Summertime creates the perfect storm for dry eyes. You’re either outside in the heat and sun or inside being blasted by air conditioning. Your eyes fall victim to heat, sunshine, dust, allergies, chlorine, dry air, wind, and more. And this is in addition to a primary ongoing cause of dry eyes: screen use.

Monitors and computers are critical to the work of radiologists, which means that imaging desks need to carefully handle that equipment. This includes providing easy access for IT, so they can quickly swap out a computer or monitor as needed. 

Building or remodeling the space for the lifeblood of an organization is a serious investment in material goods and services along with employee health and morale. Critical functions take place around the clock at 911 dispatch centers, radiology imaging rooms, telemetry labs, utilities and transportation control centers, and the like. The professionals who work there need spaces and desks designed for their specialized equipment and 24/7 operations.

Whether you’re a radiologist or healthcare professional helping patients by monitoring screens throughout your shift, a desk with independent adjustment capabilities offers a wide range of benefits for your body and mind. As Science Direct reports:

“Poor ergonomics lead to repetitive stress syndromes, such as eye strain, neck and back pain, and nerve entrapment syndromes, all of which contribute to fatigue and lower productivity. Repetitive stress syndromes are common, with over half of radiologists reporting such.”

Read on for some key advantages of a fully ergonomic desk.

At the November 2023 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting in Chicago, the old advice of “see with your eyes not with your hands” does not apply. While exploring the exhibits for the latest and greatest in radiology, don’t miss the Xybix booth. Our friendly healthcare sales team will encourage you to touch and feel everything on our imaging desks, from the height-adjustable table to the personalized lighting and climate controls to the expert monitor arms.

In radiology, a primary benefit of speech recognition (SR) software is the time savings. With SR, radiologists can turn reports around faster, leading to increased efficiency, higher productivity, and better patient outcomes. Experts assured Radiology Today that voice solutions are “100% essential to their workflow because that time savings is so critical,” and that “Accurate and rapid turnaround of reports can ultimately improve the treatment and outcomes of patients with complex conditions requiring complex treatments.”

Over the last 25 years, I’ve talked to a lot of people, including radiologists. I’ve learned what they need in an imaging desk—things such as sit-to-stand flexibility, easy ways to manage large arrays of monitors, cable management, task lighting, and bias lighting. And then I always enjoy talking to radiologists about features they probably didn’t know they needed.

As I write this from my bright and sunny office, I need to remind myself that radiologists do not have the luxury of sunshine and light at work while reading at their PACS workstations. This is a problem because the dim rooms they work in contribute significantly to burnout levels in radiology of more than 50%. In addition, working for long periods in low levels of ambient light can disrupt circadian rhythms and lead to depression—which doesn’t really help on the burnout front.

Ergonomic imaging desks are designed to help radiologists stay comfortable and productive while they work. But not all ergonomic desks are created equal. Some are more customizable than others, which is important for many reasons related to the health, safety, and morale of radiologists. And being customizable is not enough—the process of adjusting the desk needs to be so easy that it’s second nature to the radiologist coming on shift or needing a boost throughout the day.

Workstations designed specifically for radiology equipment—and, more importantly, for radiologists—are essential equipment in healthcare facilities. In many cases, the desks are used and abused 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. This is why you need to select imaging desks that are built to last.