Stay in touch while keeping in touch

Saint Anthony Medical Center offers visitors free Internet access

CROWN POINT Saint Anthony Medical Center visitors need not lose touch with cyberspace while they are seeing friends or loved ones at the hospital.

“GuestNet’’ free wireless service may be accessed in designated hospital areas, including the cafeteria, main lobby and waiting areas. Signs soon will be posted at those areas.

Permission is needed to use the service outside of those locations, such as in a patient’s room. Visitors are urged to ask at the front desk for a copy of the terms and conditions of using the system when they arrive.

Guests may bring laptops, PDAs (personal digital assistants), or other Wi Fi- capable devices to browse Web sites, check e-mail, or to perform other basic Internet tasks.
Nader Eskander, Management Information Systems director, said GuestNet was installed in August 2007.

“It’s a big plus to be able to catch up on e-mail or work while visiting the hospital, or to communicate the loved one’s condition to the family electronically,” he said.
However, he reminds visitors that “as much as we are happy to provide the service, our primary concern is patient care.’’

Visitors should not use GuestNet in hallways or clinical areas, because it could interfere with operations that affect quality of care, Eskander said.

GuestNet has been available at Sisters of Saint Francis Health Systems Northern Region hospitals since mid to late 2007. In addition to Saint Anthony Medical Center, the service is available at Saint Margaret Mercy campuses in Hammond and Dyer and at Saint Anthony Memorial in Michigan City.