Mercy Health picks HPE to upgrade aged care networks
Wed, 27th May 2026 (Today)
Mercy Health has selected Hewlett Packard Enterprise to upgrade network connectivity across more than 40 aged care sites in Australia. The project covers facilities serving more than 2,600 residents and over 400 retirement village units.
It will replace Mercy Health's older network setup with a centrally managed wired and wireless system across its Healthy Ageing and Residential Aged Care operations. Staff, residents, families and visitors are expected to use the upgraded network, which should improve Wi-Fi reliability and support access to care systems.
Reliable internet access has become a growing operational issue for aged care providers as records, communications and daily services shift to mobile and digital platforms. For providers with multiple locations, network failures can affect both the resident experience and staff access to systems used in day-to-day care.
Mercy Health's previous infrastructure made it harder to maintain consistent Wi-Fi performance, resolve faults quickly and expand connectivity as sites grew. The new arrangement is intended to improve network oversight and simplify management across a dispersed estate.
One system that will rely on the new platform is eCase, Mercy Health's electronic resident management system. Staff use it on mobile devices while working with residents, giving them access to resident information and supporting documentation and care planning at the point of service.
"We were impressed by the capability of HPE Networking's solution and HPE's commitment to understanding our business and digital transformation goals," said Dr Paul Jurman, Chief Information Technology and Digital Transformation Officer at Mercy Health.
"This modern, high-performance network will deliver dependable Wi-Fi for residents to stay connected with loved ones, while helping staff spend more time with residents and stay seamlessly connected to the systems that support care planning," Jurman said.
Network overhaul
The technology selected for the project includes HPE Aruba Networking products managed through the HPE Aruba Central cloud platform. The design also includes Wi-Fi 7 access points and HPE Aruba Networking CX switches, with Affinity Blue as implementation partner.
HPE described the approach as a unified architecture that provides a migration path away from legacy systems. It is also intended to deliver end-to-end visibility across locations and simpler network administration from a central point.
For aged care operators, these upgrades are increasingly part of broader digital transformation programs rather than isolated infrastructure projects. Better connectivity can support routine administration, resident communications, clinical documentation and the use of digital tools by staff moving between rooms and facilities.
Digital care plans
The upgraded network is also intended to support the later adoption of technologies such as internet-connected devices, virtual care services and resident-focused applications. That gives Mercy Health room to extend digital services across its aged care network without rebuilding the underlying infrastructure each time.
The rollout is being staged across Mercy Health's aged care footprint, creating what it described as a reference architecture that can also support expansion and acquisitions. This is important for large not-for-profit providers, which often need to integrate sites built or acquired at different times and with varying levels of technical maturity.
The deal also reflects a wider shift in the care sector, where connectivity is increasingly treated as part of service delivery rather than simply a back-office utility. Residents expect dependable access to online communication, while staff need stable mobile access to records and operational systems during their shifts.
Providers are having to manage more complex operating environments while keeping their focus on care delivery. In that context, network modernisation has become tied to workforce efficiency, resident contact with families and the practical use of digital systems across many sites.
"Aged care providers like Mercy Health are navigating growing complexity while staying focused on delivering genuinely person-centred care," said Andrew Fox, General Manager for Australia and New Zealand, HPE Networking.
"By modernising its network across more than 40 sites, Mercy Health is setting the standard for future-focused, digitally enabled aged services. This secure, AI-native cloud-managed foundation delivers reliable performance at scale, helping ensure staff and critical systems can remain connected where it matters most. The result is an environment that supports compassionate, person-first care today while being ready for what comes next," Fox said.