Background:
Ramsay Healthcare is one of the leading providers of private healthcare in the UK, offering a range of treatments.With a network of 36 private facilities across the country, last year Ramsay attended to 839,000 outpatients as well as admitting 164,795 inpatients.
The ability to provide excellent service to all of these patients is both the top priority and the number one challenge for the organisation. The service provided to patients must offer everyone the experience they want. Key to this is modernising technology to keep up with patient needs in everyday life.
Why WiFi?
For us, free WiFi wasn’t only about adapting to suit the modern patient; it was about matching the needs of the modern hospital
Free WiFi has become a mainstay in an increasingly switched-on world, as highlighted in the most recent Ofcom Communications Report, which stated half of all UK adults now regularly access the internet from their mobile phone. With so many patients leading busy lifestyles, Ramsay Healthcare believes WiFi is a way for patients to remain connected – whether receiving emails or communicating with friends and family over instant messaging or social networks.
Similarly, the need for a fast, easy-to-use internet connection was paramount for Ramsay Healthcare’s consultants and specialists. The modern health service is increasingly mobile based. For example, mobile devices are often used to view test results or to analyse scans. Being able to get online quickly and easily throughout the hospitals was therefore vital.
“Before we began looking at the option of rolling out WiFi, we of course had broadband available to staff, but it required a password so any consultants or specialists visiting our hospitals found it difficult to get online quickly and easily,” explained Ross Finch, marketing manager at Ramsay Healthcare UK.
“So, for us, free WiFi wasn’t only about adapting to suit the modern patient; it was about matching the needs of the modern hospital.”
Bringing WiFi to the ward
In order to enhance the experience of their patients and position themselves as a healthcare provider in pace with the demands of the modern world, Ramsay Healthcare has been working with leading WiFi provider, The Cloud, over the last six years. The Cloud now provides high-speed internet across 28 of its sites.
With more than 20,000 UK WiFi hotspots providing fast internet access to millions of people every day, The Cloud had the right level of experience required to ensure Ramsay Healthcare’s WiFi network would work efficiently and immediately following rollout.
“This wasn’t a small project – the WiFi was going to be an important part of our service and we wanted to be 100% confident that the service would deliver,” added Finch.
“We soon came to the conclusion that The Cloud were the right partner for us when we realised how well they understood our needs and were willing to tailor the WiFi service for our hospital.”
Connected to the outside world
Following implementation, access to the free WiFi has enriched the experience of patients and their visitors at Ramsay Healthcare’s hospitals. The WiFi is available throughout the buildings via any WiFi-enabled device. Patients are using it to access social networks, speak to loved ones via Skype and also watch TV and movies via services like Sky Go.
The free WiFi service has already become a key part of the patient experience and we hope it will soon become just as important to our consultants
Since the service went live, it has proven popular with patients, visitors and staff. On average, more than 7,000 devices are accessing The Cloud WiFi network each month. With the average WiFi session lasting over two hours in duration, it is evident that the service is of enormous benefit to all.
“We are delighted with the service The Cloud is providing and we anticipate WiFi usage will continue to increase,” said Finch.
“The next step is to further encourage our consultants to take advantage of the network as more reporting, MRI/CT scans and X-rays move to digital. The free WiFi service has already become a key part of the patient experience and we hope it will soon become just as important to our consultants.”
The service in numbers
- Average number of user devices per month: 7,651
- Average number of sessions per month: 38,176
- Average minutes per session: 125.67 minutes
