What is IPTV? And how is it used in hospitals?
Posted on Fri, May 14, 2010
What is IPTV?
IPTV is an acronym for Internet Protocol Television. Because IPTVs have ethernet ports, they can be networked much like computers to pull content from a server that stores content. According to Wikipedia, IPTV is classified into three main types:
- live TV
- time-shifted programming
- video on demand (VOD).
VOD comes in handy inside the healthcare setting. For example, a patient who is having heart surgery can watch a prescribed video about recovering from their procedure. Diabetic patients can watch a video about nutrition and how to regulate their blood glucose levels. There are hundreds of educational videos available for healthcare facilities to educate patients.
How is IPTV used in hospitals?
IPTV provides for a simple way for hospital staff, patients, and visitors to interact with digital content. Hospital staff can deliver educational content (i.e. x-rays or smoking cessation videos) to patients in just a few button presses. Entire libraries of educational content can be stored on one server at the hospital. This content can be distributed to:
- patient televisions
- staff lounges
- cafeterias
- waiting areas
Video on Demand in the traditional sense would be entertainment videos, which can also be distributed inside the hospital, but VOD can be educational content on demand in hospital settings.
Video on Demand also means multiple patients can view content at separate days/ times. That is, IPTV allows us to "time shift" and "place shift" our viewing. Content is not pushed out (i.e.) broadcast to all, but delivered, on request, to one. Content resides on the local network and is available anytime convenient to the patient, not scheduled by the cable operator. Content streaming is controlled by the patient-play, pause, stop, start, etc.-at the patient's convenience.
For example, patients and visitors in the hospital can select the Movie button on their in-room television. A list of available movies is shown. The patient or visitor selects the desired movie and presses play. The same movie can be accessed by multiple (tens, hundreds even) patients at the same time and at any time. There is no need for patients to wait for staff to find DVDs or VHS tapes for them. And there is no need for patients to wait for a movie to air on the hospital's movie channel. Video on demand means patients watch movies when they want to.
IPTV is a way to make patients happy.
Learn more about the difference between regular TV and IPTV.