For several weeks, private television rental services in several hospitals in Quebec by Hôpitel are no longer offered.
In Montreal, for example, this company’s services are no longer offered in the hospitals of the McGill University Health Center (MUHC), where approximately 500 devices were offered for rental to patients.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this situation may cause to our patients. […]. We are in contact with Hôpitel to restore service as quickly as possible.
indicates spokesperson Annie-Claire Fournier by email.
Similar story in the west of Montreal, where more than 400 devices were offered for rental to hospital patients who wanted to be entertained by listening to shows and films.
Like other establishments, the CIUSSS is affected by the interruption of Hôpitel’s infotainment services; St. Mary’s Hospital Center, Lakeshore General Hospital, Saint-Anne Hospital and the LaSalle Hospital Accommodation Unit are affected by this situation
writes Maxime Rolin, from the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.
In order to limit the impacts of this situation beyond our control, we remind patients that a Wi-Fi connection is available. In addition, tablets are loaned to patients in regular units (e.g. dialysis) to allow them to access entertainment content.
At the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud, we indicate that we are reassessing the needs of customers following the interruption of the rental service at Notre-Dame hospital. We recall that Wi-Fi is public and available free of charge in our hospitals and CHSLDs for our users as well as for their visitors
.
On the South Shore, the Hôpitel cable service has no longer been offered at the Pierre-Boucher Hospital in Longueuil since last November and the supplier’s teams have therefore removed the equipment (televisions and articulated arms)
indicates spokesperson Véronique Darveau.
At the Anna-Laberge hospital, in Montérégie-Ouest, we indicate that we are in the process of try to find out more about [ce problème] which has existed for several weeks
.
Videotron gets rid of a bad payer
According to information obtained by -, the cable service provider Videotron has decided to end its business relationship with Hôpitel.
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Quebecor owns Videotron.
Photo : - / Ivanoh Demers
Over the past two years, despite multiple contractual breaches, including the non-payment of large sums of money by this supplier, Videotron has chosen to continue offering television service to Hôpitel client establishments in order to preserve the quality of life of users while hoping for a recovery in the situation
writes Videotron’s public affairs department.
Despite this long reprieve, the problem remained and we were forced to end our agreement with this supplier. However, we have already discussed, and continue to do so, with the management of some of the hospital establishments to find alternative solutions to accommodate patients who unfortunately suffer the consequences of significant failings by Hospital. Videotron is sorry about this situation which is beyond its control.
According to court documents from 2022, Hôpitel offered services with Videotron with more than 3,400 devices in nearly thirty hospitals and CHSLDs in Quebec.
To date, the service remains offered in a few establishments elsewhere in Quebec and Ontario.
Company response
By email, the owner of the Hôpitel company, Gary Schneider, said he was hopeful of finding solutions.
The contract between Videotron and Hôpitel has come to an end, having expired on November 18, 2024. Other cable distributors will replace Videotron.
The latter acknowledges having fired employees, without providing additional details.
Some dismissed employees claim not to have been paid. The file would have been brought to the attention of the CNESST.
We also traced a lawsuit dating from last summer in which the owner of the building occupied by Hôpitel is demanding $120,000 for unpaid rent.
Public documents also indicate that Hôpitel borrowed more than $600,000 last summer from a private investment company.
Implement Wi-Fi
In eastern Montreal, the supplier’s setbacks outrage Patrick Cothenet, president of the Users’ Committee of Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital.
We were notified at the last minute and, unfortunately, the impact on our users is that they no longer have access to any entertainment service.
asserts M. Cothenet.
It is certain that it is not normal in 2024 that we will not have a Wi-Fi deployment […]. I find that a bit absurd.
The dilapidation of the hospital would complicate the deployment of wi-fi.
At the CIUSSS, we are rushing to offer an alternative solution to patients at Maisonneuve-Rosemont and Santa Cabrini hospitals. There are more than 300 rental devices there.
As explained by the spokesperson for the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Luc Fortin, an action plan is being developed to offer temporary solutions to users […]. Additional temporary Wi-Fi zones will be available and tablets will be made available to users until the situation is restored
.
The management of the CIUSSS says it has managed to negotiate the maintenance of the service at the CHSLD Saint-Michel.
In the Quebec region, some health establishments have started to migrate to a Wi-Fi service.
During the fall, the CHU de Québec-Université Laval made the decision not to renew the contract with the supplier regarding the television rental service. Therefore, since October 1, the devices are no longer in operation and are gradually being removed from our establishments.
writes spokesperson François Cattapan.
At the same time, starting last July, the University Hospital set up completely free high-speed Internet access (wi-fi) for patients and their loved ones in all of our hospitals. This new service is part of our vision of improving the patient experience and humanizing care.
There were more than 750 devices in the CHU hospitals, notably at the Hôtel-Dieu, the Saint-François pavilion, the Enfant-Jésus hospital and the Saint-Sacrement hospital.
In 2019, the show The invoice had produced a report on television rental services in hospitals which reported on the royalties paid to them.
With the collaboration of Kim Chabot
