WIFI WIFI (wireless-fidelity) is used in hospitals to connect multiple computers and tablets to the same network so that doctors can access their patients files and details anywhere in the hospital. They use WIFI so that the tablets can move from room to room to visit different patients and still be connected

Some examples of Hand held devices used in the medical industry

Plug-In Technology For Mobile Phones Diagnoses Pneumonia Researchers are adapting mobile phones to help health workers quickly diagnose pneumonia. The team has developed a low-cost oximeter, a device that measures the oxygen content in red blood cells. This can be plugged into a smartphone with special diagnostic software to analyse readings obtained from the sensor and determine a patient’s health. The next step is expanding the prototype to work with simpler cell phones.

Off-The-Shelf Camera Sees Cancer In Real-Time Using a $400 Olympus digital camera, biomedical researchers are able to distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells with the addition of a small bundle of fiber-optic cable. The tip of the cable is placed against the inside of a patient’s cheek, which has been treated with a common fluorescent dye to glow for better imaging. The pictures captured can then be examined on the camera’s LCD screen to detect if abnormal cells are present. In the future, software upgrades could be developed to perform this analysis automatically.

Lens-Less Digital Microscope Plugs Into Mobile Phones UCLA’s Ozcan Research Group has developed a small digital microscope that can plug into a cell phone through a USB cable and perform basic medical diagnostics. This inexpensive, lightweight microscope doesn’t use a lens, but instead incorporates a LED to illuminate the sample along with a light-sensing chip to capture images from slides. This helps ensure quicker access to medication and treatment.

Technology has increased patient mobility, both at the hospital and at home. A patient can leave their hospital bed while still having their vital signs, including blood pressure, electrocardiogram and temperature, continuously monitored through the hospital's access points. As an added benefit, a patient can be tracked through the hospital.

For example, there are now implantable devices that monitor glucose levels without a patient having to puncture themselves with needles several times a day. The resulting data can be transmitted to a networked computer in the patient's home, allowing a healthcare professional to monitor the patient data without the patient having to set foot in a hospital.

Other examples Handheld electronic devices enable clinical staff to carry medication reference information to the point of care. These devices are small enough to keep in pockets or on belts, leaving hands free for other duties. Information on drug indications, doses, interactions and other considerations can be downloaded to these devices for quick reference. Many hospitals are piloting the use of handheld electronic devices linked via wireless networks to the main hospital network.

Implications Patients in remote areas can receive basic diagnosis without having to travel to health clinics. Mobile Phone As Tool – Basic phones enable them to provide mobile care. Anywhere Diagnosis -Temporary, ad-hoc hospitals can be set up for doctors to monitor larger groups of people who don’t have easy access to medical facilities.0 Frequent Check-ups, Early Detection – Mobile devices can be used to monitor healthy patients and larger populations identifying and preventing pandemics by treating people before disease spreads.

Costs Technology devices are expensive; no hospital can afford to buy what it won’t use. It's important to determine the devices that will clearly help physicians, nurses and other professionals. Correctly estimating the number of devices needed is also vital.