We recently announced that Horizon has been awarded a five-year Master Service Agreement from the Southern Ohio Health Care Network (SOHCN). SOHCN is a non-profit organization designed to expand access to world-class care, improve health outcomes and provide professional development for rural healthcare providers. This agreement paves the way for both Horizon and SOHCN to continue delivering greater network capability in Ohio and beyond.
The partnership between these companies began after Horizon won SOHCN’s original competitive bidding process in 2009. That year, Horizon helped the organization architect a fiber network to connect to 13 southern Ohio counties as part of the FCC Rural Health Care Pilot Program. This relationship then expanded into 2010, when the two companies connected an additional 21 counties as part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunity Program. Today, as network needs continue to expand, the SOHCN Board has chosen Horizon to be its ongoing, primary fiber broadband provider for its growing network. SOHCN currently serves more than 350 healthcare facilities operated by 18 different healthcare providers in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.
Horizon’s industry-leading Metro Ethernet services — as well as its unmatched customer service backed by expert personnel — ensured this vote of confidence from SOHCN and will enable the healthcare entity to leverage redundancy, diversity and more across its network. Horizon’s network provides high-quality, ultra reliable fiber connectivity to mission-critical locations across SOHCN’s footprint. Additionally, SOHCN’s qualifying locations receive a 65% subsidy on telecommunications expenses, saving their healthcare members more than $2 million per year.
“We are delighted to award this renewal to Horizon,” said Tom Reid, Board Appointed Project Coordinator for SOHCN. “We have a long partnership dating over a decade of developing this network. Both entities have seen significant expansion that really mirrors a similar footprint.”
“We pride ourselves on being a true partner that builds customized and sometimes complex network solutions that best fit our customers’ needs,” commented Glenn Lytle, Chief Revenue Officer for Horizon. “We have been able to anchor our network and expand with SOHCN to provide its members the best in fiber connectivity.”
To read the full press release, please click here.