There are many ways for a health authority to connect their computers, but one of the best ones, is perhaps through a Metro Ethernet. For a health authority this would be ideal indeed, as it could connect all the computers of the authority together in one network.
This has many advantages. It would mean that patient files would be accessible from anywhere in the network, but that more importantly, this information would be safe and secure. With all the computers connected thus, the swapping of information would become far easier, and the spotting of potential health problems in the general population become more readily apparent.
Besides health authorities, other organizations which might find this way of connecting useful are universities, government departments and large businesses. The system is capable of very high speeds of data transfer, and can deal from payroll processing through to video file swapping.
The costs are not insignificant, but the benefits are great. It would enable a doctor in one hospital to talk securely with a doctor in another, and to even broadcast video of operations for reference or advise.
This facility is perfect for connecting computers in a WAN or intranet, and to also providing secure access points to the internet when needed. These things are vital when dealing with patient confidentiality, and also are a great overall asset to any health authority or clinic.