Google helping hospitals set-up Android, deploying Pixel devices with Meet installed

Hospitals are at the heart of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and they’re seeing a surge in equipment to help better respond. Some healthcare organizations are seeking help setting-up Android devices, and Google’s Android Enterprise team is creating a dedicated community for hospital IT admins to share resources.

Google’s Healthcare IT Response Community will be a “one-stop resource for healthcare organizations looking to stand up and scale mobility initiatives with Android devices.” It will feature best practices from the company on how to securely deploy phones and tablets for staff managing the influx of patients, as well as an open forum for IT admins to ask questions and share information.

Mobility partners have also volunteered to “offer guidance on device selection, managing a device fleet, and supporting deployments.” This includes answering technical questions present in the discussion forums and contributing other ideas.

The community is invite-only with a sign-up form available for hospitals and other healthcare organizations. There’s a separate registration process for partners that want to provide additional help.

Google today thanked Samsung, MobileIron, and BT for “helping hospitals and other healthcare organizations get devices configured for appropriate, non-medical uses and into the hands of those who need them.”

Meanwhile, Google itself is deploying a “number” of managed Pixel phones running Android and Chrome OS Pixel Slates to US hospitals. Google Meet will be pre-installed to help keep patients that might be in quarantine in touch with their families.

It follows another effort this week from Made by Google to supply Nest Cams to hospitals. The devices are installed in rooms and let health professionals remotely monitor patients with COVID-19. One camera is trained on equipment tracking vitals, while the other helps staff watch and communicate. The video streams go to a secure console at nurse stations, and helps reduce the need for physical interactions that require personal protective equipment (PPE).