Patientline strikes supply chain deal with Plexus
- 9 February 2004
Patientline, the bedside multimedia and entertainment systems specialist, has signed a two-year exclusive contract with electronic manufacturing services firm, Plexus Corp to manufacture, supply and install its system in UK hospitals.
Patientline brings television, telephone, radio, email, internet and entertainment access to the patient’s bedside. A spokeswoman said that the system would be available in 170 hospitals by the end of the year.
A UK spokesman for the US-based Plexus Corp, now designated as Patientline’s exclusive supply chain partners, told E-Health Insider: “We’ve been a supplier to Patientline for some time. It’s been a long relationship, but this is now a substantial agreement we have in place with them."
Jo O’Connor, managing director of Patientline said: “As Patientline’s UK operation is currently installing hundreds of units per week in acute hospitals it is essential to maintain a highly effective supply chain and this agreement will cement the strong partnership between the two organisations."
The Patientline system was first installed in Northwick Park Hospital, Middlesex, in 1995. Demand for systems of this type was boosted in 2000 when the NHS Plan set a target for introducing this type of ‘Patient Power’ communication and entertainment service in all major hospitals in England by the end of 2004.
Four full licences were granted for systems but Patientline says that it remains to only service provider with experience of supplying a full-managed, integrated communication and entertainment system across a substantial number of hospitals in the UK.
