By Healthcare Facilities Today

Furnishings designed to help patients, visitors and caregivers use technology can improve the quality of care by making the overall patient experience better by providing a distraction to reduce anxiety or allowing people to use waiting time productively, according to an article in the October issue of Health Facilities Management.

Health care interiors must be environments that are not only beautiful, but opportunities to access technology, according to Nicole Allis, portfolio lead at Nemschoff Inc.

Nemschoff's Terra line of casegoods is designed to facilitate technology use in treatment areas. Terra features a powered work surface for clinicians, shelf space to hold a television monitor and accessories to help infusion patients pass the time during lengthy treatments. The TV shelf pulls out and pivots so the screen can be viewed by a guest as well.

To accommodate personal technology in training, meeting and conference areas, Sedia Systems offers integrated wire management on a number of products, such as the X20 training table. The company's M60 Swing Away and O60 series fixed seating systems also feature multiple power and data modules, which are strategically positioned so the products can be adapted easily to changing technologies.

"We're carrying technology with us," says Deborah Breunig, vice president, health care, for furnishings manufacturer KI. With the advent of smartphones and tablet computers, fewer people are simply waiting in waiting areas. KI's MyWay lounge furnishings, scheduled to be released this month, are designed to accommodate a range of seating positions, for user comfort. The product's work arm can support an electronic device between two people, to allow for interaction. Optional power outlets let users recharge devices.

Read the article.