Category: Medical Computer

Computer Redundancy: A Matter of Life or Death in Medical Environments

Michelle

Computer Redundancy: A Matter of Life or Death in Medical Environments

For most people, a power outage constitutes a moderate inconvenience. Cooking dinner or watching TV is out of the question for a few hours, but soon enough life returns to normal with little consequence. For a medical facility, however, a power outage can be quite catastrophic and even life threatening for patients. A sustained loss of power can cause downtime on respiratory devices, medical computers, monitoring devices, and critical equipment for patients in neonatal,  intensive care or cardiac units. Emergency or time critical procedures cannot be performed and loss of refrigeration can severely affect medications and stored blood and tissues. Without any power, medical computers cannot access electronic patient medical records and other hospital data, and orders for medication or procedures cannot be completed. With worsening weather patterns around the world and the prevalence of rolling blackouts, the outlook seems fairly bleak, but this is not the case for well prepared hospitals and care providers. Many facilities now employ a mix of powerful backup generators and equipment with hot-swappable batteries or UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems for critical devices.

Purpose built medical grade computers can make a huge positive impact on service delivery during a power loss event. Tangent offers several all-in-one medical computers that offer battery backup options for such occasions. The Tangent T24B medical computer was designed with three easy-to-use hot-swappable batteries and battery bays to ensure a 24/7 runtime. This provides up to 10.5 hours of runtime without any interruption of power to the user. The T24B also offers antimicrobial treatment to deter the spread of infection, a 24 inch PCAP ten point multi-touch touchscreen, is shielded to prevent interference with other sensitive medical equipment, and has several options for mounting including cart arms, wall mounts, or a stand.

The Tangent M24T 24″ medical computer has an internal UPS battery backup that offers 30 minutes of uninterrupted power. This allows staff to continue working for a time without having to swap out any batteries. The M24T is a high performance machine that can be equipped with up to 32G of memory. The Tangent C24 24” medical computer also has an internal UPS battery backup that allows for 20 minutes of use without any external power. The C22 works very well on medical carts and arms due to it’s convenient front panel buttons, antimicrobial surface, and PCAP touchscreen. All the medical computers mentioned here are offered in a variety of screen sizes and with a variety of available system upgrades and optional accessories to best suit the needs of the care providers and their patients. Disaster recovery is a major focal point for many medical organizations, but the best prepared hospital systems avoid many potential disasters by using equipment and medical devices that offer internal or external battery backups. Several of Tangent’s medical grade all-in-one computers were designed for the continuity of patient care even in the face of unforeseen losses of power, while also delivering top level performance 24 hours a day.

Computer Arm Mounts Increase Efficiency

Michelle

Computer Arm Mounts Increase Efficiency

A medical charting station sounds like a pretty high end technical workstation, but for the longest time, it simply meant a wooden or metal cabinet or desk built into a wall of a clinical room that held physical medical charts. It was space efficient, yes, but hardly any wonder of modern discovery. They did think to put locks on them, so the old timers at least get points for patient privacy there. Once computers became cost effective and small enough, health facilities started cramming them into those cabinet work spaces whose openings strikingly resembled the seat-back tray tables on airlines. As quickly as they could, medical charting practices advanced onto sophisticated electronic medical records software platforms. Though the paper charts were a thing of the past, the computer systems that accessed the EMRs were about as flexible as having your laptop propped up on that airline tray table. The next evolution for the medical charting station is now the use of medical computer arms married with a folding IT station. Adjustability, dexterity, durability, and space efficiency create a winning combination that medical practices seek out in their medical computer equipment.

The Tangent Easy-Fold IT Station with medical computer arm offers its users customized configuration options to mount a flat panel display, keyboard and computer conveniently to a wall for maximum flexibility and ergonomic performance. The features on the medical arm system are numerous and impressive. The entire system easily folds back to less than 9 inches (22.9cm) from the wall and users can adjust from sitting to standing in one fluid motion. The adjustable arm helps to position the monitor and keyboard for maximum productivity for care providers who are on their feet all day and also to allow patients to see the screen without having to move or strain themselves. This has been helpful to me at the dentist’s office when they wanted to show me my x-rays while I had a suction tube in my numbed mouth. Better that they moved the monitor to my level, lest I haplessly drool all over their equipment. There is 17 inches of overall vertical adjustment range on the medical computer arm that can accommodate users of any height, and they can easily lock that adjusted computer height in place to avoid sudden movements or accidents. The monitor itself has 6.5 inches of independent height adjustment and the keyboard folds up to sit flush with the system when it’s pushed back to the wall.

More features include optional CPU mounts, VESA 75/100 mounting options, and trays for items like barcode scanners or computer mouses. The construction of the Tangent Easy-Fold IT station and medical arm is of durable aluminum and, being of medical grade, comes with a sealed keyboard tray for better infection control. Tangent protects most of their computer products with antimicrobial additives or constructs them to withstand heavy cleaning for patient safety and hospital compliance. Coupling a medical purpose built Tangent computer system with an IT workstation and medical arms of this nature provides a high degree of assurance in both safety and flexibility.

An Ideal Medical Computer for Mobile POC

Michelle

An Ideal Medical Computer for Mobile POC

 

A common technology feature encountered in most medical facilities is the mobile point of care (POC) cart. In an effort to provide efficient and accurate care and response rates in areas that are often short on space, carts were fitted with casters and small form factor medical computers to allow staff to have the convenience of in-room patient data access without the cost and headache of installing a computer in each exam room. As smaller all-in-one computers became more commonplace, the carts have been able to be fitted to be even more lightweight, customizable, and stable. Point of care carts are usually employed to administer medical tests, but medical carts are also generally used for a variety of medical applications like medication distribution, anesthesia or IV dosage, rapid code response, bedside care, and more.

With such varied requirements for mobile care within a medical space, it’s necessary to have a versatile medical grade industrial computer that can answer to those needs. Tangent’s C-series medical computers are a prime example of technological prowess, compliance with sanitation standards, and modularity. The casing is factory treated with an antimicrobial additive to deter surface contamination and prevent mold and bacterial buildup, helping keep patients free of infection. The IP65 rated front panel of the medical computer can be sprayed and wiped with cleaning solutions without damaging the enclosure or internals. The computer is shielded from electrical frequency leakage making it safe to be used in close proximity to a patient and won’t interfere with other sensitive medical equipment. These safeguards have earned the C-series medical computer a medical 60601 certification.

Medical carts and related apparatus come in a variety of sizes, and in response, the C-series comes with standard VESA mounting. They can be installed on carts, arms, or used with the optional stand as a desktop device. So too, the screens of the C-series medical computers are available in 17 inch, 19 inch, 22 inch, and 24 inch widescreen PCAP touch true flat-front panel sizes. The versatility is also shown in the available Intel 6th Gen Core i5 or i7 processor, the one or two terabyte hard drive, or the unbelievable 132GB of memory that could potentially be packed in. Yes, that figure is correct – 132GB of memory! Computing power like that means one could run several instances of any resource heavy application and never crash. The systems are built to run 24-7 and even have a battery backup in case of power interruption. It is so important that no data isl be lost if the power suddenly cuts out.  

The primary function of medical carts is to be highly mobile, which certainly requires a degree of cable free use. The C-series industrial medical computers have available Intel wireless and Bluetooth. Mobility invariably includes lots of shaking and vibration, which can be hazardous to normal computer systems with moving parts. Not only is the Tangent medical grade computer lineup shock and vibration resistant, it also is available with a fanless option. This greatly extends the life of the PC, and also ensures that it doesn’t circulate dusty air in a medical setting. Medical carts have a multitude of important purposes, and so Tangent’s medical computers can be customized to suit each unique setting.

Thin Client

Michelle

thinclientblog

All About Thin Clients 

 

A thin client is a lightweight hardware created for VDI- virtual desktop infrastructure solutions. Instead of storing data on a PC, a thin client enables storage of data on a data center or server.

 

Benefits of a Thin Client:

 

A thin client allows for easy deployment and management. It is inexpensive and saves energy and space. Thin clients enable IT department professionals to troubleshoot end -points support end users in one centralized location, at times even offsite.  

 

Tangent Thin Clients:

 

Tangent currently offers three Thin Clients, the Z600, Z400 and Thin Client 160.

z600

Z600 Thin Client

This thin client comes is an HD 1080P monitor. It’s low wattage CPU saves energy and reduces consumption without sacrificing performance. Fanless in design, the Z600 thin client is silent. It comes complete with a Texas Instruments DM8148 1GHz Processor and supports Citrix ICA/HDX, VMWare View remote access protocols.

z400

Z400 Thin Client

Smaller than a pencil, low in cost and lightweight in design, this energy efficient thin client is an excellent option. The Z400 comes with dual monitor support, and High-performance TI ARM CPU at 1GHz.

tc160

 

Thin Client 160

Thin Client 160 features the integration of the powerful and energy efficient VIA 1GHz x86 processor into a compact and robust enclosure. Thin Client 160 provides a DVI (digital video interface) port and a VGA adapter for optimal display experience, and has an optional miniPCI adapter for internal wireless. With options for wireless networking and VESA-compliant mounting, Thin Client 160 is perfect for cable-free and space-saving applications. With durable, fanless construction, Thin Client 160 provides quiet and reliable operation and extended operating life, lowering the total cost of ownership.

The Surgical Environment and Noise-free Computers: A Complimentary Pair

Michelle

 

Tangent’s fanless medical computers contain advanced cooling technology and SSD storage providing noise-free operation. While a silent computer is convenient and desirable, there are specific environments where the noise-free feature is not just a nice commodity, but also a requisite. This article covers the applications of noise-free computers in surgical environments.

 

Operating Rooms: Medical industries are highly dynamic environments filled with technological devices and people. Reducing noise pollution is a continuous common goal that improves the flow of the medical workplace. While silent devices are needed throughout health facilities, none is more important than the operating room, which carries with it the reputation of irrefutable respect- with reason.

Operation outcomes can be the determining factor of life or death. Open-heart surgery, liver transplants, and intestine transplants are just a few high-stake procedures that occur in the OR. Surgeon concentration is of utmost importance as is that of the entire OR team, often comprised of nurses, surgical technicians and anesthesiologists.

While music has proven to increase workflow by setting a nice pace and easing the tension of the surgical environment, distractions must be kept to a minimum. Unnecessary, obtrusive noise has no place in surgical environments and thus is why silent computers make the list of must-haves in them.

Post-Operative Patient Care: While the act of performing surgery is the high-pressured climax of a surgical environment, proper post-operative care is vital to ensure the hard work performed during surgery is successful. Sleep and rest assist to ensure proper post-operative healing. Among the concerns of post-operative patients, sensitivity to light, sound and smells top the list. So while proper functioning computers hold insurmountable value to patient care both in and out of surgery, the ability to do so silently shares equal merit.

Tangent noise-free computers are the perfect pair for the surgical environment delivering silent operation and optimizing sterility. Fanless in design, noise-free computers maintain a sterile environment because the elimination of a fan prevents the circulation of dust particles and airborne debris. The ventless enclosure of our noise-free, fanless computers means zero maintenance ensuring the surgical team can focus on what matters most: patient care.

 

 

MEDICAL TABLETS: GAME CHANGERS IN EFFICIENCY AND SECURITY

Michelle

TANGENT MEDICAL TABLETS: GAME CHANGERS IN EFFICIENCY AND          SECURITY

1. Barcode

Tangent medical tablets are user-friendly, convenient and practical electronic tools that merge multiple devices into one. Tangent Medical tablets consolidate the expenditure of several expensive gadgets which means they enable healthcare establishments to fit tight budgets without compromising medical capabilities. By cutting out the need of using several devices and relying on a single medical tablet to execute tasks, higher efficiency and productivity is attained while patient satisfaction is ensured.

Tangent medical tablets allow various tasks to be executed simply and efficiently. All Tangent medical tablets contain barcode scanners that can be utilized for inventory management, drug administration and dosage, and patient identification. One feature, multiple uses.

2. RFID-Enabled

Tangent medical tablets, such as the T13, and M10i are RFID-enabled medical tablets that grow with you as you deploy more RFID badges. RFID-enabled medical tablets are the modern day modalities in which to authenticate users, track equipment and inventory.

Medical tablets embedded with RFID enable the identification and tracking of patients without requiring additional upgrades, again curtailing unnecessary expenditure and increasing efficiency.

Tangent RFID-enabled medical tablets keep you well suited for present and future health industry technological standards as RFID-enabled technology will see an increase in the years to come.

3. Powerful Intel Processors for EHR

Let’s face it, EHR documentation has become an uncompensated end of the day task requiring upwards of 2-3 extra hours pushing our hard working medical professionals to burnout and exhaustion. It’s no wonder EHR leaves feelings of resentment and disdain. If those extra documenting hours are compensated, that, yet again, raises the issue of higher expenditure. To add to this industry-wide issue of longer workdays are the substantial errors and inaccuracies reported due to the time spent between episodes of care and the documentation.

Tangent medical tablets with Intel 5th Gen/4th Gen/Quad Core Processors have ample memory and storage capacities that allow doctors to immediately update EHR records during each episode of care. That means no more after-shift work hours, shorter days and the elimination of erroneous documentation.

Additional features such as live chat, email, reference checking, secure telehealth solutions, and prescription signing – create for an all-encompassing, convenient workplace toolbox at your fingertips.

4. Smart Card Readers

Embedded Smart Card Readers safeguard sensitive patient health information as they ensure user authentication making medical tablets secure devices. They are practical and easy-to-use devices that can be used in conjunction with the authentication features built into the operating system to create the MFA (Multi Factor Authentication).

Summary

Tangent medical tablets are must-haves for medical organizations and facilities. Our line of medical tablets will undoubtedly change the productivity and satisfaction of patients and healthcare professionals alike with most up-to-date features modern technology has to offer.

As a whole, medical tablets are essential to run highly effective healthcare facilities. Tangent medical tablets allow organizations and establishments to curtail the need of multiple devices by replacing them with one antimicrobial, robust solution that matches the health industry’s highest standard in safety and security.

Key advantages to using Tangent Medical Tablets:

• Better information accessibility for caregivers and clinicians.

• Optimized data flow and synchronization.

• Easier deployment and management of new applications.

• Less duplication everywhere from tests to notifications and messages hence decreased tech fatigue.

• Less uncompensated time spent on EHR documentation.

• Lower Total Cost of Ownership of your HIT solutions, and operational and administrative costs.

TANGENT MEDICAL TABLETS HAVE ALL-IN-ONE CAPABILITIES THAT STREAMLINE BUDGETS AND EFFICIENCY