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Internet access in hospitals?

  • 17-11-2008 12:51pm
    #1
    trap4
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 468 ✭✭


    Hi, I haven't been in hopital in ages, thank goodness, but am researching a project for which I was wondering what is the story now in regard to public internet access in Irish hospitals? Do (m)any of them have internet terminals for patients to use? Wifi/wiress access?


Comments

  • #2
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,669 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    I was in the Hermitage hospital earlier this year and it had internet access at every bed. Fairly sure there is none in Beaumont, Mater, Drogheda and Navan


  • #3
    wheresthebeef
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 887 ✭✭✭wheresthebeef


    tallaght hospital do not have internet access for patients or the public.
    internet access for staff is severly crippled. students of TCD can access their own college internet in the education centre.


  • #4
    Amnesiac_ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 510 ✭✭✭Amnesiac_ie


    I'm not aware of any public hospitals that have WiFi for patients. A lot of hospitals have dreadful "pay-as-you-surf" Eircom kiosks which offer a dreadfully slow service at a crazy cost.


  • #5
    Echani
    Closed Accounts Posts: 109 ✭✭Echani


    They don't have WiFi for patients in Beaumont and I'm fairly sure they don't have it in James Connolly. I've seen a few patients with those O2 usb modems plugged into laptops, seems to be the best plan if you're going to be stuck there for a while.

    I *think* there's some pay-to-use internet terminals near the entrance in Beaumont, but I could be mistaken, haven't been out there in a while.


  • #6
    sam34
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,073 ✭✭✭sam34


    i think the hse have better things to be spending their money on than high speed wireless internet for patients!


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  • #7
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,669 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    sam34 wrote: »
    i think the hse have better things to be spending their money on than high speed wireless internet for patients!
    To be fair that's not being suggested. as far as I can see. With a bit of forward thinking this could be a nice revenue stream for the hospital !
    (far easier to close wards though :eek:)


  • #8
    sam34
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,073 ✭✭✭sam34


    RobFowl wrote: »
    To be fair that's not being suggested. as far as I can see. With a bit of forward thinking this could be a nice revenue stream for the hospital !
    (far easier to close wards though :eek:)

    oh i know noone suggested it, i wasnt insinuating that at all. i just think its not a priority for hse funds right now.


  • #9
    RobFowl
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 11,669 Mod ✭✭✭✭RobFowl


    sam34 wrote: »
    oh i know noone suggested it, i wasnt insinuating that at all. i just think its not a priority for hse funds right now.

    As I said it shouldn't cost money but could make money for the hospital. They already generate income with shops, hairdressers, florists and car parking !


  • #10
    Amnesiac_ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 510 ✭✭✭Amnesiac_ie


    I have noticed some younger patients using 3G modems on their laptops as inpatients! One guy in particular stands out; he asked to move bed for better 3G coverage for his modem!


  • #11
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,499 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    sam34 wrote: »
    i think the hse have better things to be spending their money on than high speed wireless internet for patients!
    Many hospitals (Tallaght certainly do, for example) have the necessary wireless infrastructure in place already, and it's usually fairly fancy enterprise grade stuff with multiple SSID's and that kind of thing, so setting up a hotspot type setup on the back of that infrastructure wouldn't be too hard from a technical point of view. They could contract out the actual hotspot management and payment details to someone else like Eircom or BT, so the total cost to them would be pretty much zero.


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  • #12
    sam34
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,073 ✭✭✭sam34


    Alun wrote: »
    Many hospitals (Tallaght certainly do, for example) have the necessary wireless infrastructure in place already, and it's usually fairly fancy enterprise grade stuff with multiple SSID's and that kind of thing, so setting up a hotspot type setup on the back of that infrastructure wouldn't be too hard from a technical point of view. They could contract out the actual hotspot management and payment details to someone else like Eircom or BT, so the total cost to them would be pretty much zero.

    oh, i didnt know that. cheers. maybe not such a bad idea so!


  • #13
    cuckoo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭cuckoo


    RobFowl wrote: »
    To be fair that's not being suggested. as far as I can see. With a bit of forward thinking this could be a nice revenue stream for the hospital !
    (far easier to close wards though :eek:)

    I have visions of patients googling their symptons and drugs....and then driving their nurses and doctors crazy with theories and suggestions....


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