Liverpool improves patient entertainment

Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust is deploying a new entertainment solution to systems at patient bedsides that also enable its clinicians to access its patient information system.

The trust has already started to roll-out the solution from Exterity, which uses the hospital's existing IP network to supply TV and radio channels to its Philips CareServant patient information system. The content can also be streamed to TVs in waiting rooms.

Dr Zafar Chaudry, chief information officer for Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is making a big difference to the patient experience. Patients who are less stressed are less grumpy, so the nurses have an easier time caring for them." 

By using the trust's IP network, the Exterity solution avoids the need for a separate analogue TV cabling system. It captures the TV and radio channels from an aerial and then transmits them into the hospital network as standard, easily managed MPEG streams.

“We are always looking for additional tasks the LAN [local area network] can support, to make sure we get the most from a significant investment,” Dr Chaudry said.

The Philips CareServant terminals - wide-screen, bed mounted touch-screens with a mini- keyboard and phone services - were implemented earlier this year.

Link: Exterity