PLUGGED IN / Technology and Gadgets
Doctors’ handwriting is notoriously illeg- ible, a result of busy schedules and hur- ried writing of reports. “I have terrible handwriting; techni-
cians would have to hunt me down to see what I scribbled in the record,” FitzSi- mons says. “That doesn’t happen any- more. When you go paperless, you never have to translate doctors’ notes.”
Portable tablets for digital X-ray viewing Like paper medical records, radiologi-
cal film has joined the ranks of the obso- lete. The days of messing around with film-developing chemicals are long gone, as many practices have upgraded to digi- tal X-rays. But digital X-rays require a high-qual-
ity monitor in every consultation room, as regular desktop monitors distort and degrade image quality. Premium moni- tors start at nearly $1,000 each, so outfit- ting a practice with a full set will burn through a budget. Enter the tablet. Not only can assis-
tants and nurses share accurate infor- mation by simply handing off a tablet device, but these popular electronics can also impress clients while saving money. The customers are pretty amazed
[when they see it],” FitzSimons says. “You can walk in and pull up digital X-rays right there. It’s real impressive if you have the capability.” Several apps are available to view
digital X-rays on tablets, usually selling for around $30 per installation. These apps allow the user to zoom in and out on images, rotate or scroll to an area of interest, and even draw on or circle items to point out specific concerns. In addi- tion, tablets work without power cords and communicate through a wireless network, eliminating clutter and allow- ing practices to use one device for mul- tiple rooms. Plus, since the device never leaves the
doctor’s hand, it lasts longer and is less prone to damage. With a tablet viewing system, “kids don’t put their sticky fingers on
Like paper medical records,
radiological film has joined the ranks of the obsolete.
monitors,” FitzSimons says. “You don’t have to worry about it getting bumped and broken.”
Video message boards Paper bulletin announcements take up
space and are easy to ignore, leading to a cluttered and disorganized lobby wall. Upgrade your lobby to the modern age with a digital messaging system. The system consists of a television,
the size of which largely determines the price (about $2,000 on average), and a fully programmable software interface. Much like with PowerPoint, users can customize slides to alternate on the screen. Options include pictures (with or without captions), text slides, videos and websites. A banner scrolling across the bottom can also feature news feeds, in addition to messages from the practice, mixing important information for clients with outside tidbits, like sports scores or the latest breaking news. But the most welcome feature is its
eye-catching appeal. “Once you put a sign on the wall, peo-
ple start to ignore it,” says FitzSimons, who has been using a video message board since April 2010. “By constantly
Trends magazine, April 2012
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