New SmartDOCK Tablet Docking Innovation is Reducing Theft and Costs For Medical Facility Patient Bedside Device Programs
Offering patients tablets, on paper, seems like a must for medical facility owners and directors. With research1 showing that patients given tablets report a better experience, are more likely to return for future medical needs and are more likely to recommend a facility to friends and family than patients at facilities without tablets. In Fact, the study reports that across-the-board patient satisfaction “measures were higher for the patient group that received tablets, compared with the patient group that did not receive tablets during their hospital stay.” When facilities are dedicated to leading patient care as well as the business of patient care, it seems like a no-brainer: offer patients tablets in their rooms.
But one major real-world problem or “hidden cost” that can often make this otherwise simple offering not so simple and logistically impractical is loss of equipment due to theft and disrepair. Hospitals and other medical inpatient care centers that offer in-room tablets to patients quickly find that tablets “going missing” is a MAJOR problem. Try as they may, hospitals are unable to “cure” patients and staff from outbreaks of sticky-fingers.
The next logical “solution” has been to tether tablets to the bed or mount them in a way that makes them accessible to patients. This “solution”, however, is far from perfect. Mounts and cords often make the devices cumbersome, less accessible, less user friendly or frustrating for patients at various stages of recovery. Cords also become a trip hazard, especially in busy hospitals, or get in the way of IV lines and other devices needed for care.
A tethered or permanently mounted device is also problematic if it breaks or malfunctions. Typically a tech needs to come, disconnect, make repairs or replacements – and all of this takes time and leaves a room without a device – which then makes patients frustrated if they are the ones who have fewer entertainment or medical access options than other patients – thus creating a more dissatisfied patient and working against one of the main reasons you implemented the technology in the first place.
A Low Cost, Low Headache Solution for the Real World
A new anti-theft and innovative docking technology offered by Lilitab called SmartDOCK, provides a multi-faceted solution that enables medical facilities to have a practical tablet solution for all of these problems and more.
The SmartDOCK is a self-locking mount that can be used on patient bedside stands, walls, and counters - virtually anywhere that tablets are displayed or used for patients. The tablets can be docked in a portrait or landscape orientation; and charge automatically without the need for cables or wired charging. What’s more? The tablets can be instantly unlocked for portable use by onscreen button, pin entry or showing a QR coded badge to the tablet’s camera, giving full-featured mobility when in used but then easily locked down again when docked or upon patient discharge.
In the event that a tablet is in need of maintenance or repairs due to damage or malfunction, the universal docking system ensures that facilities needn’t wait for a tech to make a site visit - units can be swapped easily and in seconds to keep patients happy and staff properly equipped. Moreover, Lilitab’s Kiosk Management System for IOS incorporates a cloud-based dashboard with real-time monitoring for all your tablets and docks.
Simply put, SmartDOCK makes what should be a simple decision simple again. Hospitals are continually striving to improve the quality of patient care while reducing costs. Offering tablets to patients is an affordable way to improve patient experience, reduce patient stress during their stay and enhance the business of healthcare with a proven tool that fosters patient loyalty and referrals.
Lilitab is a global leader in tablet mounting and docking solutions. We can provide estimates and free consultation with state-of-the-art recommendations for both app development, hardware and system management. Request a free consultation today and we’ll coordinate a convenient time to meet with your or your team about your project.
Contact Lilitab today at 888.705.0190 for more information or to schedule a free consultation to discuss an end-to-end custom tablet solution for your company's needs.
1 Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6931050/
