I previously wrote a blog highlighting which companies selling imaging desks will be at RSNA.  If you are shopping for a new desk, the following advice should help get you to the right booth without wasting time.  

Once you get to the booth and start talking to the helpful (pesky?) salesperson, what are some good questions to ask?  If you are like me, you probably think of them after you’ve already walked away. Fortunately, I have put together some questions that will help you make your best decision.  

911 Dispatchers know a lot about being efficient. They have to be ready to react quickly when the important call comes in amidst all of the barking dog and drunk neighbor complaints. Taking time to reach around looking for the right mouse or the right keyboard can slow them down when trying to get the job done.

There is no place like the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) to go shopping for new equipment for your radiology center.  Whether you are involved with a huge hospital system or a small reading room, RSNA seems to have it all and then some.  You can get hands-on with all of the latest technology to see what it can do to make your life better and improve the results for your patients.  One major piece of that puzzle is choosing the best imaging desk for your reading room.  

Last year when I wrote my review of the APCO dispatch furniture vendors, I went into the color themes and what I thought I saw as upcoming trends. This year, I noticed that not much has changed in terms of the design and color there is still a lot of dark colors and some wood-looking work surfaces.

What I noticed this year was how many dispatch furniture makers still put electronic equipment, mostly computers, under the console. I saw far too many sales reps doing presentations by bending down and showing the techs how they would access the computers, cables, radio, and power.

APCO International’s 81st Annual Conference and Expo is right around the corner, and that means all of the newest and most innovative dispatch furniture will be on display for the world to see. Ha, ha, ha! Ok, not really! Similar to last year and every other year, you'll see almost all of the same vendors making a repeat cameo appearance!

So, same vendors, same sales pitch, pretty much the same product. With a variety vendors offering 911 furniture choices, it can be tricky arriving at an informed decision when it comes to who to make a purchase with for your next dispatch furniture project. This list of questions can be used to help narrow down which vendor has the product best suited for your needs:

Is a standing imaging desk just a trend, or does it really benefit the bottom line for an imaging center? 

Let’s face it radiologists tend to love new technology (toys) which can hopefully make their job easier, faster, and better. Efficiency is great for both the doctor and the management, who is trying to maintain a healthy bottom line. So, does a height adjustable imaging desk fall into the category of improved efficiency or is it just a new toy for the doctor to use for a few months? 

While the imaging desks are cool, let's face it, there are also some great health benefits to standing at work. 

I grew up just south of Denver and have spent a lot of time in the city. Denver is a great host city for NENA 2015, as it’s easy to find great restaurants, bars, and entertainment within walking distance of the Colorado Convention Center. If you can pull some extra time off, it would be well worth the sightseeing to head into the mountains.

Many consumers want to know how much weight can a dispatch console can handle? (As well as, will be able to hold their dispatchers’ when they ride up and down on it?)

In reality, it boils down to whether or not the dispatch console will hold up for 24/7 use. There are a few philosophies on how to achieve this durability. As with everything in life, there is give and take with the way each manufacturer designs their furniture.

Keeping your computers cool is an important concern to address in your dispatch center as a hot, running computer will show you the blue screen of death if it gets too warm. While this is a built-in fail-safe for the CPU itself, this is not what a dispatcher wants, especially in the middle of an important call. Computers that run on higher temperatures also tend to have shorter life spans which can lead to spending budget money sooner than you would like.

What is the average lifespan of dispatch console furniture? How long do they last?

I get these questions every now and then from potential customers. These type of questions remind me of some advice I got from a real estate agent when I was shopping for a new house. I asked him, “Should we ask why they are moving?” The answer was, “No, they aren’t going to tell you the truth, anyway.” He was right. The owners would never say something like, “The neighbor’s dog barks all night long and keeps us awake.”