Antimicrobial Touchscreens are in a lot of use in hospitals today. The reason is that they have become so much more popular over the last few years than they were just a few years ago. A touchscreen or an electronic display screen is just one of the things that make up an Electronic Medical Records System (EMRIS), and the records that it holds are known as EMR. What this means is that this type of system can be used to monitor not only the temperatures of a patient’s body, but also their other vital signs.
If you don’t already know, the way that these types of systems work is that a medical professional will insert a finger or two into the body of a patient while the process is being done, and then they’ll have a visible image on a monitor screen, or in some cases on a portable computer that can be remotely located anywhere in the world. There are many different aspects of these types of devices that make them very efficient, and that’s why they’ve been growing in popularity for so long. The first thing to consider is touchscreens themselves. It’s difficult to overstate how important antimicrobial protection is when it comes to these products, because they can make the difference between a successful procedure and one that’s not. Unfortunately, a lot of doctors don’t pay attention to this, and they may be putting their patients at risk.
As described above, touchscreens are becoming a huge part of the electronic health record system that we have available. It’s the same basic principle that goes into hospital floor ticker screens, where monitors always show the data about the patient’s blood pressure and other vital indicators. These data points are collected on a public display, and are immediately available for anyone to see. However, it’s not just the public touchscreens that are so important; there are actually special antimicrobial glass surfaces that are being used. Not only are they incredibly effective at helping prevent the transmission of infections from one patient to another, but they can also help to reduce the amount of contamination around the office or laboratory.
The most common type of antimicrobial touchscreen found in healthcare facilities is a flat panel monitor that displays detailed information about the patient’s bloodstream, pulse, temperature, and so on. Many patients aren’t given an explanation of what these things mean, but having these monitors is absolutely essential. Of course, no one really knows when they’re going to need to call for tests of these types, so even having these devices available is really important. Not only can they help to prevent the spread of bacteria and germs, but they can also provide the necessary information for the doctor to make sure a patient is getting the best possible care.
There are two basic types of antimicrobial glass touchscreens that are available. The first is called a cover lens, and the other is a water-resistant screen. The cover lens is a thin, flexible membrane that rests atop the transparent monitor. On the exterior of the lens are pockets designed to contain and collect any fluids that make it past the barrier of the glass. These are meant to be leak-proof, but even having a thin, flexible layer of fluid around the exterior of the unit isn’t enough to guarantee that no bacteria or other germs can slip through. The interior of the device is also lined with a sticky residue, which has been proven to increase the surface area of bacteria that can travel between the inside and outside of the unit.
Antimicrobial touchscreens aren’t the only type of self-service touchscreen devices. In fact, the vast majority of public health care settings, whether they’re at a hospital, dental office, or nursing home, feature a type of automated device that performs similar functions. Self-service units allow patients to receive prescriptions and contact information without ever leaving the examining room. While some are much more advanced than regular public touchscreens, many will still allow the doctor direct contact information in a smaller and more easily managed format.
In fact, this type of automated unit is increasingly common within health care offices. Instead of having to program the touchscreen’s operation like an electronic document interface, or deal with the paperwork related to patient prescription data, these units have actual buttons and electronic controls that have been specifically programmed to perform specific tasks. In most cases, the primary function of these units is for the nurse to input patient information into a database or electronic file. However, they can also detect bacteria in a biological sample or other location and report that information via an LED light or audio signal.
With the increase in the use of such automated devices throughout the healthcare industry, it’s easy to see how the demand for antimicrobial touchscreen devices has risen. The biggest concern may not be the potential for disease-causing bacteria to slip through, but from a cost standpoint. Touchscreens offer many advantages over traditional keyboards and other technology solutions, especially since most public touchscreens offer the convenience of one-touch operation. In addition to the convenience factor, however, medical professionals like the ability to quickly navigate through long lists of numbers, buttons, and other icons. For this reason, they’re an ideal investment for hospitals and other organizations that need to keep their workflow as streamlined as possible.