best solutions for them.

Where other telecommunications providers are exiting the UC space, it remains a core focus at Mitel. With over fifty years of experience, we have a proven track record of developing flexible and innovative solutions that deliver value to our customers.

Let’s discuss your organization’s communications transformation. Contact us to learn how Mitel can help modernize your UC with on-premises or hybrid solutions developed just for you.