01The importance of patient experience
Patient experience is paramount to the operation of your practice. Many patients need comfort not only physically but emotionally, too. Anything you can do to ease your patients’ nerves makes your job and your team’s jobs easier while increasing the likelihood of patient retention. One key component of patient comfort is adding TVs to treatment rooms for entertainment. A distraction offers your patients something familiar and closer to home rather than reminding them they are “going to the doctor.”
One of the more popular posts on our site is How to Set Up the Best Patient Entertainment Experience, which covers everything you need to make your patient experience a great one. In this article, we dive into the nitty gritty of treatment room TVs, from placement and size to mounting and installation. Key questions to consider:
- Are you hoping to add one or multiple TVs?
- Will the TV be mounted on the wall or ceiling?
- Will it sit flush against the wall or ceiling, or do you want to allow for mobility?
- What will you be viewing on the TV? (patient entertainment, treatment plans, or a combination)
- Are you building from scratch or retrofitting? (more importantly, what are your walls and ceiling made of?)
02Treatment room TV sizing
Select a TV that suits both the space in the room and the patient experience. Bigger isn’t always better: TVs can block overhead lighting, and a large TV in a treatment room with a low ceiling can defeat the purpose because it is hard to view. Also consider viewing distance. A larger TV farther away may be more comfortable for patients and staff than a smaller one, and viewing differs between wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted TVs.
It may seem like an elementary school craft project, but we always recommend cutting out cardboard templates of the TV sizes you are considering, taping them to the wall or ceiling, and having a few coworkers weigh in on how they look and how easy they are to view. Wall-mounted TVs may block windows, present a risk of injury, and impede traffic, so get out your scissors and take a trip down memory lane.
03Treatment room TV accessibility
TVs are great, but on their own they don’t do much. To share images from your 12 o’clock computer to a wall-mounted TV, you need wiring if it doesn’t already exist (HDMI cables run from the PC to the TV). In new construction this is straightforward and best done before the walls are closed up; retrofits require cutting into drywall and fishing cable through the wall. Cable plates and brush plates will be your new best friend either way if you want a clean look, and they can be hidden behind the TV.
If you want patients to start watching while sitting upright and seamlessly continue when they are supine, you will also need a splitter to run from the wall TV to the ceiling TV (and another HDMI run). Many TVs have built-in apps, but you may still want a Roku or Apple TV. If so, you will need power at each location for the TV and the streaming device. Make sure you engage an electrician; DIY and electricity do not go hand in hand.
04Treatment room TV placement
Next, determine your desired placement. Here is where your arts and crafts project comes in handy: tape your cutout at various heights and angles. Keep in mind the mount may make the TV protrude from the wall or ceiling, which matters for avoiding dings to your equipment and to anyone using the treatment room.
Once you have a rough placement, consider power. Hiding electrical outlets behind TVs gives your treatment room a clean look and keeps your TV and team safe; loose wires are nobody’s friend. Existing outlets can be moved, but again, consult an electrician and be prepared for some drywall repair.
05Treatment room TV mounting
Different mounts offer different features. Ceiling mounts come with different drop heights, tilt, and swivel options, and some telescope. Wall mounts can be flush or telescoping and may also tilt and swivel.
The general practice is that the wall or ceiling must support four times the combined weight of the mount and TV. This can mean the difference between happy patients and broken equipment. Always confirm the wall or ceiling can handle that weight, and that the mount can support the weight of the TV. In most cases mounts can support more than the TV’s weight, but it’s always best to check.
Wall mounting
- Location may depend on where the studs are.
- Many reputable mounts are designed for standard stud spacing.
- Mark the studs, then line up the brackets so they secure to the supports.
- Drywall over concrete or brick makes a poor mounting site; get a contractor or qualified IT partner involved.
Ceiling mounting
- Supports are ceiling joists rather than studs.
- Identify the ceiling material and joist layout; they dictate tools, attachments, and mount options.
- Drop ceilings require backing, such as thick plywood attached to joists.
- The TV hangs over you and your patient, so adequate support is paramount.
About Darkhorse Tech
Whether you’re just starting out or a well-established organization, Darkhorse Tech has the experience and technology to help get you moving, cut costs, and streamline your operations with unlimited IT support. We help you do what you do best: provide top-notch care and service for patients, not deal with IT problems, time spent on hold with technical support, or complicated technical mishaps. Our additional security services include:
- Unlimited remote and/or on-site IT support of all your hardware and software
- Improved network performance and security
- HIPAA-compliant off-site and local backup service (Darkhorse Secure Backup)
- Managed antivirus, anti-malware, and anti-ransomware (Darkhorse Security Products)
- Compliance and security law standards
- Microsoft security patch management
- Vendor management: we will be on the phone, not your employees
- Secure, remote access to your office
- Firewall management
- Network management
- Long-term planning and budgeting
Contact us anytime to learn more about our dental-specific solutions and unlimited support packages. Read our reviews or call us today at 800.868.4504.
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