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Rugged tablets: Mobile devices to support today’s healthcare workers

Equip healthcare workers with the mobile tools they need to ensure maximum productivity and mobility.

Nov 04. 2022

With healthcare workers facing challenging situations every day, the last thing they need is a device that restricts them from efficiently carrying out their duties. With rugged digital devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro, healthcare workers will have the tools they need to ensure their work is completed quickly while maximising productivity.

 

As healthcare and technology become more intertwined, it’s only natural for healthcare workers to utilise digital solutions to improve daily tasks and patient care at hospitals across Asia. Digital technologies stand to radically transform how hospitals provide patient care, with new smart rooms and bedside tablets already being adopted by major hospitals¹.

 

Healthcare workers need durable, long-lasting digital solutions that will support them during their long shifts and fast-paced work environment to keep up with the needs of patients and everyday duties. Being light-weight, durable, and with a host of accessories, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro, and similar rugged tablets, offer solutions to help hospitals and healthcare workers solve key challenges, streamline daily processes, and improve the care patients receive. 

Rugged tablets to strengthen the patient-provider relationship

To improve patient care and satisfaction, hospitals are increasingly adopting smart devices for use in patient rooms. These hospital rooms of the future will benefit patients, providers, visitors, and staff as they tailor patient care and make it simpler for nurses and doctors to access and present current information about each patient quickly.

 

A key element of these patient-focused rooms is bedside tablets. With rugged tablets in wards and the ICU, hospitals will not only empower patients but will also free up healthcare workers to work on essential tasks. With rugged devices in patient rooms, nurses, doctors, and others can examine patient records, prescriptions, and more straight from the device, avoid the need to sort through time-intensive physical papers or files specific to each patient and ensure simple continuity of care and improved patient records.

 

Additionally, patients could use bedside tablets to speak with healthcare workers via call or message for nonurgent matters, improving communication between patients and staff. Being able to communicate remotely allows nurses and other healthcare workers to quickly assist patients in real-time with non-emergency requests, saving time and allowing staff to focus on other tasks. Being able to assist patients remotely means healthcare workers can carry out their regular duties uninterrupted, ensuring hospital processes are completed even during periods when staff resourcing might be a challenge.

 

Furthermore, tablets such as the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro can allow patients to view their lab results, look up information, access entertainment options, and more, helping to improve overall patient care and satisfaction. 

The S Pen and larger display bring a personalised interaction

With its large display and integrated S Pen, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro provides seamless interaction between patients and healthcare workers. Equipped with a 10.1-inch display, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro allows healthcare workers and patients to easily view medical records and other pertinent information, helping providers to make decisions on the spot while consulting patients.

 

In addition, use of the S Pen makes a more user-centric and personalised experience, with the physician able to provide a more patient-focused and interactive consultation experience. This is in sharp contrast to the traditional layout, where the provider is often facing a large computer monitor, typing away as the patient responds to queries.

 

An added benefit of more personal interaction is patients can easily see what has been written on the large display to ensure what they are explaining to the physician has been properly received and noted, and be more involved in their care.

A more mobile and secure solution for healthcare workers

Currently, computers-on-wheels—or COWs for short—are used to record a patient’s vitals—blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and more. However, COWs are bulky and need to be wheeled to examination rooms and stored for safekeeping when not in use.

 

The Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro can support providers by becoming the main device that healthcare workers use to record a patient’s information for in-patient wards. These mobile digital solutions are much lighter than a computer, are easily portable, and come equipped with platforms such as Samsung DeX and Samsung Knox.

 

Samsung DeX provides healthcare workers with the ability to turn their tablets into portable workstations that can be carried with them throughout the hospital. The Samsung DeX platform gives healthcare workers a PC-like experience, combined with the mobility and durability of the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro allowing doctors and other healthcare workers to easily connect to compatible monitors to complete reports after finishing their rounds.

 

Samsung Knox offers built-in defence against internal and external threats meaning sensitive data, such as patient records, prescriptions, or lab results are afforded appropriate data security. Additionally, Samsung Knox Enterprise Edition offers a suite of security and device management solutions that enable IT managers to easily track device locations if they are misplaced or stolen, and even lock devices remotely or reset them to prevent unauthorised access. 

Rugged tablets give healthcare workers a durable solution

Built for long, demanding hospital shifts, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro goes through 22 different testsin order to receive the military standard rating of MIL-STD-810Hproving that it can withstand extreme temperatures, vibrations, and humidity. This ensures that if the tablet were to be dropped, all healthcare workers would need to do is pick it up and brush it off with no damage to the equipment and no major disruption to their workflow.

 

Additionally, the IP68rating for both the tablet and S Pen means they are both dust- and water-resistant. Providing healthcare workers with peace of mind knowing that a little dirt and water won’t impact the operations of the device. 

Easy to use with gloves

The use of gloves can be a major barrier to efficient use of phones or tablets in hospitals and other demanding workspaces. The Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro addresses this issue with improved touch sensitivity ensuring healthcare workers can use the tablet without first having to remove their gloves5.

 

With Glove Mode activated, touch sensitivity can be adjusted so gloved healthcare workers can continue using the device without needing to first remove their gloves, saving time and ensuring their workflow is not disrupted.

 

In addition, with germs and viruses presenting infection risks in hospitals, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is sanitiser-safe6, letting workers sanitise their devices before and after use without needing to be concerned about damaging the device, helping to prevent the spread of disease and keeping hospital staff and patients healthy. 

Access to reliable in-vehicle solutions

For healthcare workers operating from ambulances and other vehicles, switching to the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is an intelligent decision. With a host of accessories including various mounts and kiosks, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro can be readily installed within vehicles allowing workers to easily access route information when responding to emergencies or delivering patients to hospitals.

 

Furthermore, features such as No Battery Mode7 enable devices to be plugged directly into a power source meaning battery life won’t provide an obstacle to emergency response. Yet, not only does No Battery Mode allow the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro to be used in vehicles without interruption, it will also protect the tablet's battery from being negatively affected due to the effects of overcharging or long-term exposure in high-heat environments to ensure battery longevity. 

Embrace the future of healthcare

Digital devices are changing how hospitals operate. Utilising digital and smart solutions empowered by rugged tablet technologies allows hospitals to deliver more patient-focused care, freeing up vital healthcare workers, and providing a more efficient operating environment that ensures smooth and continuous care that benefits both healthcare workers and patients.

 

Discover how Samsung can help you create your new, intelligent hospital here.

References and disclaimers:

  • ¹https://insights.samsung.com/2021/10/20/mount-sinai-hospital-improves-patient-experience-with-mobile-technology-2/
  • ²https://insights.samsung.com/2021/06/24/samsungs-rugged-tablets-22-durability-tests-2/
  • ³MIL-STD-810H is a standardised form of testing designed by the US Military to accurately assess device limitations.Anti-shock drop resistance up to 1.2m device only and up to 1.5m with inbox cover. Drop test results are based on internal Samsung laboratory tests. Test methods include a drop test of the device only from a height of 1.2 meters onto a plywood impact surface over concrete.
  • ⁴IP68 rating deems devices fit enough to withstand dust, dirt, and water. Water resistance rating is based on test conditions of submersion in up to 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use.
  • ⁵Touch-responsive to leather gloves thinner than 2mm. It is based on internal laboratory test results. Touch-responsiveness may vary depending on the material and thickness of gloves as well as other weather conditions.
  • ⁶Based on Samsung’s internal test results. Results may vary depending on environmental factors and individual use.
  • ⁷No Battery Mode needs to be turned on and requires a dedicated USB Type-C power source accessory supporting 9V and 2.3A or above and PD 2.0 or above. No Battery Mode limits device CPU performance when enabled and reduces maximum volume, display brightness, etc. when enabled.

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