LCO (Le Cliniche Odontoiatriche)

Background

LCO – Le Cliniche Odontoiatriche (The Dental Clinics) is a growing healthcare organization with four locations in Lazio and Lombardy, Italy. With 87 qualified professionals, it manages over 80,000 patients annually, offering services in dentistry, aesthetic medicine, ophthalmology, and orthopedics. To support efficient growth, LCO required a technologically advanced network.

Challenges

LCO faced inefficient management of its existing MPLS network: high costs, limited flexibility, and insufficient performance for its activity volume. The absence of an internal IT department and the use of critical software like XDENT and Zucchetti made a reliable, easy-to-manage solution essential. The network also needed to securely and rapidly support data sharing between locations.

Solution

In collaboration with its partner BraianTech Srl, QNAP implemented an SD-WAN solution based on QHora routers. The main office was equipped with the QHora-321 router, while the other locations used QHora-301W routers. The MPLS connectivity was replaced with high-performance FTTH fiber. Existing QNAP NAS devices, already used for Windows server virtualization and data backup, were integrated into the new SD-WAN infrastructure. QNAP's solution delivered centralized management, enhanced security with snapshots and backups, and a high-speed network with zero downtime during deployment.

Result

The new SD-WAN infrastructure significantly improved network performance while reducing operational costs by 40%. The speed and stability of the connectivity boosted productivity for medical and administrative staff, improving data exchange and appointment management. QNAP's solution simplified IT management, eliminating expensive third-party appliances and hardware firewalls. With the new network in place, LCO plans to undertake full digitalization projects, aiming for paperless operations and automated patient contact procedures within the next 12–24 months.