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Healthcare Furniture and Accessories That Support Telemedicine

The remote diagnosis and treatment of patients using telecommunication technology, otherwise known as telemedicine, has grown rapidly in popularity over the last several years and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Telemedicine is most commonly used in pharmacies wherein patients call with questions regarding their prescriptions. However, the practice is also gaining popularity in primary care as patients use telemedicine for routine consultations with doctors, chronic care issues, and quick and easy healthcare questions. 

Not only does telemedicine save time for both healthcare provider and patient, but it also saves the patient money as the cost of telecommunicating with a healthcare provider is almost always less than coming into the office and often even free. If your facility plans to implement telemedicine practices, ensure you have these tools for success.

Computer Carts

The nature of telemedicine often requires healthcare providers to be able to move about a space freely. Computer carts can make this easier, and many are designed specifically to accommodate the needs of medical professionals. These versatile pieces of furniture are heavy-duty and have expanded functions, including keyboard trays, lockable casters, and built-in battery packs that keep laptops charged all day. You’ll even find carts that lock laptops in place for stability and security.

AV Accessories

Like laptop carts, certain AV accessories will be necessary for healthcare professionals working with telecommunicating patients. Keyboard trays, CPU holders, and power and data ports are small but important features needed to keep things running smoothly. In addition, you’ll want to equip the space with a laptop charging cart that will keep computers charged when in use and safe and secure when not.

Standing Desks and Monitor Stands

Standing desks help medical professionals transition between helping patients in person and assisting with patient healthcare needs remotely. If you don’t want to or aren’t able to add a standing or adjustable-height desk to your facility, consider adjustable monitor stands that can be attached to any existing workspace.
Healthcare

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Trends for Healthcare Spaces at NeoCon 2014

NeoCon, one of the largest trade shows in the furniture industry, took place last week, Monday, June 9th through Wednesday, June 11th. The event features showrooms from top furniture brands and focuses on commercial interiors. NBF, as a large retailer of commercial-grade products, attended the conference to not only see the new design trends, but to also interact with vendors. As we posted previously, there were many trends that we saw emerging consistently throughout the numerous showrooms. One such trend was the emphasis on healthcare segments. While healthcare is a well-established niche of the furniture industry, there were a few developments and trends that could not go unnoticed.

NBF Healthcare Furniture Services

It’s probably no surprise that healthcare facilities require very specific furniture to keep their doctors, patients and visitors comfortable and safe. Due to the nature of hospitals and other healthcare facilities, furniture that resists the growth of bacteria and the spread of germs must be used. In addition, bariatric chairs and very specific types of exam room furniture must be offered in order to keep any and all patients as safe as possible during their stay. The things to consider when outfitting a healthcare facility with the appropriate furniture are seemingly endless, so it’s easy to become overwhelmed in the attempt to cover all the bases. Take a look at some of the services and capabilities that the furniture experts at National Business Furniture offer to make your healthcare furniture shopping experience as easy as possible.

Choosing the Right Behavioral Health Furniture

You must consider several important factors when outfitting a behavioral healthcare facility with new furniture. The challenge of furnishing this type of healthcare facility is that you need to accommodate individuals with vastly different needs due to the great range of conditions that behavioral health facilities treat. Here’s what you absolutely must consider before selecting your new furniture.

Ensure Safety 

The number one most important consideration when it comes to selecting behavioral health furniture is patient and caregiver safety. Avoid opportunities for patients to harm caregivers, other patients, or themselves. This applies to every facet of your facility. For example, fasteners should be tamper-resistant, and there should be no exposed staples or other catch points on any furniture items. 

Eliminate the possibility of stashed contraband by avoiding concealment points in chairs or other furniture. Ligature points should not be available to any patient, so chairs should be armless or have closed arm panels, and cabinets and doors should be fitted with breakaway hooks and hinges. When it comes to freestanding chairs, sled base models are often preferred as they are harder to weaponize. 

Ensure that you equip your facility with absolutely no furniture that has removable parts, and outfit patient rooms with open shelving rather than cabinets with drawers and doors. Windows should be outfitted with unbreakable glass.

Promote Emotional Healing 

The second most important factor to consider is that you’ll want to create an atmosphere wherein patients feel a sense of control. Remember, the goal is to make patients feel like they are working toward recovery, and they will never get that sense without first having a sense of freedom. 

Try to achieve the look of a traditional healthcare facility rather than a correctional institution by incorporating peaceful nature scenes on the walls and soft, inviting colors in your furniture. Residents should be able to move furniture, but they should not be able to pick furniture up. Behavioral health furniture is usually significantly weighed down, and it may be bolted to the floor in areas such as a cool-down room where the chances of a lash-out are particularly high. 

Every room in your facility should feel warm and inviting, and patients should have access to natural light in individual rooms and common areas.

Provide Personal Space

Residents in behavioral health facilities need more personal space than individuals in the average healthcare facility. Chairs in any seating area should be able to be moved apart, meaning that grouped seating is OK, but it's recommended to use tables as spacers to that nobody feels crowded. Space should also be built in between all seating areas and tables so that residents have the option to sit alone if they so choose.

 

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