LG Introduces the CLOi ServeBot to Elevate the Restaurant Experience

LG CLOi ServeBot

LG is proud to be playing a role in creating technological tools to help businesses improve the safety of their spaces for customers and employees. The LG CLOi ServeBot, created with advanced technology and next-level convenience, is a smart robot solution that executes serving tasks with excellent performance, dazzling customers and uplifting employees.

CLOi ServeBot’s enhanced serving efficiency, swift multi-point delivery system, and numerous other smart capabilities will help enhance customer experiences and reduce physical strain on employees. This smart robot solution is especially designed to perform repetitive serving tasks that would otherwise fall on employees’ shoulders, alleviating staff burden while helping to ensure a smooth, efficient operation. ServeBot’s contactless delivery system also helps kitchen staff and other employees to remain safe and healthy while simultaneously promoting a smooth and enjoyable customer experience.

CLOi ServeBot can freely and accurately navigate a path through tall, narrow, or complex spaces, improving efficiency and adding character to restaurant dining rooms, shared kitchens, and other communal spaces. Advance mapping of your serving area layout lets ServeBot know where your tables are, while ServeBot’s 3D camera and LiDAR sensor can read and recognize nearby or rapidly approaching objects. This allows ServeBot to avoid large or small obstacles while safely, autonomously navigating your service space.

The front, left, and right sides are open to conveniently serve dishes and trays. Each shelf features a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor that automatically detects the presence of objects on CLOi’s tray; once objects are removed, CLOi ServeBot will automatically proceed to the next destination, without any additional input required. Remote cloud monitoring means you can check in on CLOi ServeBot anytime and anywhere via an Android or iPhone app. Additionally, users can also customize voice announcements and even music to be played in response to customers.

Between easily navigating serving spaces, delighting customers, and assisting employees, LG CLOi ServeBot is truly a swift and reliable serving specialist. Improve your customer satisfaction through safe and convenient contactless serving with LG CLOi ServeBot.

LG Introduces One:Quick Series for Efficient, Productive Meetings.

LG Introduces One:Quick Series

 

LG’s One:Quick delivers the computing capability of Windows 10, the simplicity of a touchscreen, and the impact of large screen displays.

 

By combining LG’s Ultra-HD In-Cell Touchscreen Display with the computing power of Windows 10, the One:Quick Series displays give you the freedom to collaborate in-room and remotely without the need to install or manage separate video equipment. Everything you need is on-board, including a camera, speakers, and mic, and an ultra-convenient launch pad with simple touch operation. In addition to the two display option, One:Quick Works & One:Quick Flex, One:Quick Share gives you the ability to wirelessly share up to four PCs on a single LG One:Quick display with LG webOS™ 4.1.

 

One:Quick Works brings teams together with its computing power, tablet-like simplicity, and large touchscreen display.

 

LG’s One:Quick Works display brings the team together quickly and easily with its All-in-One capabilities. The 55” All-in-One Touch Display with Windows 10 features integrated LG conferencing hardware and software, along with customized meeting room templates, to manage in-room meetings and multiple rooms efficiently. An integrated camera (with privacy cover) and microphone, LG video conferencing software, and compatibility with many popular third-party conferencing applications make remote collaboration a breeze. 

 

Here are a few benefits of One:Quick Works:

 

Collaborate Easily with LG Touchscreen Capability

The 55” Full HD (1920 x 1080) display features a precision 20-point multi-touch In-Cell Touch IPS screen to encourage in-room collaboration. A viewing angle of 178° means everyone in the meeting will enjoy sharp, crisp images.

 

Instantly Identify Your Space with Meeting Room Templates

Organize and facilitate meetings efficiently with templates that provide Meeting Room ID (Naming / Reservation Status / Weather Information) and Meeting Manager (Meeting Content / Configuration / Cloning).

 

Easily Navigate a Display Designed Specifically for Meeting Rooms

Convenient tools, such as a guide screen, launcher for collaboration software, real-time weather/clock, and remote auto cloning for additional displays make meeting management a breeze.

 

Make Ideas Known Clearly with Wireless Screen Sharing

Thanks to Windows Mirroring, which provides PC connectivity to the display, with the addition of One:Quick Share you can connect up to 4 devices at one time, meeting participants will enjoy a high level of interaction.

 

Next Level Multitasking with “Split View” Screen Mode

Additional screens can be shared among members during a video conference, and discussions can be facilitated through writing ideas on the touchscreen. Split View supports simultaneous use of video conferencing apps, whiteboard, and screen sharing. Easily switch back and forth among the Full View and Split View modes.

 

One:Quick Flex has your team covered, whether working from home or using an interactive display for a huddle space and living area.

 

One:Quick Flex delivers the benefits of One:Quick Works in a 43” Full HD In-Cell Touchscreen display that can mount on a wall-mount* or portable stand* for added flexibility. Additional features include a user interface compatible with LG’s wireless presentation solution, intuitive launcher for collaboration software, real-time weather, and clock. You can even customize the background image. One:Quick Flex is ideal for any family or small business that could use a multitasking, interactive touch display. 

 

One:Quick Flex has your team covered whether working or teaching from home, attending interactive online classes, or using one dynamic display to cover a huddle space and a living area.

 

Here are a few benefits of One:Quick Flex:

 

Covering Multiple Areas With One Flexible Solution 

The 43” Full HD (1920 x 1080) precision In-Cell Touch display is large enough for premium collaboration yet small enough to move and use in virtually any space. Integrated LG conferencing hardware and software make meeting management a breeze.

 

Integrated Conferencing System Delivers Enhanced Collaboration 

One:Quick Flex features a built-in conference system that eliminates the need of having to install or manage separate video equipment such as a camera or microphone. The 4K camera delivers high-resolution images at 30 fps, speaker tracking, and has a 120° view capability**. A camera lens cover is included for privacy. The sensitive microphone has a 19.7-foot (6 meters) pickup range** for more intelligible conversation.

 

One:Quick Share gives you the ability to wirelessly share up to four PCs on a single LG One:Quick display with LG webOS 4.1.

 

One:Quick Share makes presentations a breeze by allowing you to wirelessly screen share up to four PCs at the click of a button. Just pair, plug, and play. Compatible with LG’s One:Quick series displays, One:Quick Share is a hassle-free way to share PC screens during video conferences while allowing multiple participants in-room to screen share without juggling wires. With the ability to wirelessly share up to four PCs on a single LG webOS 4.1 display, One:Quick Share gives each meeting participant a more active voice.

 

Here are a few benefits of One:Quick Share:

 

  • Wirelessly screen share a PC by just clicking one button
  • Share up to four different devices in the room at one time
  • Easy to set up and even easier to use
  • Provides basic screen controls through PC (remote not needed)
  • No base unit required; just pair, plug, and play
  • Compatible with LG displays that have webOS™ version 4.0 or later.
  • A hassle-free way to share PC screens over video conferences
  • Multiple participants in-room can share without juggling wires
  • Ease of managing PC connections in-room (no HDMI cable juggling) streamlines meetings for everyone.

 

What a One:derful, LG One:Quick Series Display

 

LG One:Quick Series touchscreen displays with Windows 10 harness the power of a laptop with the advantages of a tablet. They deliver next-level collaboration capabilities thanks to built-in conference systems and a wealth of features to make meetings productive and flexible while simplifying operations. 

 

*One:Quick Works wall mount & portable stand sold separately.  

**One:Quick Flex camera viewing capacity and the microphone pickup range can vary depending on the room or environment.

LG Business Solutions Featured in the IGEL Partner Pavilion at HIMSS 21

LG Business Solutions to showcase LG Thin All-in-One Thin Clients as part of the IGEL Ready Ecosystem

Phillip Johnson, Sr. National Sales Manager, LG Business Solutions

LG Business Solution is among a select group of exclusive partners to participate in the first annual IGEL Partner Pavilion at HIMSS 21, the healthcare industry’s information and technology event of the year. Here, alongside IGEL and other key IGEL Ready partners, LG Business Solutions will be showcasing the LG 24CN670N All-in-One Thin Client for Healthcare (BUILT-IN RFID READER)

For healthcare providers, edge computing technology innovation has a direct impact on patient outcomes and clinician productivity. This will be on full display during HIMSS 21, the first in-person event of the year in the IGEL Partner Pavilion. During the event, IGEL Ready partners will be showcasing how their technology integrates with IGEL OS to empower healthcare organizations with innovative and secure edge computing solutions.

During the live event held August 9-13, LG Business Solution will be demonstrating LG thin clients in booth #2859 on the main expo floor of the Sands in Las Vegas. LG thin clients take hardware security to the next level by integrating all internal processing power, memory, and local storage safely inside the display enclosure.

LG thin clients typically require less energy to operate than traditional business PCs, which helps lower an organization’s carbon footprint while saving money. LG all-in-one thin clients offer energy efficiency since the power requirements of the all-in-one’s are typically lower than a combination of a PC or thin client with an attached external display.

Can’t-Miss Demos, Presentations

During HIMSS 21 LG Business Solutions will also be a featured presenter in the IGEL Partner Pavilion theatre. Don’t miss the presentation” Improve the Digital Experience” presented by  Navid Faryar. It will cover enhanced security, cost effectiveness, and work efficiency.

LG Business Solutions is one of the IGEL Ready partners who will be providing live demos of technology that integrates with IGEL OS to enhance the security, productivity and manageability of the healthcare endpoint during HIMSS 21. Partners in the IGEL Ready ecosystem are helping healthcare organizations shift to the future with innovative technology for the roaming, shift working healthcare provider. Specifically, IGEL OS and its UMS management software are ideally suited to support a shared workplace, with secure policy controls and management. IGEL OS also enables easy user access so physicians and clinical staff can get to work quickly, in whatever device and location they’re using.

Multiple Chances to Win an LG All-in-One Thin Client

Don’t miss your chance to win. IGEL will be raffling a 34” LG All-in-One Thin Client every day throughout the show. Be sure to enter to win by coming by the IGEL Partner Pavilion in booth #2859 on the main expo floor of the Sands Expo every day!

IGEL Ready: Celebrating One Year of Growth and Innovation

With HIMSS 21, IGEL Ready is celebrating its one-year anniversary by spreading its wings further and marking its debut at this prominent industry event. This rapidly growing ecosystem is already over 100 technology partners strong and enables customers to consider compatible devices and partner applications across a range of categories. Each can be viewed in the customer-facing IGEL Ready Showcase.

During HIMSS 21, IGEL will also be holding the first-ever IGEL Ready Partner Advisory Board meeting. This meeting will discuss the future of the program, feature exclusive IGEL executive presentations. Participating IGEL Ready partners will also get an exclusive glimpse at the new IGEL OS 12 roadmap.

Join IGEL and LG Business Solutions at HIMSS 21 to see new innovations in healthcare end user computing technology. Learn more and register here. We’ll see you in Las Vegas!

New LG UV-C Robot to Bring Autonomous Bacteria & Virus Elimination to High-Touch, High-Traffic Business Environments

New LG UV-C Robot to Bring Autonomous Bacteria & Virus Elimination to High-Touch, High-Traffic Business Environments

 

The past year has proven that the importance of public sanitation will continue to grow, and a higher level of disinfection in public places has become the new expectation in the new normal. LG is proud to be playing a role in designing technological tools to help businesses improve the safety of their spaces for customers and employees.

Combining LG’s core competencies in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous vehicles with a deep understanding of customer needs, the new LG CLOi Autonomous UV-C Robot is designed for use in educational facilities, restaurants, corporate offices and hotels. This latest member of the LG CLOi family of robots is expected to enable a new standard of hygiene for commercial environments by automatically eliminating bacteria and viruses in high-touch, high-traffic areas.

The LG CLOi Autonomous UV-C Robot will move around tables, desks, chairs and other furniture while using ultraviolet (UV-C) light to irradiate touchable surfaces in minutes.* Capable of covering multiple areas on a single battery charge, it can be integrated into already established cleaning routines without requiring extensive staff training or specialists for operation.

To help ensure consistent operation and simplify worker interactions, staff will be able to monitor the robot’s progress via remote updates to smartphones or tablets. A built-in safety lock activated by human motion detection sensors** will help minimize employee exposure to UV rays, as will the pressing of an on-board emergency stop button or using the mobile application.

The new CLOi is coming soon. And right now there’s a promotion where all advanced orders for the robot placed before May 31, 2021, will receive free LG White Glove Service.

Sign up now to learn when the LG CLOi Autonomous UV-C Robot is available, and learn more about the promotion.

NOTE: The device shown is a prototype. It is still under development and subject to product testing. This device has not yet been authorized as required by governmental regulatory agencies. This device will not be sold, leased or distributed in commerce, until authorization is obtained.

All advanced orders are subject to restriction.

*UV-C covers wavelength spectrum between 100 and 280nm. Actual disinfecting time will be based on room size.

**Motion detection sensors are effective up to a 16-foot radius.

Installation Inspiration: Immense LG LED Signage Turns Heads in Seoul’s Busy Gangnam District

Whether at home, in a shopping mall or out on the street, big screens always attract a lot of attention. A prime example of this comes from LG Business Solutions, which recently installed an enormous high-definition LED Signage display on one of Seoul’s most bustling streets in Gangnam.

The display sits in the center of the iconic district Teheran-ro, which is often referred to as the local version of Times Square due to the abundance of state-of-the-art screens displaying advertisements of every brand imaginable. Designated as a free outdoor advertisement zone by the government, the street acts as something of a public arena where major theaters, clothing brands and corporations vie for the attention of the estimated 100,000 pedestrians who traverse its sidewalks every day of the week.

LG’s eye-catching LED Signage solution is hard to miss. Two strikingly vibrant 10,000-nit displays – 71.5 feet tall by 39.3 feet wide – are embedded in a structure that measures an imposing 85.3 feet in height. The custom-built dual-sided display featuring pixels only 8.3mm apart is located in front of the one of the most well-known landmarks on Teheran-ro, the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel.

LG’s customized sign is a freestanding double-sided billboard, a rarity even in a city as fast to adopt new technology as Seoul. LG oversaw the project from start to finish, including the design and construction of the entire structure.

Consistent with LG’s many other display products, such as TVs, monitors and laptops, LG’s Gangnam LED Signage display features extremely small bezels so that passersby see only the stunning images displayed on the screen. With the company’s outstanding display technology in the heart of famous Gangnam, LG’s immense commercial signage project is definitely hard to miss and hard to take one’s eyes off of.

Watch the installation process and the amazing display in action.

Part 2 of 3: How Flexibility is the Key Approach for Learning in Any Space for LG Business Solutions*

Part 2 of 3: How Flexibility is the Key Approach for Learning in Any Space for LG Business Solutions*

 

Victoria Sanville, National Sales Manager, Public Sector, LG Business Solutions USA

A large part of 2020 was everyone’s scramble to meet the demands of remote working and learning. In particular, higher education and K-12 school systems had to navigate the enigma of successfully transferring every single student to a learn-from-home environment essentially overnight – no small feat. This included purchasing new hardware like tablets, laptops, desktops and learning screens but also expanding network accessibility and security so information stayed confidential and connected throughout the school day. What started as reactionary buying of hardware and software is now going to shift in 2021 to more preemptive purchasing as K-12 school systems and higher education institutions start putting together their strategies for the remainder of the pandemic and what the permanent changes upon their campuses will be.

For LG Business Solutions, they not only had the hardware and software partners at the ready for when the mass buying happened to accommodate learning from home, but now they have gone beyond the tactical provision of products to a strategic mindset in which their main question for customers is: what kind of ecosystem do you want to provide? If you want it, they help you design it.

As educational organizations clarify how they want to move forward, LG is differentiating themselves from the rest of their market by taking the corner on flexibility. LG is able to strategize with their customers, in this case higher education and K-12 institutions, and offer them flexibility when it comes to solutions, products, and budget, so no matter what these organizations need, LG can help them optimize that specific environment.

Flexible in Solutions

Being able to apply LG hardware in different settings opens doors for customers looking to optimize their investments. While we learn to navigate the new space between in-person learning and remote learning, LG offers the ability to provide for blended learning; that is, a mix between remote and in-person. For example, educators can be teaching with in-person students and have their lessons displayed from their laptop onto an interactive display board in the classroom while that same content is streamed on a desktop monitor, for visibility, and displayed through a conferencing technology to students at home at the same time. Blended learning supports what educators are calling synchronous learning because no matter where the student or teacher is, the learning is live. Prior to the pandemic, this way of conducting education wasn’t a popular or even functional option for a lot of education institutions, but after partnering with LG and utilizing their solutions, schools are now able to offer their students value regardless of location.

Another solution LG is providing for is in the Esports environment. Esports is the world of competitive, organized video gaming. Popular gamers/players are watched and followed by millions of fans all over the world who attend live events or tune in on TV or on Twitch. K-12 schools are starting to adopt Esports as an addition to traditional sports in hopes of engaging a broader population of students that wouldn’t otherwise be plugged into a social or extracurricular activity. Schools have their own leagues, summer coding camps and competitions that give students a way to connect with their peers.

For higher education, Esports is having a productive purpose, as well. Students are increasingly taking coding courses to learn how to write and develop games. Architecture students are able to make course projects out of developing arena layouts and are taking entire courses on how to build mobile arenas that are set up and broken down for the sole purpose of one- or two-day Esports competitions. Some students are able to learn the production and broadcasting side of Esports, as well.

While LG products have always been used in an educational setting, the company is seeing a direct correlation between the rise of Esports and campuses requesting more video walls, projectors and accessories to be used for this purpose. Having technology and hardware that serves both is intuitively appealing to decision-makers.

Flexible in Budget

Budgeting and spending dollars wisely is a top concern amongst organizational decision-makers since the pandemic brought a head-spinning change to how some industries generate revenue. The higher education industry is now facing a new struggle because of loss of matriculation rates. Without the dollars that come with tuition and fees, schools may struggle with things like professor salaries and building improvements. 2021 is predicted to see a mass return of students back onto their campuses. Using a blended learning or synchronous learning approach made possible by LG products, colleges and universities can not only allow students to live in their dorms, but also learn in their dorms. Benefits to this approach are twofold: it increases likelihood of slowing the COVID-19 spread but it also provides students the flexibility to have the best of both worlds – being close to school resources and the freedom to learn in their dorms when the need arises. This compromise has potential to be a big revenue generator for colleges and universities who are looking to resume normalcy as soon as possible.

When deciding on technology for their campuses, university decision-makers know their limits and their budgets. LG meets their needs by offering a “good, better, best” scale to provide quantity while not sacrificing quality. The ultimate flexibility of the LG products serves both the student population and the administrative side as well.

Flexible in Products

When you think of flexibility, you think of having options. And when campus leaders are looking for technology and hardware vendors, they want the decision-making process to be as simple, efficient and cost-effective as possible. LG provides a spectrum of products so that customers only have to choose one vendor as a source of almost everything they need. From small format products like individual desktops, laptops, and projectors to large format products like flat panel displays and video walls, LG’s options provide a simple and efficient way for campus decision-makers to access everything they need. LG products include interactive displays for in-classroom learning or mobile cart application, video teleconferencing solutions for collaboration efforts in safe spaces on and off campus, powerful PCs and cloud technologies to secure communication, and high-resolution ultra-wide desktop monitors to support the use of study areas in libraries to huddle spaces in specific campus buildings. This kind of flexibility is invaluable when considering how to bring students back to campus safely during the pandemic.

In addition to their various products, LG allows space for maximizing investments because these products can be used for multiple purposes. For example, the Esports monitors and equipment for one student group can be repurposed and used by graphic designers and engineering students to conduct their courses. Video walls can be used for campus-wide communications that can alert students to emergencies or announcements and can be used to broadcast in the hallways for such things as learning tools from the librarian or after-school activities. For business schools that hold conferences or televised meetings, the video wall and interactive portfolios serve as effective tools to communicate to a large audience at once.

LG partners with companies like Iron Bow Technologies to augment customer service, provide technical expertise, implementation assistance and fill resource gaps the campus may not have in-house. The value-add for these services can make the process of digitizing campuses easier and simpler so campus leaders can focus on keeping their student body safe and keeping their resources within their budget.

The flexibility between LG’s solutions, budgeting and products gives it a unique draw to the higher education and K-12 market – especially now after the adjustments of the pandemic demand agility as the US keeps up with the constant change of lifestyles. To learn more about LG’s products, visit the website. To learn more about Iron Bow’s value-add services, or how to procure on the OMNIA Partners Contract vehicle please contact them.

*Originally posted on the Iron Bow TechSource Blog

Part 1 of 3: Training in Any Space: LG Business Solutions’ 3 Pronged Approach for Security for the Federal Government*

Part 1 of 3: Training in Any Space: LG Business Solutions’ 3 Pronged Approach for Security for the Federal Government*

 

Jennifer Eley, Senior Federal Channel Manager, LG Business Solutions USA
Victoria Sanville, National Sales Manager Government and Education, LG Business Solutions USA

When the COVID-19 pandemic turned everything on its head earlier this year, practically every industry was affected, and the federal government was no exception. Many agencies were forced to look teleworking in the face and learn how to step into that environment more quickly than ever before. Two of the biggest challenges to making the mass exodus to remote work were continuity of operations and security. The federal government can’t risk any gaps in operations or a lapse in security. Partners like LG Business Solutions (LGEUS) are among the many organizations that jumped into action to assist the federal government to help minimize disruptions in productivity and maintain their security mandates.

LG is by no means a newbie when it comes to providing hardware and electronics to the world. Established over 60 years ago, LG is considered one of the leading consumer electronics companies in the world. It aims to be the number one manufacturer of choice for government agencies and contract holders to deliver IT and AV solutions to meet strategic goals, budget performance, and mission-critical requirements. When it came to providing the US federal government with the capabilities it needed to make the large switch to working remotely, LG was ready with its secure supply chain of essential TAA-compliant hardware, including virtual desktops, ultra-wide displays and video conferencing solutions, to help the government meet the challenge successfully. “The pandemic has driven a more rapid shift to remote work for government agencies; manufacturers have a responsibility to make available the right technology for this unique remote workforce: technology that protects valuable data and assets without disrupting daily mission-critical communication,” says Victoria Sanville, National Sales Manager Government and Education.

LG’s strategy for the federal government is three-fold:

  • Enabling Collaboration and Connectivity
  • Creating Flexible Spaces and Optimizing Use of Space
  • Designing Resilient Solutions for Business Continuity

Enabling Collaboration and Connectivity

Being able to connect to any device from any location is intuitively the essence of being able to work remotely. LG provides products that suit safe and resilient government facilities, virtual training and meeting environments, command and control centers, secure on-site or WFH (work from home) environments. This spectrum of options allows for great connectivity and opens the door for collaboration, which is critical when working from various locations.

Creating Flexible Spaces and Optimizing Use of Space

Every organization and its needs are different. In addition, federal agencies require that every need is met while being done safely and securely. LG’s capabilities allow federal leaders to design their own spaces to help make sure that every agencies’ requirements are met.

“Two thirds of our focus for the federal government is our VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) environment and our virtual training centers. We developed technology specifically for secure training rooms and meeting environments so that government employees and active military personnel can train and accomplish their missions from wherever they are,” explains Jennifer Eley, Senior Federal Channel Manager for LGEUS. “An example of this would be from our application of a virtual training center for United States Military Academy West Point. Cadets were able to take the same training in several different environments that would normally happen on a video wall but are now being done socially distanced.”

Another example of the flexible space options is command and control (the third core focus for LG’s government portfolio). Government officials can leverage secure hardware, such as LG’s latest line of 0.44mm even bezel video walls and LED signage technology, to provide centralized monitoring, command and control of any situation which can make or break a mission. LG also provides non-Wi-Fi displays approved for SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) use so it doesn’t limit how officials put these collaboration tools into play. LG’s hardware is secure and TAA compliant to make adoption seamless for government use.

Designing Resilient Solutions for Business Continuity

“The crucial piece of all this is having the flexibility to design the right solution for each federal customer,” says Sanville. “If you have tailored technology for accomplishing your unique mission and meeting business goals, it creates a fluidity of operational continuity, and in today’s environment of constant change because of the pandemic, this is absolutely imperative for the federal government to have.

“Business continuity is more than just hardware. We are very successful working with teammates such as Iron Bow, a strong deployment and integration partner. Their decades of technology expertise and helpdesk support is critical to ensuring the investment goes above and beyond the piece of equipment. Iron Bow’s capabilities help optimize our products with the critical installation and integration know-how to help ensure an enhanced user experience with our technology.”

In summary, all three of these offerings overlap from an application perspective. You need all three in order to allow the federal government to make the most out of this remote workforce and telework environment we find ourselves in today. Pairing LG’s robust portfolio of government-mandated secure products with Iron Bow’s decades of technology expertise and services, the federal government can now realize not only a successful remote work place but also an efficient way to accomplish their mission-critical actions.

*Originally posted on the Iron Bow TechSource Blog

How Technology Can Revolutionize Outcomes-Based Care, Part 3

How Technology Can Revolutionize Outcomes-Based Care, Part 3

 

By Tom Mottlau
Director of Healthcare and Emerging Markets
LG Business Solutions USA

When a healthcare provider has the right infrastructure in place and a network of smart TVs, securely integrated with electronic medical records (EMR) and other systems, the hospital TV solution can help deliver a variety of patient amenities in support of outcomes-based care. In Part 2 we detailed entertainment and education; today we’ll conclude with real-time communication, patient comfort, access to hospital services, and providing a holistic, digital patient experience.

Real-Time Communication — Because a smart, hospital room TV integrated with EMR and third-party systems may be able to be set up for the patient and why they’re in the hospital, it can provide a platform for ongoing communication. “While the patient is watching a show, information can overlay on top of the program, telling them, ‘It’s time to take your medication now. The nurse will be in shortly,’” explains GetWellNetwork’s Cavanaugh. “Or a message can appear saying, ‘You received pain meds a couple hours ago. How are you feeling now?’ and the TV prompts the patient to rate their pain through the system.” The goal is to better monitor a patient’s experience and take real-time action to help ensure their stay has a positive outcome.

Patient Comfort — Smart TVs and interactive patient systems may also be integrated with building management automation systems so patients can control their in-room environments — another way to help boost satisfaction and comfort. “We have environmental control interfaces that can allow the patients to control the temperature, shades and lighting of their environment,” says SONIFI Health’s Gruenwald. And, in the interest of mitigating light and noise issues which can be problematic for hospitals at night, smart TV systems may be able to turn themselves off when not being watched. “We have an app that runs every night during quiet times, sending a message out to the TV and asking (the patient) ‘The TV is on, are you still watching TV?’” explains pCare’s Cortina. “If they don’t answer, we turn the TV off automatically. If the TV remains on, we lower the volume to a specified maximum level for night time.”

Access to Hospital Services — Smart TVs running patient engagement software may be able to be programmed to accomplish a variety of tasks. “We have the ability to let patients order meals on-screen, tailored to their diets,” says Aceso’s Mathur. “Based on the EMR and dietary system, they only see on the smart TV a menu of items they can eat or drink.” And increasingly, in-room smart TVs can support virtual visits from hospital staff. “We’ve created a module (Tele-Nurse) within our interactive platform to provide on-demand virtual nurse sessions to a patient,” explains Hassan Sharif, Technology Director at Cary, North Carolina-based TeleHealth Services, which designs and installs hospital display systems and offers its TigrPX interactive patient platform. “That ability to interface with a healthcare provider from the TV is seen as very valuable, especially now during the COVID crisis.”

A Holistic, Digital Patient Experience — Patient experience solutions aren’t confined to in-room TVs. These platforms may also support content and communications on digital signage throughout a facility; on digital versions of the in-room white board, where patients and healthcare providers can easily post and update information about treatment; on small, electronic signs outside the room; and increasingly, on the mobile devices of patients and their family.

Technology providers continue to innovate patient experience delivery over these platforms, based largely on the goals of healthcare providers. MDM Healthcare, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, has taken its Journey PX patient experience solution and deployed it in a HIPPA-compliant cloud, offering hospitals a flexible way to build a system, especially if their budget and technology infrastructure are limited. “It’s important, especially with COVID-19, to be able to provide more content outside the hospital,” says Themis Koumoutseas, MDM Healthcare’s Vice President of Technical Operations. “With a solution like this, hospitals can help improve patient satisfaction and reduce readmissions.”

Every provider’s goals might be different, which is why all these solutions can be tailored to deliver the needed outcomes. A pervasive smart TV infrastructure helps make it possible. “We take all the feedback we get from the healthcare systems we work in and share them with our technology provider,” says GetWellNetwork’s Cavanaugh. GetWellNetwork, Aceso, MDM Healthcare, SONIFI Health, TeleHealth Services and TVR pCare are systems integration partners of LG Electronics USA, working collectively to help improve patient outcomes through greater engagement. “These hospitals are spending time and money to create an environment that is welcoming to healing, as well as aesthetically pleasing. The TV can be central to that effort.”

How Technology Can Revolutionize Outcomes-Based Care, Part 2

How Technology Can Revolutionize Outcomes-Based Care, Part 2

 

By Tom Mottlau
Director of Healthcare and Emerging Markets
LG Business Solutions USA

Hospital room TVs have become interactive portals during a patient’s stay, and smart TVs can support a variety of healthcare solutions.

Smart TVs combine a traditional TV display with a built-in computing device and network connection. “They help eliminate external TV components, so they’re easy to install in rooms,” says Dennis Mathur, Senior Vice President of Technology at Boston-based Aceso, developer of digital solutions for delivering personalized content and services to patients. “For installation, all that smart TVs need is a network connection and power. At the same time, many can integrate with important in-room devices, such as pillow speakers.”

Companies like Aceso, GetWellNetwork, MDM Healthcare, SONIFI Health, TeleHealth Services and TVR pCare have helped reinvent the patient experience using the tried-and-true television system as a healthcare portal. Their comprehensive offerings vary, but when a healthcare provider has the right information technology infrastructure in place and a network of smart TVs — securely integrated with electronic medical records (EMR) and other systems— each solution can help deliver a variety of patient amenities in support of outcomes-based care, including:

Entertainment — Today’s smart hospital TVs can deliver a variety of on-demand entertainment that people have come to expect at home, in hotels, and elsewhere, helping patients relax and potentially boosting satisfaction marks on HCAHPS surveys. And because they’re flexible, they can also support legacy entertainment systems. “If a facility only has a coax cable system, or a hybrid environment with both coax and IP, we can leverage technologies that predate smart TVs and bridge that gap between what the smart TV can do and what its predecessors were capable of,” says Bob Gruenwald, Director of Technical Operations at Los Angeles-based SONIFI Health.

Education — Because smart TVs are effectively internet devices, they’re able to reach back into hospital IT systems and software platforms to deliver educational content tailored to patients and their care plans. “Our solution is very data-driven,” says Mark Cortina, Chief Technology Officer of New York-based pCare, which offers a comprehensive interactive patient system. “By tying into the hospital systems, the pCare solution can see all the patient orders — pharmacy, radiology and others — and act intelligently. For example, as care is provided, an education intervention is triggered and content is automatically sent to the patient’s smart TV in real time.” After a patient watches suggested content, it can be automatically documented in their EMR. If they don’t watch, a message can appear on the TV encouraging the patient to take action.

There’s more to come. In the concluding Part 3 we’ll address how smart TVs can help boost patient satisfaction and comfort, provide access to hospital services and deliver a holistic, digital patient experience. See you then.

How Technology Can Revolutionize Outcomes-Based Care, Part 1

How Technology Can Revolutionize Outcomes-Based Care, Part 1

 

By Tom Mottlau
Director of Healthcare and Emerging Markets
LG Business Solutions USA

Sometimes, big changes in how we work and live are driven by technology. Think smartphones, for example. At other times, social change and technological innovation dovetail perfectly to help us reimagine what we do.

In healthcare, over the last decade, the focus on outcomes-based care has coincided perfectly with advances in network-based communication to open a new world of patient experience solutions that produce results for hospitals and the public. And with the coronavirus pandemic upending various aspects of healthcare delivery, this new breed of solutions, built on a foundation of secure, integrated networks and smart digital devices, can help healthcare providers meet the challenge.

“This idea of better providing services to patients, helping them stay informed and engaged during the course of their stay — educated about why they’re there, how they can get services and, ultimately, empowering them to be active participants in their care — has become the foundation of our software development,” explains Robin Cavanaugh, Chief Technology Officer at GetWellNetwork, a Bethesda, Maryland-based company that offers a family of solutions, including GetWell Inpatient, which creates personalized, digital workflows to engage patients in their care. “We’ve found innovative ways to deliver that experience on devices in the hospital environment.”

Chief among those devices is the in-room television. Along with the ubiquitous pillow speaker, the hospital TV tends to become the center of a patient’s world during a hospital stay. Until recently, the TV was a one-way entertainment medium. Today, it’s a smart, networked internet display capable of much more: entertainment, for sure, but also personalized education, information, interaction, and — increasingly — face-to-face communication.

“For so long, you’ve had this old TV mounted in the corner, offering little information and keeping patients somewhat disconnected from everything around them,” Cavanaugh says. “We’ve spent a lot of time trying to improve that experience, first by deploying capabilities in set-top boxes and now by aggressively integrating networked patient solutions into a new breed of smart TVs.”

Stay tuned. Next time we’ll detail a variety of personalized patient amenities that are supported by smart TVs in hospital rooms.