Hospital Equipment | Hospital and Medical Technology

Gadgets That Can be Used in the Medical Field

There is just nothing that gadgets can’t do in this world. While a lot of people just use their gadgets to have fun with, some people in the know use their gadgets to make their work lives easier. Since medical personnel tend to be smarter than the rest of us, they’ve been some of the first professionals to grow their professional capabilities through the use of advanced gadgetry. Only secret agents moved faster on this. Let’s look at a couple of very wise uses of gadgetry.

Smartphones are great for use in the medical field. Whether a prepaid Blackberry or a phone with a traditional plan, you can keep a lot of records straight with a smartphone. You can also keep your appointment list clear with some relatively simple apps. The flexibility of a smartphone is just one of the great things about it. There are lots of advantages to having such a device, whether you’re in medicine or not.

Naturally, smartphones aren’t the only great gadgets to have in medicine. Tablet PCs are also great contrivances. You can keep your EMRs in the palm of your hand at all times, and never have to scribble down prescriptions. Overall, a tablet PC is for your office what a smartphone is for your life if you practice medicine. The best doctors and nurses have these devices with them as often as possible. The only question is whether they keep their gadgets properly scrubbed up and sanitary.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Hospital Technology

Medical Equipment Advancements: The Endoscope

A common medical test that many doctors run is known as an endoscopy. Endoscopies are minimally invasive procedures that allow doctors to view inside a patient’s body and see exactly what is going on. Here is a brief look at the endoscope which is the major tool that is used during an endoscopy.

An endoscope is a long tube that is inserted into the patient’s body. The tube is made of a flexible material so that it can work its way through the body and allow the doctor to see into the various areas. The endoscope also comes complete with a small camera on the top of it. This camera allows the doctor to view what is going on inside the body on a TV monitor in the examining room. Endoscopes also have the ability to puff in air or liquids so that the doctor can observe the parts of the body clearer.

It is believed that endoscopes go back over 100s of years. There was a small endoscope found in Pompeii. There is also medical proof that endoscopes were around in 1805. However, the first advanced endoscope was used in 1868 and it wasn’t until the 90s that the endoscope developed the use of a camera to magnify any problems for the doctor to monitor.

Endoscopes are used during endoscopies. Most doctor’s will schedule an endoscopy to check for certain types of internal cancers, pulps within the colon and even certain types of internal abnormalities that could be causing potential problems. Although endoscopes are used to find problems, they cannot cure or diagnosis a number of problems. That is up to the doctor. However, they can help in finding potential problems and help a doctor lead up to an official diagnosis.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Endoscopy, Medicine, Pompeii

Medical Equipment Advancements: The Defibrillator

It used to be if you experienced a heart attack in a public setting you would have to wait for the ambulance or paramedics to get there to administer help. With the invention of more advanced technological medical equipment that has all changed. The invention of the defibrillator has saved many lives from those that have experienced a heart attack in a public setting.

A defibrillator is a small box that is similar to that of a laptop carrying case. Inside the box is a small machine that can be used to administer electrical currents. Electrical currents have been known to jump start the heart after a heart attack.

Many times the use of a defibrillator has been the difference between life and death. The moments after a person suffers a heart attack are critical. There could be permanent damage to the heart or brain if left for prolonged periods of time. These small defibrillators have been placed in various public areas where laypeople can administer that critical electrical current to get the person in a stable condition until medical professionals arrive.

Proper training is required in order to ensure that those that use the defibrillator are doing so properly. In recent years the American Red Cross has paid for the training of public officials and people so that there is always someone who is trained in how to use a defibrillator.

It is amazing how technology has been able to save and improve the health of others. The small sized defibrillators are just an example of how technology has advanced for the better over the past few years.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Defibrillation, Health care provider, Heart disease

Medical Equipment Used by Pediatricians

There are dozens of different types of doctors. There are doctors that handle sports injuries and orthopedics. There are doctors that handle elderly patients and there are doctors that handle children. Each doctor has their own set of skills and knowledge that makes them an expert in their field. Along with skills each doctor has their own set of medical equipment that they use to help their patients. Here is a look at the various types of medical equipment that all pediatricians will use.

Scales. A pediatrician relies very heavily upon the scale. It is used to weight the child and make sure that they are properly growing. Unlike adult scales, pediatrician scales have sides that are curved for safety. As the child grows the pediatrician will use an adult scale to weigh them.

Sphygmomanometer. A sphygrmomanometer is used to for blood pressure. In a pediatrician’s office this has a small child’s cuff that is specially made for small arms. The sphygramomanometer has a pump and a gauge that is used to monitor the blood pressure of the child.

Otoscope. Children get a lot of ear infections and have a lot of ear canal problems. A otoscope is used to look inside the child’s ear. There is a small magnifying glass that allows the doctor to see inside the ear for any problems.

Opthalmoscope. Opthalmoscope is used to examine the eyes. There is a small flashlight on the tip as well as a magnifying glass so that the eye is enlarged. These are used to make sure there are no problems with the child’s eyes.

Stethoscope. The Stethoscope is used to examine your child’s heart and lungs. There is a small flat piece that will magnify the sounds that your child’s heart or lungs make. These are usually used while your child takes deep breaths in order to make sure there are no lingering problems inside your child.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Information and Advice, Medical equipment, Pediatric, Stethoscope

Proper Procedure for Handing Surgical Equipment to the Surgeon

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI - JANUARY 18: (IMAGE RE...

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It might seem that all a surgical technician does is hand over medical equipment to the surgeon but there is a lot more to the process than just picking up the instrument and handing it over. There is a specific way that medical equipment needs to be handed over to the surgeon. This process allows the surgeon, patient and surgery staff to be properly cared for.

Here is a look at exactly what goes into handing surgical equipment over to a surgeon.

Sterile Equipment. It is part of the surgical technician’s responsibility to make sure that all equipment that is being used in the operating room is sterile. All equipment needs to have undergone the proper sterilization process of the hospital.

Setup of Equipment. The surgical technician will also place all surgical equipment in the operating room. They will make sure that all equipment is placed with the handle facing them so that it is easy to pick it up when requested.

Handing Equipment. The surgeon will specifically ask for a piece of medical equipment when he needs to use it. Until that time pay attention and wait for the request. Once the request has been made for a tool, pick up the piece of medical equipment using your dominant hand as this will prevent you from dropping the piece of medical equipment. When you hold the piece of medical equipment make sure you hold it in the center of the equipment and have a firm hold on it. You will then pass the equipment to the surgeon. When you hand the instrument to the surgeon place the handle end to them and make sure that they have a firm grip on the piece before letting go. This will prevent them dropping the equipment and cross contaminating it.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Medical equipment, Operating theater, Surgery, Surgical technologist

A Look Into Wrapping of Surgical Equipment

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All surgical instruments and medical equipment that are used during a surgical procedure needs to be sterilized after it has been used. After the equipment has been sterilized it needs to be wrapped in an exact way to make sure that there is no cross contamination of the instruments. Almost all surgical equipment is wrapped using a double layer of fabric that has been specifically designed for its sterile purposes.

Here is a look at what goes into wrapping up surgical equipment to make sure that it remains sterile. It is important to note that only trained professionals should do this and these are only guidelines to keep the patient informed about the surgical sterilization process.

Setup. The first step in the wrapping process is to determine what you are wrapping and what you will need to wrap the instruments. You will need to gather single sterilization bags if you are wrapping single instruments, while you will need to use an object known as an autoclave wrap for multiple items or trays.

Cleanup. It is important to make sure that all surgical equipment is prepared for the wrapping process. It is important that all the pieces of equipment are cleaned of any fluids or debris. This can be done using the hospital approved cleaning solution.

Single Instrument Wrapping. A single instrument is placed into a sterilization bag that allows the tool to fit properly. It is also important to make sure that any sharp sides are wrapped up to make sure the bag is not ripped open. An indicator strip is placed into the package and the package is sealed.

Wrapping Instruments. The procedure of wrapping instruments is a precise one. Take two sterile sheets and place them on the surface. One sheet will be square and the other will be a diamond. Place gauze in the middle of the diamond sheet and place the instrument on the piece of gauze. You will then fold the sterilization sheet as directed and place it into the sterilization package. To ensure the package does not open there is tape placed over the opening.

Filed Under: health Equipment, Hospital equipment Tagged With: Medical equipment, Sterilization, Surgery, Surgical instrument

How Technology is Used to Track Surgical Instruments

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There are dozens of horror stories all over the Internet and on the TV about people who had a surgical procedure performed and a number of years later they find out that the surgeon left a clamp or pair of scissors inside the patient. While these incidents are few and far between they did happen, which is why many hospitals are taking preventative measures to ensure that this does not happen.

The preventative measures that hospitals are taking to prevent these types of incidents from happening require the use of technology. Every piece of surgical equipment will contain a small bar code on it. These bar codes identify the surgical tool and what doctor checked it into the operating room. The problem with the bar code system is that it required the surgeon to hand count all pieces of equipment that didn’t contain a bar code and it only allowed people to trace back who was responsible for the piece of equipment being left inside the patient.

Recently hospitals have started to develop a system that uses radio-frequency identification system for the tools that are used in an operating room. The way that radio-frequency identification systems work is that each piece of equipment contains a small radio-frequency identifier on it. Inside each operating room is a small antenna that will be able to pick up the signal from the pieces of equipment that contain the radio-frequency identifier on it.

The way that hospitals track the equipment is through the use of the surgeon and registration. A surgeon must register the surgical tray and equipment that they will use before the operation. At the end of the procedure the surgeon places into the software program what was used and the system will track down any missing pieces of equipment that might have been brought into the operating room.

While radio-frequency tracking doesn’t prevent surgeons from forgetting surgical tools in a patient it does allow surgeons to track down when it happens and get the tools out of the patient quicker.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Kinect, Medical equipment, Operating theater, Surgery

Medical Equipment Found in an Operating Room

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There are over a million different types of medical equipment out there for doctors and surgeons to use. One of the best places to see a wide array of medical equipment is the operating room. An operating room contains thousands of different instruments that are critical to saving people’s lives.

Here is a look at the variety of medical equipment that can be found in the operating room.

Hand Instruments. Hand instruments are the type of medical equipment that everyone associates with the operating room. These hand instruments are pieces of medical equipment that allow the surgeon or operator to do the most basic of operating procedures. These procedures include cutting, stitching, clamping any blood loss and cauterizing. A typical operating room will contain a scalpel, assorted hemostats, retractors and an object known as the needle holder which closes tissues.

Electrosurgical Tools. Electrosurgical tools are used to cut an incision or to clamp any type of bleeding that might occur. Almost all types of electrosurgical tools use a high electrical current to cut the skin and create an incision. This is much safer and more sanitary than the alternative which was to use scissors or scalpels.

Orthopedic Tools. An operating room will contain a lot of orthopedic tool. These tools are used to straighten crooked legs or arms, and to replace hips and knees. Common orthopedic tools include screwdrivers, hammers, drills, plates, pins and power saws. These are all used during orthopedic procedures.

Operating Table. It might not be a tool that the surgeon uses but it is a very important part of the operating room. It is the central point and allows nurses, assistants and surgeons to get close to the patient during the procedures.

Surgical Microscope. The surgical microscope is a microscope that can magnify a number of areas on the body. Most of the time surgical microscopes are attached to a TV that allows everyone to see the surgical procedure as it happens. These microscopes allow surgeons to get a closer look at areas that need to have surgical procedures done as many times the area of incision is microscopic.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Microscope, Operating theater, Orthopedic surgery, Surgery

Medical Technology Then And Now

Visiting a hospital about 50 years ago would have been a traumatic experience for many particularly if you are going there with an emergency in hand. But this is no longer the situation and there have been great improvements in medical technologies which have benefited mankind vastly. Be it simple OPD handling of emergencies, major operations and surgeries, minor procedures, or even small treatments like a cataract operation, an appendicitis operation etc., things have become much simpler, safer and easy to handle.

This has been possible because there have improvements in operating techniques, newer medicines to treat complications and above all better equipped and qualified doctors. Also the infrastructure available in the hospitals is much better than what they were around 50 to 70 years ago. While all this is welcome much more needs to be done. What is the use of new and better technology if it does not reach the common man?

To enable this to happen and to ensure that the advantages of newer medical technologies reach the poorest of poor, great strides need to be made in the field of medical insurance. While developed countries are better off in this respect, many developing countries do not have any medical insurance worth the name and any emergency is left to providence or some primary government health facility which is abysmal to say the least.

To ensure that this happens and everyone starts enjoying the advances in medical technologies the state should intervene and make health and medical insurance a compulsory necessity. Further to support this move huge investments need to be made in the field of medicine and health and the state run hospitals should boast the best of medical technologies when it comes to diagnosis, operation, etc. Unless this happens, universal health care will continue to be a pipe-dream and the domain of the rich and privileged.

Filed Under: Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Health insurance, Hospital, Medical technology, Technology

A Quality Defibrillator Can Make the Difference in an Emergency Case

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Most defibrillators operate on the principle of simplicity which ensures both a novice can use it and that an expert will have easy operation in a time of crisis. There are a host of features to ensure proper operation during a defibrillator procedure. The features range from pictogram instructions to voice and text instructions. This can help ease even a skilled technician in the case of an emergency.

Additionally, one must consider the context of the device. If the medical institution does not frequently deal with trauma or emergency cases then a simple and easy to use defibrillator remains completely appropriate. However, additional features such as manual control can make the difference in the hands of a trained expert dealing with a complicated trauma or emergency case.

Moreover, if the devise is likely to be outside of a sterile environment other factors come into play. The electrical charge makes most defibrillators prone to discharge in the presence of dust, water, or other unrelated materials. In this case, different defibrillators have different “International Protection Ratings” or IP codes. The higher the code the better the resistance to these various particles which might interfere with the procedure. Moreover, it helps prevent dangerous feedback to the user his or herself.

Finally, one can compare defibrillators by secondary characteristics such as warranty or battery life. These factors may tip the scales depending on one’s institution’s planned use rather than the core characteristics of the machine.

Heart arrhythmia is a very serious condition. A heart normally pumps at a stable rate. However, heart arrhythmia designates a shift from this normal pattern. Some times heart arrhythmia remains harmless. However, heart arrhythmia caused by trauma or serious chronic heart disease can prove life threatening. In this case, a defibrillator can prove to be a literal lifesaver. The defibrillator administers electrical energy to hopefully depolarize the heart and hopefully restore normal rhythms. In this case the decision on which defibrillator to use is absolutely important.
Most defibrillators operate on the principle of simplicity which ensures both a novice can use it and that an expert will have easy operation in a time of crisis. There are a host of features to ensure proper operation during a defibrillator procedure. The features range from pictogram instructions to voice and text instructions. This can help ease even a skilled technician in the case of an emergency.
Additionally, one must consider the context of the device. If the medical institution does not frequently deal with trauma or emergency cases then a simple and easy to use defibrillator remains completely appropriate. However, additional features such as manual control can make the difference in the hands of a trained expert dealing with a complicated trauma or emergency case.
Moreover, if the devise is likely to be outside of a sterile environment other factors come into play. The electrical charge makes most defibrillators prone to discharge in the presence of dust, water, or other unrelated materials. In this case, different defibrillators have different “International Protection Ratings” or IP codes. The higher the code the better the resistance to these various particles which might interfere with the procedure. Moreover, it helps prevent dangerous feedback to the user his or herself.
Finally, one can compare defibrillators by secondary characteristics such as warranty or battery life. These factors may tip the scales depending on one’s institution’s planned use rather than the core characteristics of the machine.

Filed Under: health Equipment, Hospital equipment, Medical Technology Tagged With: Cardiac dysrhythmia, Cardiovascular Disorders, Defibrillation, Heart disease