internet access for patients in dublin hospitals

stabu

Hi,

Does anybody know about getting internet access in hospitals, specifically Tallaght hospital?

It is meant to be possible, using a) some sort of temporary account and using dial-up? or b) using a hotspot but eircom does not seem to have any hotspots in hospitals at all.

It's for a patient with very poor mobility.

Cheers.

Urban Weigl

What about a Vodafone Data Unlimited mobile connect card? If you hurry you can still get the card for 49 euros, and the first month of service is free. After that it's 49 a month.

It'll give you broadband access everywhere there's 3G coverage, and fall back to dialup speeds elsewhere. Might be an option?

Blaster99

Hospitals aren't exactly big on the whole mobile thing? They probably don't know what a datacard is, but if they did I'd say they will force you to turn it off. I would be surprised if they would allow eircom to setup a hotspot for the same reason.

Depending on the mobility problems, it's probably ok to use the datacard in the cafeteria.

Static M.e.

Why dont you talk to the IT people in the Hospital?

(Not meaning to be smart or anything, but if you explain your situation, they would be in the best position to provide a solution.)

I know St.Lukes for instance provides a PC for Patient use with full Net access. Its quite possible Tallaght does too, it just mightn't be made too public.

Static M.e.

And sorry but

Hospitals aren't exactly big on the whole mobile thing? They probably don't know what a datacard is, but if they did I'd say they will force you to turn it off. I would be surprised if they would allow eircom to setup a hotspot for the same reason.

That is ridiculous, You think that IT in every hospital doesn't know what a Datacard is?? are you kidding me?

The reason for the lack of eircom hotspots in hospitals has NOTHING to do with the fact that they dont know about them. They are public bodies they cant simply just allow anyone to set up a hotspot.

I could continue but I wont.

spurious

I think hospitals in Ireland today have a number of more urgent problems than a lack of Net access.

If they have anything at all I would say it is in a specific part of the building. I wouldn't like lots of wireless signals interfering with any equipment a sick relative of mine was attached to.

MunsterCycling

Think you just hit the nail on the proverbial head there spurious, I say the lack of access is more to do with equipment safety concerns than lack of technical abiltiy / info.

MC

spurious wrote:

I think hospitals in Ireland today have a number of more urgent problems than a lack of Net access.

If they have anything at all I would say it is in a specific part of the building. I wouldn't like lots of wireless signals interfering with any equipment a sick relative of mine was attached to.

misterq

Actually I was in St. James a few weeks ago, I noticed several wireless AP's on my travels. I assume they are for the hospital lan though.

I'm not aware of any research that indicates wireless networking signals interfere with medical equipment.

MunsterCycling

Why then do they request you turn off your phone in a hospital???

ro2

so they don't have to listen to you yapping away...

HelterSkelter

MunsterCycling wrote:

Why then do they request you turn off your phone in a hospital???

They don't. Nobody ever told me to stop using my mobile when I was James's.

HelterSkelter

In the UK they have a console attached to the wall over every bed. The patient buys credit and they can use this credit to watch TV, make phone calls and access internet. Relatives can also make a phone call directly to the patient's bedside (at a permium rate number, 49p/min!!). Could be a nice little earner for the hospitals here if they were to implement it.

whippet

I was in the mater private a while back for a few nights, they have a bitbuzz network, but the signal was crap.

I paid my tenner and couldn't use it, the connection kept dropping and when it was connected it was useless.

Urban Weigl

Wireless networks interfering with hospital equipment is pretty much a myth. I read an article about it last year, but alas cannot find it now.

Snowbat

This one?
http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry/qsl-em-radiation2.htm

Looks like the power density from a GSM handset is more than twice that produced by an average indoor wifi antenna.

In addition to generating that instantly recognisable intefering buzz in nearby audio equipment, a transmitting GSM handset can also make certain Dell desktop models power down:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/28/dell_turned_off_by_text/

Ziycon

You can't use personal devices on the network in Tallaght Hospital for security reasons and the use of access points is fine for hospitals but they ar never used in the likes of A&E or cardiac or ICU, not because they mess with the equipment its because they can't be trusted with such critical systems! These departments have to be up 24/7 for obvious reasons!

lucernarian

Ziycon wrote:

You can't use personal devices on the network in Tallaght Hospital for security reasons and the use of access points is fine for hospitals but they ar never used in the likes of A&E or cardiac or ICU, not because they mess with the equipment its because they can't be trusted with such critical systems! These departments have to be up 24/7 for obvious reasons!

Could you explain then why there is a WiFi access point just outside the Emergency Room in the A&E of the Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda?

Static M.e.

Isnt it more of a case that some hospitals are simply fearfull of the unknown consequences that radio frequencies might bring the same as Airplanes?

The fact that so many mobiles are being brought out with diffenent configurations that they simply cant test them all on an ongoing basis so they ban them just incase ones comes out that does effect aircraft / Machinery.

Wireless access points from a secuity point of view shouldn't be implemented on your business network as they can't be secured adequetly.

Having a wireless access point on a seperate network / line within your organisation these days in a built up area wouldn't decrease your security too much Imo what with 3g cards and wireless home networks springing up everywhere.

In Hospitals abroad the doctors are using handheld WIRELESS Pdas to see patients so they can prescribe the medicine, make notes etc and have it sent straight to the pharmacy. Which enables them to keep an electronic record of everything, decrease paperwork and poor handwriting problems are eliminated. This was a pilot in Engerland about 5 years when I worked in the sector.

I think its more of case of like any organisation some are for it and some are against it.

bushy...

Static M.e. wrote:

Isnt it more of a case that some hospitals are simply fearfull of the unknown consequences that radio frequencies might bring the same as Airplanes?

Dunno about hospitals but the problem with some planes was mobiles could set off the emergency lights/locators ...seen it happen

Ziycon

To_be_confirmed wrote:

Could you explain then why there is a WiFi access point just outside the Emergency Room in the A&E of the Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda?

I dont know, thats a different hospital, i'm just talking about tallaght!

Also the wireless network in tallaght is just as secure as the wired one, i wont go into details but it is!

Blaster99

Static M.e. wrote:

That is ridiculous, You think that IT in every hospital doesn't know what a Datacard is?? are you kidding me?

Yeah, I'm sure a patient with mobility problems comes across IT staff in a hospital all day long. I'm referring to nurses obviously.

Static M.e. wrote:

I could continue but I wont.

Good.