Portable Audio & Video

LCD Screens for Medical Applications and Hospitals

Technology is improving patient care and increasing revenue per bed and overall cost structures of hospitals. LCD screens are key contributors to cost improvement and improving overall “look and feel” of hospitals

For example, the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is using LCD Information Display screens to improve patient flow and increase family member awareness about patient location. In any large hospital, a great deal of coordination is required to move patients through the operating facility efficiently and seamlessly, from the pre-operative through to the recovery areas. Which treatment rooms are available? Which patients are ready for surgery next? Has a procedure in the operating room been completed ahead of schedule? Tracking each patient and coordinating resources requires staff to have immediate access to patient case data, at any time. The idea behind installing the LCD Information Display screens was to provide doctors, nurses and orderlies with better visual access to the operative status of each patient in its operating facility – without having to find a terminal and log in. The screens would provide a clear, continuously updated status list of each patient in the operating and treatment areas. These digital signs would tell staff which rooms are available, which patients are ready for transport, and what actions need to be taken for smooth operation of the facility. Patient safety and quality of care were also elevated with this solution Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in India is using LCD Information Display screens for medical imaging and collaborative medical diagnosis. The key needs for deploying LCD information display screens vs LCD TVs were picture quality, large size and no fan noise in the operating theatre room. Large LCD displays are also being deployed in hallways, waiting areas, nurse monitoring centres, and video imaging diagnostic centers. The display needs for these hospitals large screens are usually similar. Large LCD information displays are the technology of choice for large screens due to their low radiation emissions, low power usage compared to Plasma, increased ruggedness and high resolution.

Below we outline key needs of LCD screens for hospitals:

LCD Information Display vs. TV Price: Price is an important criterion however many hospitals, buy on price versus functionality important and length of usage. As a result they will buy an LCD TV rather than a LCD Information Display as they can find cheap LCD TVs. LCD TVs are not closed end boxes so they result in premature failure or desired functionality is lacking resulting in the LCD TV being replaced sooner than it should be.

Internet Connectivity: Increasingly patients are demanding Internet connectivity to their rooms and are willing to pay for such facility. LCD screens need to be equipped with computer inputs such as VGA, HDMI or DVI inputs. The computer inputs are available on LCD information displays and usually not available on LCD TVs though some new LCD TV models do not have this issue.

Reduced Biological Pollution, Ruggedness and 24×7 Device Operations: LCD screens for hospitals need to be rugged and closed. LCD Information Displays are rugged (vs. LCD TVs) as LCD Informational Displays are fan-less closed box units that can offer protection from dust and biological pollution, which is very important for hospitals. LCD Informational Displays are made for 24×7 operations while LCD TVs are made for limited hourly viewing in a day.

Network Connectivity: The network connectivity is required for remote monitoring of the various LCD devices.Be sure that the LCD screen has RS-232 and LAN network connectivity. Having this connectivity, alarms can be managed if an LCD screen is switched off or performing poorly. For example, an energy saving feature can be initiated so that when there is no signal, a power save mode is activated to reduce the brightness of the LCD backlight.

No Sound or Tuning Capability in Individual LCD units: No need for internal TV speakers as sound is output through pillow speakers which control noise in the patient room and hallway by limiting individual TV volume. Individual TV tuners are not required as TVs channels are fed through cable tv tuners to provide better image and selection.

Picture Quality: Picture quality is an important criterion in hospitals. Select high definition LCD screens. High definition LCDs provide better picture resolution, better contrast ratio, high brightness, high colour reproduction and fast response time resulting in better picture clarity. Most new LCDs have 176° viewing angle and have non glare features for easy viewing in daylight. Check the viewing specifications to make sure that the LCD screen you are buying meets your quality needs. LCD display market is continuously evolving New LCD screen features are continuously emerging. Check with the LCD screen manufacturer to learn about new features. Read other articles and make the right decision for your LCD purchase.

For more information on LCD Screen, check out Sharp’s official LCD monitor site! http://lcddisplay.sbsil.com/

About the Author

Shaikh Mohammed Meraj is a technical writer who writes articles about LCD technology, LCD Monitors Review and help to find “what” to buy through aggregating expert reviews, user reviews, buyers’ guides, thoughts and questions and answers from a crowd of trusted people and sites.

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