Glossary » clinical workstation

clinical workstation

a computer in a clinical setting. Clinical workstations will usually need to provide some of the following capabilities:

• mobility – many clinical users must frequently move between patients in different rooms
• ruggedization – in some clinical settings, a computer may be exposed to a rough environment, and may need to conform to sanitation protocols
• security – access to terminals in public and in private areas needs to be secure to avoid unauthorized personnel from accessing or tampering with patient data
• reliability – downtime of critical computer equipment has the possibility of degrading patient treatment
• handsfree or one-handed operation – in many situations, clinical users need to have one or both hands free to handle other tools or to assist patients. In situations such as surgery, minimal equipment contact is preferred for sanitary reasons.