25 March 2024

In recent years, the uptake and use of patient TVs has dramatically declined, reflecting a major shift in how people access media. With online access and streaming to portable devices readily available, very few patients watch live free-to-air broadcasts on available TVs while on our site.

In response to very low usage levels, aged infrastructure and the patient-pay service model no longer being available from the third-party supplier, it is necessary to decommission patient TVs at the Austin campus. Instead, patients are encouraged to bring their own device to access media and streaming services (which the vast majority are already doing).

From the morning of Tuesday 2 April, TVs that display free-to air-TV in the Austin Tower, Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre, Lance Townsend Building and Harold Stokes Building will be decommissioned. This includes those in Specialist Clinics and the Emergency Department.

Patient TVs at the Heidelberg Repatriation Campus, Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre and our mental health wards at Austin Hospital will not be impacted.

Wi-Fi is still available to all patients and community members while on site and can be used for web-based streaming services. Instructions on how to connect to our Wi-Fi can be found on our website.

Thank you for your support while we work through this change.

If you would like to provide feedback, you can do this by contacting our Patient Experience Team – their contact details can be found on our website.