The Washington Post

The following is an excerpt from this piece.  To read the complete original article, please click here: GetWell Network Offers Hospital Patients Interactive Care

GetWellNet sells a service that delivers health information and other programmng to patients through televisions in their hospital rooms.  Patients use a wireless keyboard or handheld device to call up, for example, videos to learn more about their condition. By clicking another button, they can request that the bathroom be cleaned.  Patients can watch a movie, play a game or even log on to the Web and check out their Facebook account. 

"The big idea here is that patients have always been on the outside looking in at their health care," said the company's founder, Michael O'Neil Jr. "The idea is to put the patient smack in the middle."

One of GetWellNetwork's early customers was Children's National Medical Center in the District.  Linda Talley, vice president of nursing systems and neonatal services, said the service has proved its worth to her team.