Web helps make hospital stays tolerable

[wdlove]

"When Dorin Zohner of Waterville, Maine, was taken to his hospital room after a bone marrow-stem cell transplant, his immune system was so low that if he stepped outside the 15-by-15-foot room during his three-week recovery, he would be exposed to potentially dangerous bacteria, fungus, and viruses.

The thought of staying inside a room with only a television and stereo system, a place where only sterile items could be brought in, made him feel almost like a prisoner, Zohner said. But that changed when the staff of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston brought in an Internet-connected computer for his use."

It's about time that hsopitalized patients have access to the internet also. This can elevate the mood of patients, which helps with healing

[Makosuke]

I'm somewhat shocked that this isn't standard practice in most hospitals already; hospital stays are notoriously boring, and the web is the ultimate time waster that doesn't require moving around. Also keeps the mind a whole lot more active than staring at a TV, and would even let you communicate with friends and relatives much more cheaply than the phone or visiting.

Heck, give me a broadband connection and a decent laptop, and I probably wouldn't even complain about being bedridden for a week or two.

[Counterfit]

A friend of mine spent a week or two in the Children's Hospital in Boston last fall, luckily he had his PowerBook. Although now I remember that I should feel like an ass, because he was right down the street from me and I didn't visit him :mad:

[mj_1903]

One of my friends has Leukaemia (as some of you may know from a previous thread). She was confined to hospital for the last month and fortunately she had her laptop with her so she could write blogs, e-mail friends, chat to friends, write articles for wikipedia, keep up with the news, etc.

Soon, she will be getting a bone marrow transplant so we will be making sure she has a brand new PowerBook to keep her company (at this time she has a Windows machine but she has seen the light).

Having the internet has certainly made her life easier and probably assisted with her fighting the cancer as she can remain close to her friends and keep her brain stimulated.

[MongoTheGeek]

I never took my laptop into the hospital with me. They were always 23 hour "observation" stays. It would have been nice. They seem to have a wifi network setup but its probably locked town tighter than the morphine cabinet.

It was nice to take it with me to chemo treatment. Made the 6 hour doctors visits fly by.

[Chip NoVaMac]

My other half was in the hospital for a few days. No wi-fi, and you could only use a laptop on battery power. Yet he could take and plug in his iPod for charging; and plug in his portable DVD player. Go figure.

[virividox]

only some rooms int eh hospitals in manila have internet acess even then its dial up

but some of the new hospitals are integrating wifi and broadband, but its still not a standard option

[Raid]

Sick Kids hospital here in Toronto has some game systems (Nintendo and Playstation I think) that the kids can book and play on. I think it's a great way for them to pass the time and get some rest and a little fun, for what could be a very scary time for them.

I'm pretty sure we don't have web access for our hosipital patients though, but I think it'd be nice to give adults access to the net for email and such. It might help pass the time and make them feel productive... as long as they keep their surfing clean. ;)

[wdlove]

A friend of mine spent a week or two in the Children's Hospital in Boston last fall, luckily he had his PowerBook. Although now I remember that I should feel like an ass, because he was right down the street from me and I didn't visit him :mad:

You shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Your friend should have let you know about his hospital visit. At least he had his PowerBook to occupy the time.

[seamuskrat]

It took years for hospitals to have Cable tv. it would be nice to have wireless access, as it would allow for better communication. But many hospitals feel that wireless will interfere with medical apparatus and diagnostics and will not allow it at all. Also, SOME hospital phone lines in patients rooms cannot be used for modem access, that is the case in some Kaiser Hospitals in SoCal. But it would be beneficial and probably help reduce workloads if each room had an ethernet jack. The hospital could have an internal web site for ordering meals, charting progress, etc.

[iNetwork]

Nothing like a little bit of internet porn to help boost your morale. ;)

[Abstract]

"his immune system was so low that if he stepped outside the 15-by-15-foot room during his three-week recovery, he would be exposed to potentially dangerous bacteria, fungus, and viruses.


I hope he wasn't using a Windows computer!! :eek:

[sonyrules]

WOW, thier working on it.. Now all they have to do is make the food more etable

[wdlove]

The picture in the Globe showed a person using a PowerBook.

At least here in the Boston area the private hospitals have greatly improved the menu. They have hired chefs and try to cater the the tastes of the patient.

[Chip NoVaMac]

At least here in the Boston area the private hospitals have greatly improved the menu. They have hired chefs and try to cater the the tastes of the patient.

Blew my mind when my lover had his appendix out recently at INOVA Fair Oaks. He was given a room service menu and was told to order what he wanted. And to order when he was ready to eat (had to give at least an hour and half notice, of course). Just amazing how hospitals have moved with the times.