This seamless access is thanks to the availability of eduroam, the secure global roaming wireless network for the research and education sector. In a collaboration between Queensland Health, the University of Queensland and AARNet, eduroam has now been deployed at over 90 healthcare centres in Queensland.

Medical researchers can now use their university or research institute IT accounts to access high-quality wireless networks in hospitals across the state. This helps them manage large volumes of health data, collaborate with colleagues around the globe and access data-intensive resources, such as video streaming of remote surgery.

The efforts have been well received: usage of the service has more than doubled in the last two years. By January 2017, Queensland Health’s eduroam hotspots had helped over 6,000 unique users a month from 182 research and education institutes around the world access online resources.

Warren Fraser, Executive Officer at Queensland University Directors of Information Technology, said that eduroam in Queensland health builds on the strong engagement between the health and academic sectors.

“Medical, nursing and allied health students are frequently in hospitals on workplace experience, and there are a large number of academic and research staff with joint appointments or clinical practices in hospitals.

“The work and study of each of the individuals in these categories benefit from the instant, secure connectivity of eduroam in health precincts.”

Because of its ever-growing appeal, eduroam is now a standard part of the Wi-Fi roll out for any new or updated Queensland Health connections.

About eduroam

eduroam allows users from participating institutions to gain secure wireless network access at other participating institutions across Australia and around the globe using the standard username and password credentials they use at their home institution for wireless network access.

eduroam is available at more than 12,000 locations worldwide. In Australia, 38 universities participate in eduroam as well as a number of research institutes, hospitals, schools and cultural organisations.