From Akron to Africa

Wireless Internet Helps Patients Stay Connected
Wireless Internet access is available in all patient rooms on the Akron General Medical Center main campus. Patients need only to bring their own laptop with wireless Internet capability. Connectivity is identical to other common wireless hotspots like Internet cafes or airports.

The effort to provide wireless Internet access for their patients is just another example of Akron General Medical Center’s commitment to patient comfort and satisfaction, one reason why Akron General Medical Center is consistently ranked by consumers as the Akron area’s most preferred hospital.

"Internet access is more important to me than having access to TV," remarked Susan Basone, an Akron General patient from Uniontown. Having been hospitalized to continue her chemotherapy treatments, Mrs. Basone learned that Akron General Medical Center had recently made wireless Internet access available to patients throughout the hospital. Working from the comfort of her private room, she was able to communicate news of her treatment progress with her parents Bruce and Carol Britten, both missionaries working in Swaziland, Africa.

Mrs. Basone, a sign language interpreter for the Akron Public Schools, also teaches sign language interpreting and translation at Kent State University. "The access to the wireless Internet made it very easy for me to keep up my teaching duties, making it possible for me to access test papers from my hospital room," Mrs. Basone said.

Akron General is a leader in wireless technology. It was the first area medical center to offer physicians wireless access to medical records. The extension of this leading edge wireless technology for the convenience of patients was the next step, according to Nancy Jones, Director of Information Technology for Akron General Medical Center.

"We know how important it is for our patients to feel connected to their family and friends. We are pleased to be able to offer this free convenience to our patients," Jones said.

Staying connected is important to patients facing serious illnesses. For Mrs. Basone, the ability to send and receive e-mail was a welcomed mode of communication and a vital source of encouragement. "Through e-mail access, I was able to communicate with friends and family. Their e-mail exchange was a great source of support to me when I was feeling down," she said.

Read more on connecting wirelessly at Akron General Medical Center