Hospitals with Internet and Email Access

Introduction

Access to e-mail and the Internet including WiFi is everywhere these days, from coffee shops to cruise ships. So why not have the Internet in hospitals, where patients can take their mind off their health conditions and surf or instant message while lying in bed? Public Access Internet Service is an excellent way for patients and guests to stay connected in a hospital facility.

Main Item

Can You Use the Internet in Hospitals?

Yes, more and more hospitals are offering Internet services to patients and visitors. Disabled World is assembling a list of hospitals that offer Internet access for their patients. If you know of a hospital that offers Internet access, and we haven't listed it, please advise us.

Access to e-mail and the Internet including wifi is everywhere these days, from coffee shops to cruise ships. So why not have the Internet in hospitals, where patients can take their mind off their health conditions and surf or instant message while lying in bed

Public Access Internet Service is an excellent way for patients and guests to stay connected in a hospital facility.

Hospitals providing patients with an Internet service offer a far less boring stay for their inpatients and their visitors. Portable laptop computers can be used in the patients own wards to surf the Internet, chat, play games and for many other purposes, thus helping relieve the boredom of a hospital stay. See our article on Things to do in Hospital

No doubt in the future, when more and more hospitals enter the digital age, digital resources will be made available in wards at all patients bedsides and the hospital would use the technology to share information across a complete healthcare system such as clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, and emergency response units. One hospital in America which trialled this system reported a savings of $1.3 million per year by electronically interacting with various healthcare segments.

Although the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Toronto did not reach a pandemic level, it created a unique opportunity to identify the optimal use of the Internet to promote communication with the public and to preserve health services during an epidemic.

US Hospitals with Internet Access

A

Abrazo Health Care - Part of Nashville-based Vanguard Health Systems, serves the metropolitan Phoenix community as one of the largest health care organizations in Arizona. Abrazo Health Care's five acute care hospitals consist of Arrowhead Hospital, Maryvale Hospital, Paradise Valley Hospital, Phoenix Baptist Hospital and West Valley Hospital. Their network allows internet access in all their hospitals including ICU.

B

Brigham And Women's Hospital - Patients and their families have access to a wireless Internet connection. BWH Information Systems is broadcasting access points within the hospital, allowing users to connect to the Internet through the connection "PHSPIAGUEST." This wireless connection will appear automatically with a wireless network card.

Baylor - Besides wireless Internet access for laptop users Baylor also has a "business center" on each floor, equipped with personal computers so that visitors can have access to the Internet and e-mail.

C

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center - Laptop computer jacks are provided in every patient room, giving you convenient access to free RoadRunner High-Speed internet services.

D

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Dana-Farber patients and their families can now connect to the Internet right from their laptop computers within treatment areas, thanks to the implementation of wireless computer access on patient-care floors in the Dana building. Each networked floor is equipped with purple signs stating: "Wireless Internet available here." Some patients can log on just as they do at home or in any other wireless setting, while others can follow several simple steps. Instruction cards are available on each floor, and for those patients who encounter problems, clinical staff members will contact Information Services. A technician will respond in person within 10 minutes.

Detroit Medical Center's Children's Hospital - A a pilot program has allowed patients in one unit of the hospital to sign out laptops for three hours at a time, for free. They can surf the Internet, play games etc. Metro Detroit hospitals also cater to adults who want to access to the Internet. Wall jacks in hospital rooms and expanding wireless zones let people get online with their own computers. Beyond the computer equipment, hospitals are offering a service that lets patients and their families create Web pages to chronicle the patient's progress.

E

Emory HealthCare - Offers free wireless Internet access for hospital guests. To connect to the Internet: Open your Web browser. You should see the EMORY HEALTHCARE Guest Access welcome page. Click on "Terms of Use." Read the terms and conditions and click the "I agree" button to continue. Provide your e-mail address at the prompt on the next screen and click the "Login" button. You will see the emoryhealthcare.org home page. You now have wireless Internet access.

K

Kaiser Hospital Irvine, California - Internet access for guests and Patients.

L

Lovelace Health System - Lovelace Connect will provide patients and their guests with free wireless Internet access during their stays. It is now available at Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Women's Hospital, Lovelace Westside Hospital and Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital. It can be accessed in all patient rooms and in all common areas such as the cafeteria and lobby areas.

LodgeNet Entertainment Corp. has installed interactive TV systems in 10 hospitals in New Jersey, Missouri, Alabama, Washington state, Texas and South Dakota, and has contracts with twice that many.

N

North Country regional Hospital - As of Sep 2008, North Country regional Hospital, 1300 Anne Street NW, Bemidji, Minnesota now provides wireless Internet access to all patients and visitors free of charge. North Country Regional Hospital are also currently seeking funding to be able to provide an Internet kiosk in each of the 9 family waiting areas for those that do not have a wireless device available to them.

O

Oneida Healthcare Center New York - Provides FREE Wi-Fi internet access for the convenience of their visitors, patients and residents throughout the Hospital and Extended Care Facility.

Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans, Louisiana - Has WiFi internet access.

P

Palmetto Health - Offers free, wireless Internet access. Patients and visitors can use a Wi-Fi connection to use their own wireless devices while at any Palmetto Health hospital. This service provides the capability for patients and visitors to utilize their personal wireless enabled device(s), laptops, PDAs, etc. to access the internet using 802.11 b/g protocols, at no charge.

Presbyterian Healthcare Services of Albuquerque, NM. - 5hospitals and 3 clinics involved in the project will be connected to the Presbyterian Data Center in Albuquerque via a high-speed, wide area network provided and maintained by Conterra. The network will transport electronic medical records, electronic imaging as well as provide high-speed transport for new telemedicine opportunities.

R

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center - Features 520 large, private patient rooms, sun-filled views, daybeds to accommodate family members, wireless Internet access, room service with customized meals, outdoor play areas for pediatric patients, gardens and more.

S

Sentara Heart Hospital - Patient and family lounges are designed with unique business centers with Internet access, and other appropriate amenities.

St. John Hospital and Medical Center - Complimentary wireless internet access is available to visitors who bring a personal laptop computer. To use the service, simply log onto your wireless enabled computer and scan for wireless networks. Then click on "St. John Internet." After reviewing and accepting the terms of use on the connection screen, you'll be able to browse the Internet.

Includes:

• Providence Hospital.
• St. John River District Hospital.
• St. John North Shores Hospital.
• St. John Detroit Riverview Hospital.
• St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Macomb Center.
• St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Oakland Center.
• St. Mary's Medical Center in Huntington, WV offers WiFi Services.

Sherman Hospital - Not only will wireless internet access be available throughout the hospital, but users will be able to connect free of charge. If you're a visitor to a patient's room, or waiting for someone to get out of surgery, you can have internet access using your laptop or mobile device.

T

Torrance Memorial Medical Center provides a Guest wireless network. They are located in Torrance, CA 90505 - website www.torrancememorial.org

U

University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital - Patients get an entertainment and education system, based around a 42-inch LCD television, which allows patients to surf the Net and get e-mail, along with downloading movies, reviewing educational content and playing games from their beds. Patients and visitors with their own laptops also are given secure wireless Internet access at no cost.

UW Hospital and American Family Children's Hospital - Wi-Fi wireless internet access is available throughout UW Hospital and American Family Children's Hospital as a complimentary service for patients, families and visitors in the following locations, Lobbies and dining areas, Patient and family waiting areas and lounges, Inpatient rooms.

University of Iowa Hospitals - Internet access is available in each room, except in some intensive care units. Internet access is provided through GuestNet. Laptops can be checked out from the Patients' Library.

W

Willis-Knighton Health System - Are installing Wi-Fi Internet access at all WK hospitals. It is currently available at the Willis-Knighton Medical Center (North), WK Pierremont Health Center, WK Bossier Health Center (all patient rooms) and Willis-Knighton South Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Coverage is expanding daily. Stay connected in the hospital with free Wi-Fi for patients and visitors. Patients and visitors can now access the Internet using their wireless-equipped laptops and other wireless devices to browse the Web the Internet, check e-mail, and chat with friends and family. To access WK Wi-Fi, you need a laptop or wireless device equipped with a 802.11 b or g compatible wireless access card. Your device must be configured DHCP. In most cases you should be able to connect with the wireless network by simply scanning for and connecting to "WK Public Wi-Fi" and opening up a browser.

Y

Yale-New Haven Hospital - You may bring your mobile device or laptop computer to the hospital. For the 11th year, Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH) has been selected as one of the Most Wired Hospitals in the nation by Hospitals & Health Networks, a trade magazine published by the American Hospital Association. YNHH was also selected for the seventh year as a Most Wireless award winner.

Canadian Hospitals with Internet Access

• Hospitality Network, the leading provider of healthcare communications and entertainment solutions in Canadian hospitals and long term care facilities announced its latest technology service offering high-speed wireless Internet access powered by FatPort, Canada's most established WiFi Hotspot Operator and provider of turnkey solutions.
• Industry Canada's Community Access Program (CAP) gives thousands of Canadians affordable access to the Internet in places like schools, hospitals, community centers and libraries.
• UK Hospitals with Internet Access
• Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals - All patients have access to their own Patientline bedside entertainment system that includes a telephone, radio, TV and Internet and e-mail facilities.

Page Information, Citing and Disclaimer

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Cite This Page (APA): Langtree, I. C. (2009, June 25 - Last revised: 2020, February 4). Hospitals with Internet and Email Access. Disabled World. Retrieved December 10, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/medical/rehabilitation/hospitals-internet.php

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