In hospital, the smartphone is often the most important link to the outside world: to family, to work, to the taxi home. At the same time, sockets in patient rooms and waiting areas are scarce, and hardly anyone who ends up in A&E unexpectedly has a charging cable on them. In this article we explain why powerbank stations are a good fit for hospitals and what matters when setting one up.
In brief
A powerbank station in a hospital rents out charged powerbanks to patients, visitors and relatives. Payment is contactless at the station, the powerbank can be taken to the bedside or the waiting area and returned later. For the hospital it is an extra service that creates no work for staff.
Contents
Why do people in hospital need power for their phones?
A hospital stay is rarely planned. If you end up in A&E after an accident or are accompanying a relative, you usually only have what was in your pocket, and that rarely includes a charging cable. At the same time, this is exactly when the phone is needed most:
- Informing relatives and keeping them up to date, often for hours.
- Passing waiting time, for example in A&E, in outpatient clinics or outside the operating theatre.
- Sorting out practical things: telling the employer, moving appointments, arranging the way home or a taxi.
- Distraction and contact for patients who stay on the ward for several days.
Sockets are rare in many hospitals, especially in waiting areas. In shared rooms, the socket by the bed is often taken or hard to reach. A powerbank solves the problem because it doesn’t tie you to a socket.
Who does a powerbank station in a hospital help?
| Who | Typical situation |
|---|---|
| Patients in A&E | Unplanned admission, no charging cable, long wait |
| Inpatients | Several days in hospital, socket by the bed taken or hard to reach |
| Visitors and relatives | Long visits, waiting during an operation or examination |
| Outpatients | Waiting before examinations, appointments spread over half the day |
What are the benefits for the hospital?
- Less work for staff: nurses and reception don’t have to lend out charging cables or look after other people’s phones.
- Fewer liability issues: when phones are no longer charged at reception or in the nurses’ room, there is no responsibility for other people’s devices.
- A service people notice: especially in stressful situations, people remember it when something as simple as power for their phone is not a problem.
- No operating effort: payments, user support and station monitoring are handled by the provider. The hospital only provides the space and a socket.
- Low power consumption: a station uses about 15 to 25 watts and runs silently.
Where should the station go in a hospital?
Publicly accessible areas where lots of people pass by or wait work best:
- Entrance hall and reception: everyone passes by here and the station is easy to see.
- A&E waiting area: this is where demand is highest, because stays are unplanned and often long.
- Cafeteria or kiosk: visitors spend time here, and the station catches the eye at the till.
- Waiting areas of outpatient clinics and outpatient centres.
Sensitive areas such as intensive care units or operating wings are not a place for a station. It belongs where patients and visitors move around freely.
What should you watch out for when setting up?
- Agreement with the administration: in hospitals, the administration or facility management usually decides on new devices in public areas. The building services team is often involved too.
- Power and connection: the station needs a normal 230 V socket and Wi-Fi or the built-in SIM card. In buildings with a strict IT network, the SIM card is the simpler solution.
- Easy to use: many users are older or stressed. Renting without an app, without registration and with contactless card payment lowers the barrier a lot.
- Hygiene: the station and powerbanks have smooth surfaces that can be wiped down as part of normal surface cleaning. How often and with what is set by the hospital’s hygiene plan.
- Visibility: a short note at reception or a flyer in the waiting area makes sure patients and visitors actually find the station.
What does this mean for licensees?
For licensees, a hospital is an unusual but interesting location. Demand comes around the clock and on every day of the week, not just at weekends. People stay a long time, and users actually depend on power rather than just finding it nice to have.
On the other hand, talks often take longer than with a bar, because more departments are involved. It helps to put the benefits for the hospital first: no effort, no running costs, less work for staff. How much a station earns at a particular hospital depends heavily on size, visitor numbers and placement. There is no guarantee. You can try out your own assumptions in the profit calculator.
Do you run a hospital, clinic or medical centre yourself? Then you can request a station for your building via our page for locations.
Frequently asked questions
How does renting work in a hospital?
Hold your card, Apple Pay or Google Pay to the terminal, take a powerbank, done. It takes about five seconds and needs no app and no account.
Can you take the powerbank to the patient’s room?
Yes. The powerbank has built-in cables and works without a socket. You return it to any free slot in the station.
Which phones can be charged?
Every powerbank has three built-in cables: USB-C, Lightning and Micro-USB. That covers practically every common smartphone.
What does the hospital need for the station?
A spot in a public area, a 230 V socket and Wi-Fi or mobile reception for the built-in SIM card. The provider takes care of everything else.
What happens if a powerbank is not returned?
When you rent, a deposit is reserved on your card. If the powerbank is not returned, the deposit covers the replacement.
Want a station for your venue, or to start as a licensee?