As stated here before, healthcare represents an enormous opportunity for mobility. Healthcare workers (on and off campus) are extremely mobile and the returns are also enormous: from chronic disease management, to critical care, to home health care, to eprescribing to electronic medical records the variety of uses for mobile technology in healthcare do not only have a high return on financial investments but will allow caregivers to spend more time with patients doing what most of them love to do (and went to school for).
Having said all that, it still quite surprising and shocking how hospitals have not opened their doors more widely to mobile phone use inside their facilities. However we see some progress being made:
Hospitals in England have been told to consider allowing “more liberal use of mobile phones”, following new guidance issued today by the Department of Health.
Under the new guidelines areas of hospitals where mobile phone use is banned could become the exception rather than the norm. Bans will remain in place in areas where critical care equipment is susceptible to electro magnetic interference.
The latest guidance says NHS trusts “should consider giving patients, staff and visitors the widest possible use of mobile phones, where it doesn’t interfere with equipment, the privacy of others or cause a nuisance”.
Although the main reason for these changes in England are not for the same reasons we stated above:
Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said: “Close support and comfort from loved ones when you are poorly in hospital is essential. Mobiles phones are commonplace in everyday life these days and people have told us that they’d like to be able to use their phones more in hospital to keep in touch.”
Bradshaw added: “That’s why we’re keen to encourage sensible use in NHS hospitals where it is safe to do so, in addition to other services offered in hospitals such bedside payphones, TV and internet access.”
It appears to be more about the patient experience than on the improvement of care… but both are important and we are happy to see the positive forward steps.
**This entry has also been posted on our other site.
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