5 Reasons Why Battery-Powered Monitors Are Perfect For Healthcare

Battery-powered medical monitors offer several advantages over conventional solutions, such as being lighter, cheaper, and easier to integrate into operations.

There's always room for improvement in the world of healthcare. More accurate diagnostic tools, medicine with fewer side-effects... we always want treatments that are more effective, less invasive, and more affordable.

Sometimes improvement comes from an angle we don't expect, however. Battery-powered medical monitors may not be the upgrade you think about when it comes to new tech, but these monitors have several advantages over their competitors when it comes to medical charting and mobile computing. Pairing battery-powered monitors with non-powered carts creates a lightweight, less expensive, and more flexible solution for healthcare providers.

1. Reduced Weight

One aspect of equipment that rarely gets discussed is weight. It doesn't matter how powerful or convenient a tool is; if it's too heavy to carry or push comfortably throughout a workday, workers won't use it. This is particularly important in healthcare, where providers are constantly on the move and on their feet, pushing carts from one patient to the next. This is why healthcare has higher-than-average rates of workplace injuries, especially for musculoskeletal disorders caused by overexertion.

This is one area where battery-powered medical monitors and non-powered carts have a significant advantage over powered carts. On average, a conventional powered cart with a lithium-ion battery and an attached computer and monitor weighs roughly 110-120 lbs. For comparison, a non-powered cart will weigh between 60 and 85 lbs, a potential weight savings of 50%!

2. Cost Savings

Any equipment a hospital uses must be designed and manufactured to an exceptionally high standard. Sadly, this often comes with an exceptionally high price tag as well. There are ways to save money without compromising on quality, however.

When comparing a battery-powered monitor and a non-powered cart vs. a powered cart, one of the greatest disadvantages of the latter is how expensive the battery is. On average, a powered cart will cost $5,000, making up the lion’s share of the expense. And that’s just for the cart itself; purchasing a consumer-grade monitor and PC to mount on the cart can add hundreds of dollars more to that expense.

For comparison, a battery-powered medical monitor, thin PC, and non-powered cart have an average combined price tag of around $3,300. Multiply that across dozens, perhaps even hundreds of monitors and carts used in a hospital system, and you can see how these savings add up.

3. Can Support Peripheral Devices

Another major advantage of battery-powered monitors is their ability to support other devices by supplying DC power. Smaller devices such as printers or scanners need DC power to function, but power outlets only provide AC power. This means these smaller devices need a power brick to convert from one type of current to the other.

However, with a battery-powered monitor providing DC power, these devices can get power directly from the monitor. This spares the need for power bricks, ensuring there’s one less cumbersome object getting in the way while healthcare providers are trying to do their jobs.

4. Medical-Grade Design

Battery-powered medical monitors are still medical-grade monitors, meaning they come with features that ensure the safety of patients and providers alike. IEC 60601 certifications and IP65-rated front bezels ensure their reliability and safety, even under the frantic pace of operations most hospitals work at.

5. Continue to Use Existing IT Structure

Hospitals rarely want to give up on their current tools for understandable reasons. Upgrading to new equipment is not only a major financial investment but a massive timesink when they have to port data from one set of devices over to the other.

However, a battery-powered monitor is simply a display solution, not a data management or storage device. This means it can replace current monitor and cart solutions while still letting you use your current slim PCs. This allows you to save money and reduce your workload without going through the time-consuming training process associated with new computer hardware.

Explore Battery-Powered Monitors from Cybernet

While it may not be the most obvious upgrade, a battery-powered monitor offers significant advantages over a conventional powered cart solution for healthcare workers.

If your healthcare group is interested in implementing battery-powered monitors or other healthcare computer solutions like medical tablets, contact the team at Cybernet Manufacturing. We’d be more than happy to explore how our products can make work faster, easier, and more efficient for your team.