Washable Computers For Hospitals And Healthcare Facilities

April 28, 2020April 28, 2020 Michelle

Now more than ever, washing your hands is crucial to staying healthy. Touching a surface that someone else has touched without washing their hands is part of the infection process. However, making sure that the surface is regularly cleaned is an effective way of reducing the risk of this happening. To that end, Tangent has designed a line of washable computers that can be regularly cleaned to prevent the infection process from occurring.

Washable Computers: Prevent Disease Vectors

In the hospital setting, a medical computer is an indispensable tool to helping patients. However, the same medical computer that helps patients can also harm doctors and nurses. A medical computer can be used by several different people in one day, all of whom are interacting with countless other medical personnel and patients. This can cause a medical computer to quickly turn into a breeding ground for pathogens.

With washable computers, the risk of infections from medical computer use can be reduced. The CDC has confirmed that cleaning agents do work on infection causing viruses, making washable computers an effective tool for hospitals to potentially reduce the risk of infection.

How To Wash A Medical Computer

The CDC has released guidelines on how to clean surfaces such as washable computers. For surfaces in general, the CDC recommends wearing disposable gloves during the cleaning process and immediately throwing them away afterwards. For electronics such as a medical computer, the CDC recommends using alcohol-based wipes or sprays which meet a minimum 70% alcohol threshold.

Medical Computers — Medical Grade Computer Being Washed

Washable computers should be washed as frequently as possible to reduce the risk of infection. Ideally, washable computers should be washed thoroughly after every new user. This ensures that no pathogens remain on the medical computer between uses.

More Than Sanitary

Washable computers aren’t just a way to potentially reduce the risk of infection, they are a vital medical tool. Washable computers like the M24T from Tangent are designed for healthcare use. This medical computer comes with a built in webcam and mic, making it perfect for use in telemedicine. With an advanced touchscreen and antimicrobial enclosure, the M24T can operate without a keyboard and mouse, saving money and reducing the amount of surfaces to be cleaned.

Washable Computers: The Clean Way To Compute

Medical computers are vital tools to hospitals and the patients they serve on a daily basis. Choosing washable computers for your hospital’s medical computers can help reduce infection risks, and help in telemedicine efforts.

A medical computer can be used by multiple doctors, nurses, and medical personnel in a single day. With sanitizable computers, the risk of one of these medical staff unknowingly passing an infection to another is greatly reduced. Sanitizable computers from Tangent also come with antimicrobial enclosures, ensuring that infection chances remain low.

Sanitizable Computers For Nurses Stations

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 Michelle

Now more than ever, hospitals and the doctors and nurses that work in them are crucial to our nation’s health. But our medical professionals are finding it hard to get the equipment they need to perform their job in a safe and effective manner. One of the best ways to ensure doctors and nurses have a safe working environment is to put sanitizable computers in their workstations.

Sanitizable Computers: Optimized For Nurse And Patient Safety

Sanitizable computers are a form of medical computer that can be wiped down regularly with cleaning products like germicidal wipes without damaging the medical computer. Sanitizable computers can play a key role in reducing infections by eliminating the amount of pathogens on one of the most commonly used surfaces in the hospital: medical computers.

A medical computer can be used by multiple doctors, nurses, and medical personnel in a single day. With sanitizable computers, the risk of one of these medical staff unknowingly passing an infection to another is greatly reduced. Sanitizable computers from Tangent also come with antimicrobial enclosures, ensuring that infection chances remain low.

Sanitizable Computers For Nurses Stations

Nurses stations are vital to hospitals, providing nurses quick access to patient information, medical equipment, and most importantly their medical computer. When a nurses station’s medical computer is a sanitizable computer, their workflow becomes far safer. Sanitizable computers can be cleaned while still in use, allowing for an uninterrupted workflow.

Not only are sanitizable computers for nurses stations clean and safe, but they are also digitally secure. Every medical computer by Tangent is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant, allowing for smarter workflows while still meeting and exceeding legal standards.

Sanitizable Computers In Telemedicine

Tangent has always been a strong supporter of telemedicine efforts. The value of telemedicine is being fully seen now, as more non-essential appointments move to telemedicine. Each medical computer by Tangent that has a web camera is optimized for video calls. This means that both doctors and nurses can use a medical computer by Tangent for their telemedicine appointments.

It’s easier than ever to set up telemedicine on a medical computer, and many of the FCC guidelines have been relaxed. However, Tangent’s own guidelines have not, and our sanitizable computers remain HIPAA compliant for video calls. Patient safety, for both patient health and patient data, is a top priority and Tangent remains committed to protecting both.

Sanitizable Computers: The Safer Way To Work

Santizable computers are one of the safest ways for hospital staff to interact with a medical computer. From their easy-to-clean screens to their use in telemedicine, there is nothing that can’t be done safer and cleaner with a sanitizable computer from Tangent.

Sanitizable Computers For 24/7 Use

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020 Michelle

While the current situation the world faces is unprecedented, the healthcare industry has stepped up to make sure that the world remains as safe as possible. Hospitals around the country have made due with limited supplies as supplies of PPE. Working around the clock, hospitals and healthcare workers have stepped up to the plate and are working 24/7 to test individuals and treat patients. With hospitals and healthcare workers working 24/7, shouldn’t the equipment they use also work 24/7?

Medical Grade Computers For 24/7 Use

Keeping your medical equipment working 24/7 is crucial to providing patients with the care they need during these times. In terms of medical equipment, the most versatile and useful may be medical grade computers. Medical grade computers, like the Medix M24T from Tangent, are designed from the ground up for medical use.

Medical grade computers feature an antimicrobial enclosure which mitigates the growth of microbes on their surfaces. Furthermore, they make use of features like their uninterrupted battery storage (UPS) to operate even when hospitals do not have power. This allows medical grade computers to be fully usable in emergency situations.

Sanitizable Computers For 24/7 Use

Note every medical grade computer is made equal. The Medix T24B sanitizable computer from Tangent is unlike other medical grade computers in that it is a fully sanitizable computer. A Sanitizable computer is a medical grade computer that features an IP certified water resistant screen. The IP65 rating of the Medix T24B sanitizable computer allows it to be regularly cleaned with traditional cleaners and disinfectants without harming the medical grade computer.

Sanitizable computers are perfect for situations where multiple medical personnel are interacting with the same medical grade computer, as it can be constantly disinfected.

Hot-Swap Batteries: No Plug Required

While all of Tangent’s medical grade computers are designed to be used as fully as needed in the hospital, some are designed even past this point. As more pop-up clinics, mobile clinics, and field hospitals are set up, there may not be adequate power in these areas to support medical grade computer usage. However, with hot-swap battery technology, even areas without power can make use of medical grade computers and sanitizable computers.

The Medix E22B sanitizable computer from Tangent features three hot-swap batteries, allowing it to run 24/7 without being plugged into an outlet. Simply have two batteries charging while one is in use, and this sanitizable computer can be fully utilized in a remote setting.

For 24/7 Use, Use Tangent

When sanitizable computers are needed to operate on a 24/7 basis, Tangent medical grade computers are the right pick. With hot-swap battery technology, IP rated water resistant screens, and UPS capabilities, medical grade computers from Tangent are here to help.

Telehealth Computers: How to Effectively Set Up Your Hospital

April 13, 2020April 13, 2020 Michelle

In these times, it is becoming increasingly risky to have healthy patients enter hospitals where they can easily become disease vectors. Because of this, many hospitals are transitioning doctor visits to telehealth visits. Telehealth refers to medical computer based doctor visits, where a doctor uses a medical computer to video-chat with their patient. Telehealth has seen such a rise in the last few weeks that the industry is having trouble keeping up with demand, according to the Wall Street Journal.

With this in mind, it is more important than ever to have this critical technology implemented in your hospital as soon as possible. Like personal protective equipment, telehealth using medical computers is a preventive measure to ensure those in your community and hospital remain healthy.

Telehealth Is Easier Than Ever

One of the main obstacles for telehealth is the seemingly tough challenge of implementing the technology. Because of the amount of regulations regarding medical data, using video-chat has been clouded by a barrier of laws. However, the Department of Health and Human Services has temporarily lifted many of these restrictions.

Video services like Zoom, Facetime, and Skype have all been given temporary approval for use during these times. Many other medical specific services such as VSee, Doxy, thera-Link, and Amazon Chime are available as well. Many of these telehealth services can be downloaded directly onto HIPPA compliant, medical grade computers.

Inform Patients That Telehealth Costs May Be Waived By Their Insurance

You read that right, insurance companies like Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield have announced that they are suspending co-pays for telehealth appointments. Both of these insurance companies see the life-saving potential of telehealth appointments on medical computers.

As jobless claims in the United States surge, it is more important than ever to inform your service area of these telehealth services. Cost and fear of the current situation may prohibit patients from seeking help. Telehealth on medical computers can offer these patients a free and worry-free way to get the help they need.

Federal Funding For Telehealth Is On The Way

FCC chairman Ajit Pai announced a $200 million plan that if passed, would allocate money to healthcare facilities for implementing telehealth. If passed, this would greatly reduce the costs for hospitals to implement this life-saving technology. In addition, the plan calls assures those on government aided internet plans that they will not be cut off during these times. This means that those in the most need will have access to telehealth, so long as their local hospital does.

Everyone is Preparing For Telehealth, Are You?

Major players in the healthcare industry, both private and public, are preparing for telehealth. Telehealth with medical computers has proven to be an effective way of social distancing, and could potentially save lives. Make sure that your hospital takes advantage of all the programs available, and implements this crucial technology.

What Does “Medical Grade” Mean?

February 24, 2020March 12, 2020 Admin

You may see the term “Medical Grade” floated along by many manufacturers these days in your search for proper medical equipment. Everyone, from dentist chair manufacturers to medical grade computer manufacturers, lays claim to the term, implying that their product meets the true definition. While there is no central body that organizes the term “Medical Grade” and assigns it accordingly, there are some key elements that hospital supply buyers should look out for in their medical purchases. Most notably, the term “Medical Grade” when applied to computers should be scrutinized. Your Medical Grade Computer purchases should meet the following criteria:

UL60601 Certified

It almost goes without saying that any medical computers you purchases should be UL60601 Certified, but it is still worth mentioning. Among other things, this certification ensures that any Medical Grade Computers purchased by your hospital meet safety standards set by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC has set these guidelines to ensure that electrical equipment, such as medical grade computers, does not interfere with other medical technology used in proximity to it.

Medical Grade Computers Should Be Antimicrobial

Aside from UL60601 certification, ensuring that every medical grade computer purchased for your hospital is antimicrobial is the most important aspect to the meaning of being medical grade. Antimicrobial medical grade computers feature an antimicrobial coating. This coating makes the medical grade computer impervious to bacteria and other pathogens, mitigating their growth on its surfaces. When a medical grade computer features antimicrobial properties, it is as if the medical grade computer is constantly sanitizing itself with antibacterial wipes. This feature is an absolute necessity in a time where hospital acquired infections are so prevalent.

Backup Battery Enabled

Hospitals are facilities designed to treat both common colds and emergencies. When the latter happens, the equipment your hospital uses will need to be depended upon. Ensuring that the medical grade computers your hospital relies on can, in fact, be relied on is key to preventing potentially dangerous conditions for your patients. Medical grade computers with either hot-swap battery technology or uninterrupted power supplies (UPS) prevent your hospital’s computer network from going out when the power does.

Medical Grade: Tangent Meets The Mark

“Medical Grade” is so much more than a term, it’s a commitment. Tangent has pioneered this commitment and designed medical grade computers that constantly push the idea of “Medical Grade” further and further. Each one of Tangent’s numerous Medical Grade Computers meets or exceeds the standards listed above. It is this commitment to the Medical Grade that makes Tangent the top innovator of medical grade computer technology.

Medical computers by Tangent are also Antimicrobial computers

The Importance Of Antimicrobial Medical PCs

January 13, 2020January 14, 2020 Michelle

We all like to think of hospitals as places in society where people go to get healthier, and for the most part this is true. However, this is not always the case as hospitals can inadvertently become breeding grounds for harmful diseases. The CDC estimates that each and every day, 1 in 31 hospitals will see a healthcare-associated infection (HAI).

Coinciding with a decrease in the viability of antibiotics, HAIs can turn hospitals into hazardous areas for those who are prone to infection. Often, these same individuals are the ones most in need of a hospital’s services. So what can be done?

Antimicrobial Computers Offer A Compelling Solution

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to HAIs, antimicrobial computers offer one way to minimize the risk of such infections from occurring. Antimicrobial computers are medical computers that are coated with an antimicrobial treatment. This coating causes the medical computer to be deadly to harmful bacteria, much like how the natural properties of copper make the metal germ-phobic. Typically, every medical computer is an antimicrobial computer, but it is important to check beforehand if this is the case. Luckily, at Tangent all of our medical computers are antimicrobial computers and UL60601-Certified.

Are Antimicrobial Computers Safe?

Antimicrobial computers are not only safe, they are some of the safest medical computers out there. Their antimicrobial coating prevents bacteria from breeding and growing on the medical computer’s surface without being harmful to doctors and patients. Antimicrobial computers are perfectly safe to touch, which is one of the reasons why Tangent’s lineup of medical grade computers are all touchscreen enabled. This allows doctors to use these antimicrobial computers without worrying about the bacteria on their hands. Unlike computers reliant on mice and keyboards, antimicrobial medical computers will not become breeding grounds for bacteria.

Are Antimicrobial Computers Easy To Clean?

Not only are antimicrobial computers easy to clean, they are built to be cleaned! While other computers and computer monitors require specialty cleaning agents in order to not be damaged, antimicrobial medical computers are able to be cleaned with traditional cleaning supplies. Regular cleaning does not remove the antimicrobial coating either, ensuring that these medical computers last well past their warranty. What’s more, antimicrobial computers mitigate the growth of harmful bacteria on their surface, meaning that with a cleaning they become nearly germ free.

Antimicrobial Computers: Reduce Your HAIs

If reducing the amount of HAIs in your hospital is a priority, then antimicrobial medical computers may be the solution you are looking for. These advanced medical computers come in various sizes and styles, and can quickly and easily become an indispensable tool for your facility.

How To Better Use Your Medical Grade Computer

How To Prevent Critical Electronic Health Records Mistakes

January 6, 2020January 7, 2020 Michelle

There’s no doubt that medical grade computers have made hospitals safer, more productive environments to treat patients. From their antimicrobial coating which mitigates the growth of nosocomial infection causing bacteria to their robust IP certified water resistance, medical grade computers have made a lasting impact on the quality of care provided to patients.

Sadly, the same cannot always be said about the software running on these devices. The misuse of medical software such as Electronic Health Records (EHR) can lead to shockingly wrong results. While neither the fault of the software or medical grade computer, mishaps by untrained medical staff using such tools can lead to dangerous outcomes. Here are a few tips to help medical staff prevent errors while using software on their medical grade computers.

Be Aware Of Default Settings On Your Electronic Health Record Program

Every EHR program running on a medical grade computer is different, but many have the same features. One similarity that goes unnoticed is their use of default settings and inputs for entry fields. Just like how a website may have a random date filled in for your birthday when signing up, some EHR programs have default numbers filled in for various entry fields. A default drug measurement setting may be present on your EHR program, either by the software provider or your IT department. Make sure that both you and your medical staff are aware of this , as it is entirely possible that they assume the default measurement is correct, and accidentally mis-prescribe a patient.

In addition, an unclear medication list present on your EHR program can similarly lead to mis-prescriptions. Medication lists that are hard to read, uninformative, or lack dosing information can lead to medical staff assuming that they are prescribing the correct dosage while in fact doing the opposite.

Train Your Medical Staff Rigorously

EHR programs running on medical grade computers are meant to aid physicians and medical staff, not harm them. While there are problems with these programs, they come from a lack of knowledge and training surrounding the programs. Educate your staff on the presence of default drug measurements, and have your IT department update the default setting to a nonviable integer (such as 0) if possible. Creating a detailed medication list that is both informative and easy to read can also greatly improve EHR usability on medical grade computers. Above all, make sure your staff is regularly refreshed on how to use their EHR program and medical grade computer to their full potential.

Avoid Critical Mistakes

Mistakes in the hospital carry consequences not seen in any other sector, and should be avoided at all costs. Making sure that your medical staff is trained to the fullest extent on the use of EHR programs is crucial to providing quality care to patients. Medical technology has always been a force for good, and it is important to treat EHR programs as the medical tools that they are.

Give Your Patients The Face-To-Face Time They Need

November 25, 2019March 7, 2024 Michelle

Face-To-Face: The Patient’s Preference

It almost goes without saying that as social creatures, people love talking to people. But in today’s modern world, machines and automation are taking the human element out of many sectors of the economy, leading people to feel isolated from the institutions they rely upon. Nowhere else is this as pronounced as in the medical field, where doctor time spent with patients in primary care visits has dropped a whopping 18% in a mere four years. Technology, while at the crux of this crisis, also lends us a solution in the form of Medical Panel PCs.

What Is A Medical Panel PC?

A medical panel PC is a type of medical grade computer, that unlike standard desktop computers, can help increase the number of times doctors spend face-to-face with their patients. Typical desktop computers are bulky, sitting under a desk collecting dust and rely upon external hardware such as mice, keyboards, and monitors to function. Medical panel PCs, like the Medix M24T from Tangent are just the opposite, featuring a sleek design and utilizing a built-in touchscreen to function. Because of this medical grade computer’s all-in-one design, the Medix M24T requires no peripherals and can stand alone.

Medical Panel PCs: Built To Connect

Medical Panel PCs may be sleeker and easier to operate than traditional desktop PCs, but where they really shine is in their ability to help doctors maintain a personable connection with patients. Medical computers like the E22B from Tangent have a front-facing 5 Mega Pixel camera that allows for a variety of uses. Doctors can take quick photos of patient’s areas of concern for later diagnosis, or use the medical grade computer’s camera to easily digitize notes. The high-quality camera can even be used for video calling, allowing doctors to have a face-to-face appointment remotely. The possibilities of using a front-facing camera to better connect with patients are limitless.

Give Patients The Personable Experience They Want

People want to be able to connect with people, and while it is not always possible for doctors to physically meet with patients, there are still avenues for them to enjoy a face-to-face connection. Medical panel PCs are a great way to restore doctor-patient relationships while also embracing the benefits of technology.

Preventing Infections In A Post-Antibiotic World

November 18, 2019November 18, 2019 Michelle

The Center for Disease Control And Prevention just released a 2019 AR threats report titled Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, with some startling findings for the calendar year. The report found that 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. every year, resulting in 35,000 deaths. That’s nearly 1% of the U.S. population succumbing to an antibiotic-resistant infection every year, and a death every 15 minutes. The report goes on further to suggest, “Stop referring to a coming post-antibiotic era — it’s already here.” Keeping hospitals sanitary has never been so important, as reducing infections increasingly becomes the surest way of preventing antibiotic-resistant infection fatalities.

While the findings of the 2019 AR threats report are worrisome, there are ways you can help prevent antibiotic-resistant infections from occurring in the first place. High traffic locations in hospitals are prone to bacterial buildup, and these areas should be cleaned as regularly as possible. Similarly, medical computers constitute one of the most widely used tools in the medical setting, and can quickly become hotbeds for bacterial growth. Choosing the right medical computers for your hospital can drastically reduce the spread of bacteria via medical staff.

Medical Computers With Antimicrobial Enclosure

From medical assistants, nurses, and doctors, medical computers can change hands between multiple hospital staff members throughout the day. Each time a member of the medical staff interacts with a new patient, they are potentially spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria to both the patient and other employees via medical computers. Ensuring that your staff’s medical computers have an antimicrobial enclosure is one way to keep this potential spread to a minimum. Antimicrobial enclosures feature an antimicrobial agent that clings to the surface of the medical computer, mitigating the growth of bacteria and helping reduce the chance of infection.

Fanless Medical Computers

Not all medical computers are created equal, but all medical computers should be fanless medical computers. Fanless medical computers, like the Medix T24B have passive cooling technology that allows them to regulate their temperature without the use of a computer fan. Unlike traditional fan-cooled computers, fanless medical computers do not circulate air inside them. This means that fanless medical computers do not build up dust, pathogens, and other contaminants inside their enclosure. If not cleaned out, the insides of traditional computers can become a breeding ground of bacteria, as more dust and dead skin cells find their way in and stick. Fanless medical computers offer a cleaner, safer way to provide medical computing power in the hospital setting.

Water Resistant Medical Computers

One critical feature of medical computers is the ability to repel liquids. This allows for medical computers to be cleaned regularly with cleaning agents, without damaging the sensitive components within. Medical computers like the Medix KW Line from Tangent feature an IP54 certified water resistant front panel, allowing for the touch screen to be cleaned without damaging the antimicrobial enclosure. The combination of an antimicrobial enclosure and water resistance allows for medical computers to be the last thing you have to worry about causing infections in the hospital.

With a person dying every 15 minutes from an antibiotic resistant infection, it is time hospitals took the prevention of such diseases as seriously as possible. Medical computers from Tangent can help reduce the spread of bacteria in one of the most trafficked areas of hospitals.

You Can’t Stop Clostridioides Difficile In The Hospital, But There Is Hope

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019 Michelle

If you work in a hospital, you may be familiar with Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), a bacterium strain that causes antibiotic-resistant infections. While the prospect of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, commonly known as “superbugs,” are scary enough on their own, a new study in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy has given us a new reason to worry about C. diff. The study, spearheaded by Kevin Garey, a professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Houston in Texas, shows that C. diff is highly resistant to seven of the most commonly used cleaning agents in hospitals. So, what can be done to stop C. diff?

The study concluded, ”no disinfectant was able to completely eliminate C. diff embedded within biofilms.” While this was in a laboratory setting, the ramifications of this conclusion are apparent: normal cleaning is not enough to stop C. diff. Surfaces that are regularly cleaned, like those of medical computers, are still at risk of housing superbugs. Even worse, medical grade PCs are constantly being touched by different medical personnel, each potentially spreading or contracting superbug bacteria.

Luckily, medical grade PCs from Tangent have a few key features built-in that can help ward off potentially infectious superbugs. Tangent’s lineup of medical computers feature an antimicrobial coating, which mitigates the growth of bacteria. While this coating does not outright kill bacteria, it prohibits the growth of it, effectively eliminating newly placed bacteria over time. This allows medical grade PCs from Tangent to be safely handled by multiple medical personnel and reduced the likelihood of a superbug spread.

Medical computers from Tangent also come equipped with passive cooling technology, which is completely fanless. Without fans, Tangent medical grade PCs reduce the spread of airborne pathogens and do not build up bacteria cesspools in their enclosures over time. Fanless cooling technology allows Tangent medical computers to be fully enclosed, ensuring that they do not contribute to stagnant, germy environments.

Because of these airtight enclosures, Tangent medical computers are also rated for IP water resistance. This allows them to be easily cleaned with common cleaning agents. While Professor Garey’s study concluded that no regularly used cleaning agents in hospitals were effective at completely killing C. diff, they did find that Clorox, OPA, and Virex were the most effective at reducing C. diff spores. These cleaners, in conjunction with Tangent’s antimicrobial enclosures, can help curtail the growth and spread of superbugs like C. diff.

With antibiotic resistance on the rise everywhere around the globe, it’s more important than ever to keep your hospital as safe as possible from potential superbug infections. Tangent medical grade PCs can help your hospital stay clean, and remain a place for patients to become healthier.