Will you be looking at imaging desks at RSNA? If the answer to that question is yes, I recommend looking at all the major manufacturers, asking some appropriate questions and looking for some key differentiating features.

As an Healthcare professional, have you ever asked yourself how can I:

• Improve productivity in my department?
• Improve accuracy in my department?
• Decrease employee turnover?
• Improve health?
• Improve my departments bottom line?
• Increase ROI?

Hint: BE A SUPERHERO - GET a Stand Up Ergonomic Desk!

The new innovation in hospitals is to maximize the efficiency of registered nurses by implementing telemetry labs. This allows better, continuous oversight of patients’ vitals, which frees up the professional staff to better physically care for their patients. If you are consider having one, make sure it is done with correct ergonomics.

The decision to purchase new ergonomic imaging desks should not merely be based on the cost of the desks. Oftentimes, you truly do get what you pay for, so picking the lowest costing desk shouldn’t be your only priority.

Will your signature be on the requisition when requesting a purchase order be issued for new ergonomic sit/stand imaging desks? If the answer is yes, I don’t have to tell you that you will be receiving complaints from your colleagues in many different departments if you select desks that are subpar.

It’s obvious that radiology is a very prestigious and rewarding industry to get into. However, you have to admit that it is also, in many cases, a sedentary profession. During the analog imaging days, radiologists would spend much of their time standing at alternators, hanging film, and moving around their offices. Now with the advent of digital imaging, everything is at their fingertips, and the only time they need to leave their desks is to get something to eat, go to the bathroom, attend their meetings, etc.

The right equipment and setup can make all of the difference in getting any job done right, and the world of telemetry is no different. According to lab managers and project managers here is what their technologists are looking for:

• comfort
• ergonomic chairs
• adjustable focal depth of  6-8 monitors
• adequate keyboard workspace
• clean wire management system

As you know Hospitals are transitioning from monitoring patients vital signs at the nurse’s station to remote rooms in specialized labs within their hospital.  In Telemetry Labs several Technicians sit remotely at desks monitoring anywhere from 6-8 monitors viewing the vital signs of patients.  In the event a patient’s vital signs move out of an acceptable range the Technician contacts the nurse’s station.

There are about a half dozen imaging furniture manufacturers that have been in the business over the last couple of decades, so selecting the right manufacturer should be an easy decision. The truth is that it is if you do your homework and don’t just pick one that promises the world or advertises in every possible venue.

Ask the Obvious Questions

To help you find the right manufacturer for your imaging furniture needs, here are a dozen questions you need to answer that will address the obvious:

• Does the provider offer true dual-surface desks with both surfaces being capable of moving from 22” to 50”?
• Is the focal depth of the monitors adjustable up to 10”, and can you move all of the monitors together?

According to Dr. James Levine, a leading endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic  and researcher on the health hazards of sitting, sitting for long periods of time is no good. Just take a look at the information below:

Your eyes are precious and extremely valuable, so it makes sense to take safety precautions when you engage in activities that could potentially damage them. For example, when you play racket ball, use a weed wacker, or operate a grinder, you most likely use eye protection.

That being said, what do you do to protect your eyes in the reading room? I know that there isn’t any flying debris or any balls that could assault or damage your eyes in the confines of your dark reading room. However, at the end of the day, are your eyes tired and watering, and/or do you have a headache?  

If your answer is yes, please read on.