The Children’s Hospital in Sheffield, England is rolling out a new system that combines entertainment and medical records in one unit. Bedside terminals previously used to provide entertainment and interactive services for patients are being outfitted with access to electronic patient records using a smart card access system. Medical records and data are also available from nursing stations and offices throughout the hospital using authorized smart cards.

The new medical records program allows hospital staff to increase their efficiency and spend more individualized time with patients. Clinicians simply insert their smart cards into the bedside terminals and enter a pass code. They then have access to a clinical desktop. This quick and convenient method also helps to save space at nursing stations that are no longer cluttered with mounds of paperwork.
With personal information at stake, the new system takes security precautions to protect patient confidentiality. Clinical desktops are only available with smart card authentication. Once the card is removed from the terminal the unit reverts back to the default system. The terminals do not hold any personal medical records or data, virtually eliminating the danger of data theft.