Apex, N.C., company WiSpots on Monday at Triangle Orthopedic Associates in Durham, N.C., installed its first WiSpots station, which allows patients wirelessly use the Internet while waiting at the physician office via five touchpad computers, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.
When the computers are not being used, their screensavers display a new ad every 12 seconds. Physicians' offices must pay a $500 installation fee and $299 per month per station for maintenance, but, when the company has filled 80% of its advertising capacity, it plans to provide a small percentage of its ad revenue to the physicians who host the system.
WiSpots currently has just one advertiser, Sanfaustino -- a company that bottles and sells calcium-rich water from Italy. WiSpots is working with nine more potential advertisers, the News & Observer reports.
Triangle Orthopedic Associated plans to integrate the computers into its patient check-in and satisfaction survey processes, said George Sheasley, the practice's CFO.
WiSpots' President Drew Gaworski said the company will be successful if it installs 50 systems this year (Krishnan, Raleigh News & Observer, 1/17).