Bedside touchscreen technology, including on-demand content and user guides are being used to support patient care, according to the What's Your Tech website.

Entertainment options for the patient, medical information to the healthcare provider or more meaningful communications between the patient and friends and family can contribute to treatment and recovery.

Patients at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Winnipeg are now using a bedside entertainment platform called Panacea.

Patients have instant access to TV, video, phone, music, games, social media and Internet sites. Hospital staff use the same unit to access clinical records and treatment charts about the patient, as well as other relevant health care information, the article said.

The system is designed to make a hospital stay shorter, Monika Gawthrop, a manager of patient care at HSC, said in the article.

“Support of family and friends is essential to facilitating excellent care for our patients,” she said. “The ability of family and friends to encourage, support and promote hope for our patients any time of the day or night, no matter where they live, has made a positive impact.”

Read the article.