Do medical computers need touchscreens

Do Medical Computers Need Touchscreens?

When people refer to their “phone” these days, it’s more than likely they mean their “smartphone.” Smartphones have become ubiquitous in our society, and are becoming increasingly necessary for everyday life. But what caused these smartphones to take over their older cousins? One of the defining features that played a large role is the humble touchscreen. Touchscreens have become a must-have for phones for the ease of use they create. As  the adoption of smartphones and even tablets into the workplace have shown, touchscreens play an important role in the evolution of technology and how we use it. But what about their use in the medical field, do medical computers need touchscreens?

Why Medical Computers Need Touchscreens

Medical computers work perfectly in the medical setting. As such, we can broaden this question out a bit more and consider whether computers need touchscreens. On a smartphone, touchscreens allow for a style of control that mouses and keyboards lack: gestures. 

A gesture refers to the ways in which your touch(es) can be interpreted by a touchscreen enabled phone, tablet, or computer. For instance, you’ve probably “pinched” your phone’s screen before to zoom out on a photo — that’s a type of gesture. Standard computers are also capable of zooming out on a photo, but often have dedicated buttons or keyboard shortcuts to make these functions happen. With touchscreen computers, these gestures come across as second nature to end users. Because they are routinely using touchscreens on their phones in their daily lives, the shortcuts encapsulated in their gestures come as natural.

In a literal sense, no, medical computers do not NEED touchscreens. However, when taking into consideration ease of use, efficiency and practicality, the need for touchscreen medical computers is compelling.

With touchscreen computers, staff are able to interact with computers in a much more intuitive fashion than they could do with mouse and keyboard shortcuts. This can lead to increased staff productivity. 

Versatility 

medical computers

Touchscreens are completely optional, there are no drawbacks to the user experience with the inclusion of one on a medical computer. Medical computers with touchscreens like the Medix T22B are completely capable of being used with a mouse and keyboard. Users who may be less inclined to use touchscreens can treat the screen just like any other monitor. Staff will fall into a mix of using both the touchscreen and their mouse and keyboard fluidly to accomplish tasks. Computers with touchscreens allow doctors and nurses to quickly zoom in on data or pick information cells in EHR software with just a tap.

Stay Progressive with Your Medical Equipment Selection

Gen Z is hitting the workforce in increasing numbers, taking their intimate knowledge of smartphones and computers with them. By selecting medical computers with touchscreens for your hospital, you are helping improve the way your medical staff can perform their job. For more information, contact Tangent Sales today.

RFID Ready Medical Computers

RFID Ready Medical Computers

What Is RFID?

RFID stands for Radio-Frequency Identification. The technology standard is made up of RFID tags and readers. These tags have small radio receivers and transmitters inside them. When in contact with a reader, the tag will respond and transmit information it is carrying to the reader. 

These tags can be used for a wide variety of tracking applications across the hospital. One area in which they can be used is in the tracking of patients in the hospital. Patients can have tags built right into their wristbands. These wristbands can then be used to access various doors and areas in the hospital. Your facilities team can set up each wristband to allow for certain privileges and access to specific areas. With these tags, you can ensure that the right people are in the hospital in the right areas. 

Medical Computers With Wireless Readers

RFID readers are the other half of the RFID equation. They pick up the information from tags and display it on devices. Many medical computers rely on clunky RFID reader adapters. These adapters take up ports on the medical computer, as well as desk space. Further, they are prone to being accidentally disconnected and lost.

22b-24b-main-new-medical-computer

Medical computers like the Medix 22B feature an integrated SSO RFID. This reader allows doctors and nurses to quickly and easily sign onto the medical computer with ease. They can simply wave their enabled badge to the medical computer’s reader to gain access to their computer. This solves two problems in one. 

First, your medical staff need strong, long, and complex passwords. By having your IT department tie badges to safe passwords, your hospital can have an increased layer of cyber security. Second, this allows your medical staff to have long passwords without having to remember them exactly or input them slowly everytime they access their computer.

RFID Ready Medical Computers

RFID tags and readers are quickly becoming a required tool in every workplace, including the hospital. Medical computers with built-in readers help your hospital stay on top of the future and prepare for what’s next. Make sure your hospital has the right tools by calling Tangent Sales today and asking about their range of RFID enabled devices.

HygienicComputers

Hygienic Medical Computers

Cleanliness remains a top priority for hospitals everywhere. Since the introduction of handwashing into the medical field, efforts to curb disease spread in the hospital have been largely successful. Still, medical institutions must remain vigilant in their hygienic practices to ensure that the risks to patients are minimized. Hospitals need quality medical computers that help to create a safe and clean environment for both staff and patients.

Why Medical Computer Hygiene Matters

Your doctors and nurses are constantly moving from one room to the next in your hospital. Throughout their busy day, they visit numerous different patients and co-workers. While they may not directly come into contact with each other, they no doubt all use the same medical computer in any given room. These computers become a breeding ground for harmful pathogens as staff use them throughout the workday. 

But not all medical computers are afflicted by this issue. Many of them feature an antimicrobial coating to help protect against microbes. 

Antimicrobial Coatings Add A Layer Of Protection

An antimicrobial coating mitigates the growth of pathogens on whatever surface it is spread on. These coatings work along the same lines as naturally occurring antimicrobial materials, like copper. Antimicrobial materials  interrupt a bacteria cell’s respiratory and metabolic functions. Over a brief period of time, this leads to the cell being unable to create energy and proliferate.

Medical grade computer for emergency room us, the KW line from Tangent

Medical computers like the KW15 from Tangent feature an antimicrobial coating across its surfaces. The KW15’s enclosure mitigates the growth of pathogens, which helps create a safer hospital environment overall. The cast aluminum enclosure is also built to last, and features a fanless cooling system. The KW15 also features other sanitary features, such as a washable touchscreen to help make it even more hygienic.

Washable Medical Computers

Doctors and nurses routinely wash their hands throughout a shift to minimize the risk of spreading pathogens around the hospital. Likewise, medical computers should be routinely cleaned to minimize disease transmission. Computers from Tangent feature antimicrobial enclosures to help mitigate this transmission. But they also sport IP rated touchscreens as an added layer of protection.

The Medix 22 from Tangent features an IP65 rated touchscreen that can be easily cleaned. This touchscreen can withstand standard cleaning agents without damage to the screen. Doctors and nurses can give their computers a quick cleanup before and after use. Combined with its antimicrobial layer, the Medix 22’s IP65 rated touchscreen can give medical staff peace of mind about the sanitation efforts being employed.

Customizable Medical Grade Tablets

Medical Tablets

EN 60601-1 Certification 

Among the most important features for medical grade devices is EN 60601-1 Certification. Medical tablets with the certification are shielded from Electromagnetic interference both from receiving and also from producing it. EN 60601-1 is a certification that distinguishes a medical tablet from a consumer grade medical tablet. 

Medical Tablets with Antimicrobial Surfaces 

When you think of tablets, you probably first think of the ones available to consumers. These tablets are designed for home use, but have increasingly found a home in the commercial and creative world. Despite their growing popularity in the workforce, they have some fatal flaws that make them a poor choice for use in the medical world. For starters, nearly all of them lack an antimicrobial enclosure.

An antimicrobial enclosure is a medical grade tablet casing that mitigates the growth of pathogens across the tablet. These coatings help reduce the spread of germs in a hospital. Traditional tablets lack these coatings, and can pose a serious risk as they are passed around from one worker to another. 

Medical Tablets also feature components designed to run medical programs. The T13 from Tangent can be customized to include an Intel Core I7 Kaby Lake processor. This processor is more than fast enough to run all the electronic health records and medical programs your hospital employs with ease. 

With up to 32 gigabytes of RAM, the T13 from Tangent is a multitasking machine. It can run numerous applications at once without lag. Doctors and nurses won’t have to pick and choose which programs they can run, they can simply trust that their equipment is capable of doing what is needed.

Customization Options For Medical Grade Tablets

Tangent offers a wide range of customization options for their medical grade tablets. This helps ensure that they can be a dynamic part of your hospital’s arsenal, capable of taking on multiple roles. The T13 from Tangent can be customized with different processors and amounts of RAM. Tangent’s T13 also features hot-swap batteries. 

Hot-swap batteries from Tangent are removable batteries that can be replaced without interrupting a medical grade tablet while in use. Simply remove one battery, put it on an external charger, and swap out a freshly charged one to have continuous use of the tablet.

The ability to operate redundantly makes the T13 great for pop-up clinics or other non stationary applications. 

The T13 features a front facing camera, RFID reader, Barcode Scanner, and much more. There are countless roles for the T13 in any hospital. Some applications can be to catalog inventory in the pharmacy, keep track of medication en route to patients, and serve as a communication device. 

Customize Your Hospital With Tangent

Tangent’s line of medical grade tablets are designed to help keep your hospital running efficiently. For more information about Tangent’s tablet offerings, contact Tangent today.

China’s Economy Grew Last Year, How Will This Affect U.S. Manufacturing?

While the pandemic sent most major economies reeling, China’s economy managed to do the unthinkable — rise. The Chinese economy rose 2.3% last year. The stock market in Shanghai rose on the news by 1%, after having already made considerable gains throughout the year. The Chinese response to the pandemic has proven successful on both a human and economic side, but what does this mean for U.S. Manufacturing?

U.S. Manufacturing, How Can It Recover?

While the Chinese economy overall rose during 2020, certain areas felt the pandemic-inflicted economic woes worse than others. The New York Times reports that blue collar workers are finding themselves hard pressed for work, as well as recent college graduates. So while China’s recovery has been successful, there are pockets of doubt.

But there are lessons to be learned from China. Chief among them is that protecting workers works. With stay-at-home orders imposed throughout numerous areas in the country, including large swaths of California, commerce is down. In order for the economy to safely reopen, places of business must do everything they can to protect both workers and patrons.

Keeping workers safe ensures that their families remain safe, and helps reduce the spread of the pandemic overall. Make sure that your employees have access to the best possible PPE that your facility can provide. More than this, make sure that your employees are actually wearing their PPE when around others.

Rugged Mini E3 Industrial Computer From Tangent
Rugged Mini E3 Industrial Computer From Tangent

Social distancing, as always, remains one of the most important ways for workers to remain healthy at work. Consider having some employees use industrial grade computers rather than be exposed to each other on the floor. With industrial grade computers, certain aspects of your facility can be automated or done remotely, instead of having employees close together.

This can be especially useful in industrial areas such as meat processing. Meat processing plants have been a site for mass infections since the beginning of the pandemic, largely in part to poor PPE usage and lackluster social distancing efforts. By doubling down on these important points, workers can feel confident and comfortable at work, and at their homes.

The pandemic has caused strain across U.S. manufacturing and industry, but China’s swift recovery shows that there is light at the end of this tunnel. Tangent is here to help facilities of all kinds in their recovery efforts, contact a Tangent Specialist today for more information.

 

 

 

Should Hospitals Continue Using Telehealth Appointments After The Pandemic?

Telehealth has become synonymous with healthcare during this pandemic. Hospitals around the country are using telehealth services on their medical computers to continue caring for their patients. GlobalData has found that 79% of medical specialists are now using telemedicine in the hospital. This is in part due to federal regulators and the private sector making telemedicine easier than ever to implement in hospitals. But will telehealth remain after the pandemic has subsided?

Telehealth After The Pandemic

Telehealth has become an integral part of how hospitals treat patients. Patients have become accustomed to the appointments, which do not require them to spend time driving to the hospital and waiting for the doctor. In fact, 9 out of 10 patients who used telehealth for appointments had a positive experience.

But these appointments were only made possible by sweeping federal action at the beginning of the pandemic, and are at risk of being taken away. The American Medical Association has previously called for the pandemic-related waivers that make telehealth possible to be expanded with the Telehealth Modernization Act. With this legislation and other similar ones being brought to the house and senate floor, it’s looking likely that telehealth will become a permanent fixture in the hospital setting.

Continuing Use Of Telehealth After The Pandemic

Hospitals should expect to continue making use of telehealth after the pandemic. While the service has been primarily used by at-risk patients, widening its availability can help hospitals reach more patients. With advanced medical computers from Tangent like the M24T, doctors can rapidly see numerous patients back-to-back. The primary benefit of the use of medical computers for telehealth is this saved time, for both doctors and patients. Doctors do not have to wait for patients to be roomed, and can quickly switch from one patient to the next without having to walk through the hospital.

Medical PC
Medical Grade 24″ Computer For Telemedicine

Telehealth With Tangent

Tangent has always designed their lineup of medical grade computers to be telehealth-ready, and during this pandemic this design-choice has been greatly utilized. Learn more about how Tangent can help your hospital in its telehealth efforts by contacting Tangent Sales today.

 

tangent medical computers for surges

Meeting Surging Hospitalizations With Medical Grade Computers

While vaccinations have begun across the world, it will take months for the ramifications of these injections to have an effect. Until then, the pandemic is still on, and currently more threatening than ever. A recent CNN article dove into the hospitals of L.A. County in California, and gave first hand accounts of the crisis unfolding there.

One top County health official said that they were on “brink of catastrophe.” as of December 31, 21,449 Covid-19 patients were in hospital beds in California, with 4,500 in ICU beds. CNN reports that L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti said, “We are still going to have our toughest and darkest days, it’s so critical we change our behavior.”

The picture in California is grim, and can easily be painted across the entire nation in the coming months. Hospitals around the country need to prepare now for a situation like California’s to happen in their own backyard. With the new, intensely-more infectious U.K. virus variant being detected in the United States, a rise in cases seems unavoidable.

Meeting Surging Hospitalizations

The name of the game is preparation, and Tangent is here to help. While it may seem like medical grade computers are not a good way of preparing for surging hospitalizations, this could not be further from the truth. Medical grade computers like the M24T from Tangent free up doctor’s time, and allows them to see more patients in small time frames.

antimicrobial computers
Tangent’s Medix M24T Antimicrobial Computer

Medical grade computers by Tangent are lightning fast, and designed for rapid use. With them, doctors can do their clerical work faster and easier by using their adaptive touchscreens. Telehealth appointments can be done quickly and safely without doctors needing to waste time fumbling with older computers.

What’s more: Tangent’s full lineup of medical computers are antimicrobial. Their enclosures have been treated to mitigate the growth of harmful bacteria on all surfaces. Combined with IP rated water resistant touch screens that can easily be sanitized, Tangent medical computers are designed to be an aid in medical settings.

Meet The Pandemic Head-On With Tangent

This pandemic has forced hospitals to make difficult decisions and adapt on the fly. Tangent understands the concerns of hospitals and how to help them get through this challenging period. With Tangent medical computers by your doctors’ sides, they can feel safe and confident in the days ahead. Contact Tangent Sales today For more information.

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industrial grade computers for oil

Preparing For Oil Prices To Stabilize With Industrial Grade Computers

Demand for oil has significantly increased since the early days of this pandemic, but the question of when prices will truly stabilize is worth looking at. The price per barrel of crude oil was at a high of over $70 at the beginning of the year, and has since fallen and leveled off between $40 and $50 per barrel. When can oil producers expect these prices to rise, and how can they best prepare?

According to a new article by the Wall Street Journal, it may take some time. The good news, however, is that the recent approval of multiple vaccines has made the price of oil rise, and we may see prices well into the $60 range. By late 2021, the Wall Street Journal expects prices to restabilize, and the oil market to have completely recovered. In some places such as China, demand has already returned to nearly pre-pandemic levels.

While late 2021 may seem like a long ways away, the reality of the matter is that this timeframe is right around the corner, and prices will rise gradually rather than all at once. Oil producers can prepare for this rise now, and be ready for when prices increase by having their supply chains modernized. With Tangent industrial grade computers, oil production facilities can prepare for an increase in demand in a flexible and efficient manner.

Tangent Industrial Grade Computers For Oil Production

If these last few months have taught us anything, it’s that oil production needs to be flexible. In the early days of this pandemic, oil producers were forced to turn off wells, and were uncertain of the long term damage this could cause said wells. Preparing for situations like these is now in the playbook for oil producers, and flexibility is the name of the game.

With Tangent industrial computers, oil producers can customize their oil rigs, processing plants, and supply chains to maximize their flexibility. With multiple customization options, Tangent Industrial computers can be a part of numerous operations in your oil production chain, regardless of their levels of production.

Tangent’s mini industrial computers like the Rugged Mini E3 are fully customizable, with options for RAM up to 32 gigabytes. This means that they can run as few or as many industrial programs as needed. Their small form factor also allows them to be situated in nearly any part of an oil production facility, or even inside an industrial vehicle as in-vehicle industrial computer.

Rugged Mini E3 Industrial Computer
Rugged Mini E3 Industrial Computer

Other industrial computers like the Rugged Mini O from Tangent are IP69K rated to be water and dust proof. This allows them to be used in harsh conditions like on oil rigs without worry about their long term performance.

Rugged Mini O Industrial Computer
Rugged Mini O Industrial Computer

With all of Tangent’s industrial computers, your facility is utilizing computational power that can be shifted and altered at your discretion. In-vehicle computers can become oil rig monitors, oil rig monitors can make their way into oil production plants — the list goes on.

Prepare For Rising Oil Demand With Tangent

Tangent knows that it’s hard to imagine what the future will look like. But with widespread vaccinations on the horizon, a new normal is also appearing. Prepare for this new normal with Tangent by contacting Tangent Sales today.

 

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Fully Customizable Industrial Computers

This pandemic has hit the industrial sector hard. But signs of recovery are present, and factories such as car manufacturing plants are roaring back to life. This is in no small part due to these factories ability to customize and alter their chains of production, meeting demand head on. Tangent’s lineup of industrial grade computers can help your factory turn into a fully customizable and scalable facility, and accomplish a turnaround.

Customizable Mini Industrial PCs

When your facility needs to make use of every square inch available, look no further than Tangent’s lineup of mini industrial PCs. Mini industrial PCs like the Rugged Mini E3 from Tangent are designed to fit nearly anywhere, and take up exponentially less space than traditional industrial computers. With rugged mini PCs, your factory can harness the computing power of industrial computers without sacrificing square footage.

Rugged Mini E3 Industrial Computer
Rugged Mini E3 Industrial Computer

Regardless of where they are needed, mini industrial PCs from Tangent can make a huge difference in your factory’s productivity. Mini industrial PCs like the Rugged Mini O are fully IP69K waterproof and can be used in areas where traditional industrial PCs cannot.

Rugged Mini O Industrial Computer
Rugged Mini O Industrial Computer

At the same time, these mini PCs can be customized to include varying amounts of storage, RAM, and processing power. With Tangent mini PCs, customization is everything.

Customizable Industrial Grade Computers

For spaces with a little more room, Tangent’s all-in-one industrial PCs are the right solution. These Industrial PCs pack enough punch to take on multiple industrial programs at once, all while having a convenient touch screen interface. Workers can use these industrial computers anywhere with their standard VESA mounting, no desk required. Like the rugged mini PCs, these all-in-one PCs are powerful and customizable.

Customize Your Factory With Tangent

When faced with the struggles this pandemic has brought on, factories need every edge they can get. Industrial grade computers from Tangent can offer this edge. With Tangent’s industrial computers, factories can customize their factory to suit ever changing demands. Contact Tangent Sales today for more information on our full lineup of industrial grade computers.

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tangent medical grade computers for hospitals that are the best

Medically Certified Computers For Hospital Use

As the holiday season approaches, hospitals around the country are not feeling the season’s cheer. 0% ICU capacity in Los Angeles is a grim picture that may be painted in other parts of the country after the holiday season, as the Thanksgiving bump in cases may repeat itself. Already, airports are reporting the number of travelers has grown to pre-Thanksgiving levels, showing that yet another holiday bump may be on the horizon.

How can hospitals prepare for another large surge in cases when they are already at capacity? Stretching resources, and utilizing medical computers may be one solution. But which medical computers are the best for hospitals during this pivotal moment? Medical computers that not only meet, but exceed medical standards.

Meeting and Exceeding Medical Standards

When it comes to creating the perfect medical computers for hospitals, Tangent has pulled out all of the stops. Tangent medical computers meet all federal standards for medical devices and are UL-60601 certified. But Tangent has gone further.

Each of Tangent’s touchscreen medical computers comes with a fully flush IP65 rated water resistant front panel. This allows each Tangent medical computer, like the M24T, to be easily and safely cleaned.

Tangent medical grade computers are the best medical computers
M24T Medical Computer

But that’s not all. Tangent’s medical computers are designed to be helpful in the hospital, not harmful. To ensure this, Tangent’s medical grade computers come with antimicrobial casings. These casings mitigate the growth of harmful pathogens on their surfaces, meaning that doctors and nurses can use these computers without worrying about potentially spreading pathogens to coworkers. In addition to regular cleaning, Tangent’s antimicrobial enclosures help keep hospitals safe.

Tangent Medical Computers: As Fast As Your Hospital

When used in the hospital, medical computers need to be as fast as your doctors and nurses. This fact is more important than ever, when each and every second of your medical staff’s time is so crucial. Tangent medical computers are built to keep your doctors moving. With large amounts of RAM, storage, and cutting edge Intel processors, Tangent medical grade computers can handle numerous medical programs with ease and speed. When your doctors need to use a medical computer, make sure they don’t have to wait longer than needed with Tangent.

Tangent: Here To Help

Tangent medical computers are designed and built to help hospitals. Part of Tangent’s design philosophy has always been to exceed medical standards, and our lineup of medical grade computers is proof of this. Let Tangent help your hospital get through these trying times with the latest and best medical computers. Contact Tangent Sales Today for more information.

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