Medical Computer Use Cases During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Several healthcare programs like telehealth and remote patient monitoring have received praise for their addressing of the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. Learn how medical computers have remained the backbone for all of these programs.

As we continue to deal with the spread of coronavirus, we’ve all learned about the effectiveness of many popular healthcare initiatives like telehealth, clinical collaboration, and population health. Fortunately, the medical computer systems used to fuel these programs have remained steadfast and reliable. Below are only a few of their use cases we’ve observed that have helped providers keep up with the coronavirus.

Testing and Screening

Whether we’re dealing with a COVID test or an antibodies test, it’s a given that biological material needs to be taken and analyzed to ensure they’re done correctly. Device manufacturers have stepped up in order to meet those demands by equipping their devices with 4K medical monitors. Devices with this high-def resolution are essential in helping physicians more accurately diagnose patients based on samples drawn for digital pathology. Aside from resolution, what makes these monitors helpful in COVID-19 testing facilities is their built-in protections against infection.

The right medical monitor built to be used in a healthcare setting doesn’t include fan-based cooling. This can prove helpful during the current outbreak since droplets emitted by sneezes and coughs are the primary infecting agent for COVID-19. By cutting the fan from their designs, certain medical computer manufacturers eliminate the possibility of that fan drawing in contaminants and circulating them.

Addressing the Medical Supply Shortage

Thankfully, by using medical grade computers equipped with 3D printing peripherals and software, hospitals and companies outside of the health sector are stepping up to create their own medical supplies in the face of shortages.

Additionally, with proper insurances against infection such as IP65 certification and antimicrobial builds, these computers can be left to print masks and other supplies without staff having to worry about breaking any HAI regulations.

Equipping Testing Tents and Vans

Supplies such as masks and gloves aren’t the only things running short in hospitals across the globe. As more serious cases develop, more facilities struggle to leave enough rooms open to treat and test patients. The natural solution many have turned to is extending testing and treatment capabilities to outside of the facility building with tents set up in parking lots equipped with medical grade testing and screening equipment. Many facilities have even begun bringing rugged medical tablets out into the field in order to collect patient information as well as perform triage practices to help prioritize those who need emergency care.

Atrium Health took this example and went even further with it, utilizing mobile medical vans to drive to and test underserved and minority communities that otherwise wouldn’t be able to come in for testing. They were able to do this by utilizing Geographical Information Systems (GIS) installed on medical computers to find underserved hotpot communities where positive cases were on the rise.

Using Telehealth to Protect Staff

Using medical cart computers with carts that are remote control capable, certain facilities have been able to protect their physicians from infection by eliminating the need to be present in the room with an infected patient. Instead, staff can speak with patients over video chatting apps installed on the medical computer. In some cases, these cart solutions have even been equipped with peripherals and screening/testing equipment, allowing physicians to actually run tests without being present in a patient’s room. In addition to limiting exposure, these solutions have even helped limit the amount of disposable masks and gloves used by giving staff the opportunity to screen, test, and talk without making contact. The limited equipment saved this way can then be saved for patients that absolutely require the physical presence of their doctor or nurse.

Healthcare is Set to Change But Tomorrow’s Tech is Here Today

Many of the initiatives we’re seeing undertaken in response to COVID-19 are programs we’ve known for a while would benefit the healthcare space. It’s very likely these programs will only continue to grow in effectiveness and popularity after the pandemic ends. The hardware used to make these programs a reality, however, are here now. For more information on how you can incorporate medical grade computers in your facility’s response to the coronavirus and in its responses to future patient needs, contact an expert from Cybernet today.