Lille Regional Teaching University Hospital—a leading provider of healthcare in northern France—wanted to provide a better experience for patients and improve staff workflow. To meet its goals, the hospital replaced stand-alone TVs in each room with a Microsoft technology–based solution that includes Care and Comfort bedside terminals running Windows Embedded, Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft SharePoint Server, and in the future, Skype.

Situation

Lille Regional Teaching University Hospital (Lille CHRU) provides healthcare for 4 million residents in northern France. A leading regional healthcare and training center, Lille CHRU has 3,000 beds and 15,000 employees, and provides in-patient services to more than 87,000 people each year. To offer more personalized services and a better in-room experience, the hospital wanted a centralized interface that would connect media services, communications tools, and patient records.

As in most hospitals, patient rooms at Lille CHRU were equipped with a conventional setup—a phone and a television—that had worked well for years. However, the hospital wanted something different for its next upgrade. As a regional university hospital, Lille CHRU serves patients who often travel a considerable distance for healthcare. Travel time could make staying in touch with loved ones difficult, and hospital administrators knew that feeling connected was an important part of the recovery process. “We were very interested in providing