Medical professionals have plenty of options to choose from if they plan on deploying touchscreen technology in the workplace. For many years after the rest of the world moved to digital storage, most healthcare offices still relied on paper documents. They needed to be certain that they would have a complete record of everything each patient underwent. If the power went out or they suddenly lost their connection to the web, then they’d still be able to open a paper file.
Better security and a renewed emphasis on healthcare costs have ensured that countless individuals have tried to find the right touchscreen-based devices to use in their particular offices. A good rule of thumb is to use something that roughly matches the clipboards and other physical tools you currently use so your staffers can get used to them more quickly. Designers have even promoted this idea as skeuomorphism, though flat touchscreen devices are going to work best in most healthcare offices. You just need to make sure that you’re getting something that’s the right size.
Sizing Your Touchscreens Appropriately
Look over a list of professional healthcare touchscreen solutions so you can see what kinds of equipment might best work in your specific environment. A number of personal computers sized as 15.6″ or 21.5″ tablets are now on the market, and these are designed specifically with the medical and scientific communities in mind. Unlike standard tablets, they can work as full PCs. Keep in mind that a regular piece of printer paper is around 8.5″x11″, so you’ll probably want something that roughly matches that footprint for familiarity’s sake.
Pay close attention to the weight of any device you’re getting as well. Touchscreens are thin and light, so you’d expect every device that uses them to be the same. Large batteries and chargers add quite a bit to the overall girth, however, so you’ll want to take a look at some hard numbers before you actually order a device to use in the office.
Choosing The Right Display Technology
Chances are you’ve heard plenty of buzzwords surrounding touchscreen display features in recent years. Some of these, such as light-emitting diode, have become common terms while others might still confuse consumers. Active-matrix displays are going to offer you the best image no matter what kind of underlying technology powers the device’s backlight. In general, you’ll want to look for something that features one of these displays combined with LED or organic LED backlights, but some other competing active-matrix designs are just as good.
If you can request a demonstration, then make sure you try the display under different kinds of light. Most healthcare offices have a combination of natural and artificial lighting. Those who work in general hospitals or public ambulatories probably have to deal with huge banks of fluorescent tubes, which make for poor color recognition. Trying a display under different conditions will help you know which one is perfect for your office.
Taking the time to test them out now will translate into a great deal of convenience later. That’s important in an industry where taking less time to do something can help save a person’s life.
