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UI Hospitals and Clinics to filter Web sites: Sites interfere with work
IOWA CITY, Feb 27, 2010 (The Gazette - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics on Monday will join the ranks of employers that block employee access to certain Web sites.
As of Monday, the hospital will implement technology to block access at all clinical workstations to Web sites deemed inappropriate in the health care workplace, according to an e-mail sent to staff Friday afternoon.
Those Web sites include social networking sites such as Facebook, gaming sites and "malicious" sites that attempt to infect computer workstations.
In the memo, hospital Chief Executive Officer Ken Kates said the change is "in the interest of patient safety, fostering a positive work environment, and assuring appropriate use of resources." Such filtering is common in many large health care organizations and other industries, Kates said in the memo. The UI hospital decision is in response to concerns voiced by patients, visitors, staff members and supervisors, Kates said.
The filtering applies only to clinical workstations -- computers on nursing units, in outpatient clinics and other clinical/ procedural areas -- but officials are evaluating
expansion of the filter to other areas at the hospital.
"UI Health Care continues to support an open work environment," Kates said in the e-mail.
"However, viewing inappropriate Web sites for non-work-related purposes consumes employee time and organizational resources. Moreover, access to inappropriate sites creates the potential for a negative experience for patients, visitors, employees and students." Anne Gentile-Archer, a nurse at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and president of the hospital's SEIU chapter, says there was no discussion between labor and management about the new policy.
"What I'm surprised at is that it's only going to be in the nursing inpatient or outpatient nurses area," Gentile-Archer said. "If you're in an office behind a door it's OK, but if you're out in the open it's not? I don't know why they wouldn't block everybody." Concerns about worker productivity and professionalism have led to a movement in the business community to block employee access to social media sites like Facebook or Twitter from company computers. A study from last October by Robert Half Technology, an IT staffing company, found that 54 percent of American businesses have banned the use of such sites from the workplace.
Many of those companies' leaders cite the findings from a study by Nucleus Research that found employees with Facebook accounts used them for fifteen minutes a day, on average, which translates to a one and a half percent dip in worker productivity.
One hospital employee who did not want to be identified said a filter likely is a good idea in this case, because of the impression it gives patients. But the employee said he doesn't see Internet abuse as a rampant problem at the hospital.
He also wondered if YouTube will be filtered.
Some medical students use the site to watch videos when they're learning about procedures, he said. "Something like that online might actually be really valuable," the employee said. "That's the whole chilling effect -- is this going to push out useful sites?"
aEUR" Comments: (319) 339-3158; diane.heldt@gazcomm.com
"If you're in an office behind a door it's OK, but if you're out in the open it's not? I don't know why they wouldn't block everybody."
Anne Gentile-Archer,UI nurse
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