A NEW patient information and entertainment system has been installed at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital thanks to funding from its own charity.
The new systems are bedside apparatus which provide patients with information about their stay, physiotherapy and recovery educational videos, access to streaming services they are subscribed to, improved connectivity with hospital staff and loved ones and more.
Menus and options can be tailored to suit a patients age, language, disability, or any learning difficulties.
Liam Maiden, head of IT Operations at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, said “We’re really pleased to be able to offer patients staying at ROH access to information and entertainment services while they are here, to help distract them from any anxiety they may feel while in hospital and to watch their favourite programmes they’d normally watch at home.”
The new system is based on a free, user-friendly app called Fusion which is accessed on devices available in each patient bed-space.
Ruth Hughes, Royal Orthopaedic Charity fundraising manager, added: “We are proud to have made such a positive impact on inpatient stays at the hospital by not only providing entertainment, but also providing ready to use information around surgery and recovery to help educate patients too.
“We really hope this becomes a vital piece of equipment which both the patients and staff on the ward feel are valuable to their recovery.”
The hospital began looking for a patient entertainment system after a patient survey found a desire for TV access.
The project was funded by NHS Charities Together, patient donations and sponsors including ModuleCo Healthcare, Oliver, and Natasha.
The Trust currently has 115 devices, split between televisions and iPads which means every patient on a ward has the ability to access the entertainment system for playing games, browsing the web or log in to their own streaming services.
A total of 70 per cent of respondents said the new system improved their hospital stay.
In the future, the Birmingham Trust hopes to use the app so patients can order meals directly from their bed alongside further developments.
Contact [email protected] to share suggestions for the new system.
