electrical safety archivos - Page 2 of 5 - ETKHO Hospital Engineering

Hospital engineering for the design of the hospitals of the future

The work of hospital engineers is essential to introduce new technologies and materials in hospitals.

Hospital engineers are professionals whose recognition is usually not related to their importance in clinical management. These professionals play a key role in achieving centres that are more sustainable and adapted to the new social and health realities.

Nobody is aware that the future of hospitals lies in the development of the concept of smart hospitals. And it is in this evolution where efficiency, safety and well-being of the patient come into play as absolute priorities.

Design and organization of critical hospital areas

Patients, services, specialties, types of units, medical equipment … In the design and organization of critical hospital areas, a whole series of aspects must be assessed to guarantee the safety and proper functioning of the health center.

There are infinite options to define the different types of health centers: depending on their size, the services they provide,… However, in a generic way, we can define a hospital as a building where functions related to people’s health are carried out , in addition to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Each hospital has its peculiarities. However, there are some basic aspects about the design and organization of critical hospital areas that are important to assess.

Electrical safety regulations in hospitals: what they are for and why comply with them

Electrical safety in hospitals is a matter of absolute priority to avoid problems with electric current that could harm the operation of the health center and the health of patients. In this article we reflect on these standards, what they are like, what they are for and why it is important to comply with them.

Do not forget that most medical devices are electronic and are powered by power sources and the electrical network. Therefore, if an electrical safety failure occurs, the risk of injury to the patient is high.

Hospital ground panels and electrical outlets: what they are, what they are for and benefits

In hospitals and health centers, each machine has its mission or objective. In the case of hospital ground panels and electrical outlets, they help prevent and avoid contact voltages within critical medical areas. The possibility of electrical shocks caused by poor equipment grounding is one of the great risks faced by patients and healthcare personnel.

For this reason, it is essential to have adequate health technology, especially with the devices that guarantee the perfect functioning of electromedicine.

Hospital earth panels and electrical outlets are essential to help prevent contact voltages within hospitals and, especially, in operating rooms, ICUs or, in general, critical hospital areas.

Motor arm systems for critical areas and operating rooms

The main objective of tools for the health sector is usually to facilitate the work of doctors and the medical team and, of course, reduce human error. In this sense, an example of technology in hospitals are motor arm systems, especially in critical areas and operating rooms.

One of the most common medical instruments in hospitals are motor arm systems or articulated arm systems, whose advantages and benefits are multiple.

This system is an instrument made with innovative technology to facilitate surgical interventions and, at the same time, help in the recovery and well-being process of patients who have undergone surgery.

Extreme climatic conditions in a hospital: basic aspects and good practices

Although hospitals are safe places, they can also be affected by the weather. In most cases, the main consequence of extreme weather conditions such as a cold and snowy storm is usually the increase in patients, which can collapse a hospital if it is not prepared for it. However, there are certain basic measures to help ensure the operation of a hospital in times of extreme weather conditions.

The world said goodbye to 2020 with some relief for turning its back on the “year of the pandemic”, but in Spain 2021 it surprised us with a storm baptized as Filomena that has left historical snowfalls. Today we want to talk about how to prepare for extreme weather conditions in a hospital.

Hospital modernization: electrical safety to guarantee the use of technology

In medical consultations it is increasingly rare, or almost impossible, to see the doctor writing a prescription by hand. Now doctors use the computer and, in most cases, we don’t even need them to print the prescription.

Thanks to technology, the information goes directly to the health card that we present at the pharmacy to receive the prescribed medicine. This is just one example of how technology has modernized the healthcare sector in recent decades, which means greater efficiency in this service but also implies a greater need for electrical safety.

Electrical supply in hospitals: essential areas and possibilities for improvement

A hospital has patients and needs, among many other resources, doctors, medicines, machinery and, of course, a good electricity supply. Although today technology and electricity are present in all areas and sections of a hospital or healthcare center, the most common is that hospital electrical safety systems are especially focused on the most critical areas. However, there are other areas where the possibilities for improvement are obvious.

Although when we talk about hospitals, the first thing that appears in our mind are the doctors, there are essential aspects that go beyond the human team of a health center. We are talking about the importance of electricity supply in hospitals.

Sustainability in hospitals: beyond the efficient use of electric power supply

Sustainability has become one of the great challenges for society and, of course, also for hospitals. In Spain, many hospitals and health centers were built decades ago and now need to be renovated to be more sustainable, both in terms of the efficient use of the electricity supply and the facilities themselves. All this with a clear objective: to achieve energy savings and reduce emissions and the environmental footprint.

To guarantee the sustainability of the system and reduce its social and environmental impact, the only alternative is to be more efficient in the use of resources and energy. For this reason, it is vitally important that hospitals and health centers think about long-term sustainable development.

Telemedicine: present and future of technology for health

During the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, there was a collapse of health centers. At that time, face-to-face healthcare was limited to extremely serious or urgent cases. This situation highlighted the need to promote telemedicine, an option that, thanks to technology, opens up new options for medical care and telematic monitoring both in health centers and hospitals.

A study carried out by ESADE and the Barcelona Health Hub shows that during the pandemic almost 100% of scheduled medical visits were carried out via telemedicine. In fact, in April 2020, 85% of outpatient consultations in many hospitals were done by phone.