What is the TriLightNET Fiber Connectivity Project?

• It's 150+ miles of fiber optic cable running through northwest Illinois and into northeast Iowa ...
• It connects FHN and SwedishAmerican Health System ...
• It's part of a larger health information technology cooperative encompassing nearly all of Illinois
• It's bringing high-speed, reliable and affordable internet connectivity to healthcare providers, communities, schools and more!

A hundred years ago, the average person hadn't heard of an x-ray, much less had one done to diagnose an injury. Today, x-rays, CAT scans and MRIs are used every day to help healthcare providers diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries.

In the past seven years, the traditional plastic film x-ray has given way to images being stored on Picture Archiving Computer Systems (PACS). Like your own digital camera, PACS store digital image files on a computer. As any digital camera owner knows, storing images on a computer is convenient – it doesn't require as much space as printed images, and the images are easier to classify and share.

Medical technology has progressed just as rapidly – if not more rapidly – than image technology. Our nation is moving toward digital health information technology that will make it possible for doctors across the country to consult in real-time on difficult or unusual cases.

Connectivity is the heart of that technology – and it’s at the heart of the TriLightNET Fiber Connectivity Project.