They areconnected, no strings attached

CASEY Hospital is the first metropolitan hospital in Victoria to be fitted with a completely wireless computer network.
The technology means medical notes on electronic systems can be instantly updated, reducing many of the risks that come with the delay between a patient being examined and the clinician keying notes and observations.
The medical-grade wireless network will enable staff to connect from anywhere within the facilities – whether they are in the kitchen, children’s ward, medical student tutorial room, emergency, the cafeteria or one of the many hallways in between.
The rollout of the wireless environment in Casey Hospital’s emergency department started Friday and will occur in the remainder of the hospital throughout April and May.
Southern Health’s business systems program manager Donovan Ferguson said that every corner of the hospital had been surveyed and there were no “black spots”.
“Southern Health wants any clinician in the state to be able to walk into the hospital, securely connect to our network, then access resources and information, and importantly, take meaningful technology to the patient bedside,” Mr Ferguson said.
Acting chief executive Siva Sivarajah announced last week that a select group of medical staff at Casey Hospital was to conduct a proof-of-concept trial of iPads.
He said the portable device could only view and update records, not copy them, which ensured patient privacy was protected should a device be lost or stolen.
A working party would also identify other wireless technologies for evaluation, ensuring that maximum flexibility, functionality and investment value can be achieved.
Mr Sivarajah also said the availability of real-time results and records at the bedside is an important step forward, and ensured Southern Health was at the forefront of using technology to enhance patient engagement time.
Medical grade networks are a ‘highly redundant’ standard, with only 5.35 minutes possible downtime a year. In the event of any problems, all primary components have secondary backups with automatic cutovers.
Attending the announcement with Health Minister David Davis, South Eastern Metropolitan Region MP Inga Peulich said Casey Hospital was leading the way for further wireless connections in Victorian hospitals.
The Casey wireless project is being delivered as part of a Victorian Government Private Public Partnership (PPP) investment totalling $250,000.