GE Healthcare announced it will build a new radiology reading room for the Baltimore Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, a division of the VA Maryland Health Care System.
Baltimore VA Medical Center is using HD technology to organize internal patient processes and facilitate doctor communicate as procedures are performed. Designed as a showcase for filmless radiology imaging and interpretation, the radiology reading room is intended to streamline the procedures and processes that impact treatment flow and patient throughput. A similar model of the Baltimore VA's reading room was on display earlier this month at the 91st annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.
Research at the medical center found that environmental factors, such as lighting and monitor brightness, had the greatest impact on radiologist productivity and fatigue. Darkened reading rooms with glowing LCD displays, which increase lighting contrast, can contribute to dry eyes and ultimately eye fatigue. The VA's solution was to provide cool blue lighting in these environments. Ambient lighting in reading room will be optimized using blue LED lights for increased energy efficiency and reduced eye fatigue.