The Patient Channel is an in-room hospital educational network found on Channel 26, which is being broadcast within the hospital in every patient room and waiting room. This service, which provides 39 continuous educational programs, is designed for Takoma patients and their visiting families or caregivers.

     The channel is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and focuses on the most up-to-date information about common chronic diseases and patient conditions, according to Dee Winter, clinical performance projects manager. There is also a special program called “Baby Talk,” which is geared toward new parents and grandparents, she noted.

     “The Patient Channel is a very powerful patient education tool,” Winter said. “The great thing about the Patient Channel is it delivers relevant disease-oriented information to patients at their greatest point of need. It’s also convenient, because it replays the same programs throughout the day, for the convenience of patients and their families.”

     Information provided by the Patient Channel will be supplemented with local information, provided by Takoma, Winter noted. “It’s a tremendous partnership,” she said.