Montréal, December 17, 2013 – Videotron and the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre (UHC) today announced an innovative technological partnership under which Videotron's technological expertise will be used to benefit the hospital's patients, their families, visitors and medical staff.
In collaboration with Québec-based Intello Technologies, Videotron has set up a fibre optic network linking the hospital's 1,200 recently installed Wi-Fi routers to the Internet. Videotron provided the service on a complimentary basis.
The free Wi-Fi access, which will be available to patients, visitors and medical staff, will help humanize hospital care. The ability to use the Internet for communication with loved ones, work (school work for children, business for parents) and entertainment will make hospital stays a little more pleasant.
Another component of the partnership will make a hundred tablets available to the hospital's patients, in conjunction with Samsung Canada's Hope for Children program, which supports educational and health initiatives for children. The tablets will be loaded with the illico.tv app, which affords access to 39 live channels and to an on-demand catalogue that includes a wide selection of content for children. A number of Quebecor Media subsidiaries have joined forces with Videotron to help entertain kids and their parents by providing apps that make it possible to read 11 magazines and that allow unlimited access to the content on the Journal de Montréal and Journal de Québec websites.
Over the decades, Videotron has developed homegrown expertise in communications and entertainment, said Jean Novak, President of Videotron Business Solutions and Senior Vice President, Sales Network of Videotron. Today, we are harnessing that expertise to benefit Sainte-Justine UHC and facilitate communication among all members of the hospital community. We hope it will help make patients and their families a little bit more comfortable while they are at the hospital.
This partnership with Videotron is good news for us because it supports our drive for patient-centred care, said Dr. Fabrice Brunet, Executive Director of Sainte-Justine UHC. Free Wi-Fi will make hospital stays less stressful for our patients and their families: being able to stay in touch with loved ones relieves anxiety and pain.
Videotron (www.videotron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, and Internet access, cable telephone and mobile telephone services. Videotron is a leader in new technologies with its illico interactive television service and its broadband network, which supports high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital cable television, and other services. As of September 30, 2013, Videotron was serving 1,830,400 cable television customers, including 1,517,600 subscribers Digital TV. Videotron is also the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access, with 1,408,200 subscribers to its cable service as of September 30, 2013. As of the same date, Videotron had 478,000 subscriber connections to its mobile telephone service and was providing cable telephone service to 1,281,200 Québec households and organizations. For the eighth consecutive year, Videotron was ranked as Québec's most respected telecommunications company by Les Affaires magazine, based on a Léger Marketing survey.
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About Sainte-Justine UHC
The Sainte-Justine University Hospital Centre (UHC) is the leading mother-child hospital centre in Canada and the second largest pediatric centre in North America. It is also a member of Université de Montréal's extensive network of excellence in health (RUIS). It has a team of 5,153 employees, including 1,392 nurses and auxiliary nurses; 1,036 health care professionals; 520 physicians, dentists and pharmacists; 822 residents and over 250 researchers, 300 volunteers, 3,400 interns and students of all disciplines. The hospital has 484 beds, including 35 at the Marie Enfant Rehabilitation Centre, the only facility in Québec dedicated exclusively to pediatric rehabilitation. Sainte-Justine UHC has been accredited by the World Health Organization as a Health Promoting Hospital. www.hsj.qc.ca/Home
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Youann Blouin
Specialist, Media and Analysts, Corporate Communications
Videotron
Telephone: 514 380-7069
Mobile: 438 491-0825
youann.blouin@videotron.com
Mélanie Dallaire
Senior Consultant, Media Relations
Sainte-Justine UHC
Telephone: 514 345-7707
melanie.dallaire.hsj@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
