TV

BUY A COMMERCIAL TV!

Like the plague, avoid buying a domestic TV and putting it in your property. You’ll regret it. Whilst you might save a little bit of money initially, you’ll unquestionably increase the long-term cost of your investment. Not to mention the less tangible operational costs that go hand in hand with domestic TVs in a commercial environment. If you scan the QR code, you’ll find a handy explainer video - it’s made by Airwave’s hospitality division - but is just as relevant for the healthcare sector. Enjoy!

Keep It Simple

With the increasing scope and power of today’s healthcare TV system, it’s tempting to implement a raft of features, creating an all-singing, all-dancing television masterpiece. Whilst innovation is great, our ethos has always been - optimum experience first, innovation second.

Feel free to impress your patients with sexy functionality, but make sure it works well (every time) and is simple to use.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SMART...

Consider The Cost

Don’t just view a TV system as capital expenditure, think also about its return on investment potential – a well designed system o ers extra revenue streams and operational e ciencies that will soon cover initial outlay.

We’re cognisant that healthcare providers have to carefully manage cost (like every other business), so for those that can’t justify the expenditure of a premium system, Airwave have created a cost-e cient system that provides smart TV functionality to existing TV hardware (see page 23 for more details).

A clear, intuitive menu is the defining feature of a top-drawer system. Easily navigable menus and logical pathways are key, as is the prominent positioning of the most used features Think carefully about the user experience, from switch-on to switch-o , and when this is done, test, test and test again.

Well yes, SMART TVs are the future - but they’re not the only option. If you’re looking to upgrade your system, but your (non-SMART) TVs have plenty of gas in the tankthere are ways of breathing new life into your technology without purchasing new TVs. There are several available options, and assuming you can support the proposed solution with credible wifi/ internet infrastructure, the implementation of technology such as Google Chromecast (via a set-top box) o ers huge extra value.

IT’S NOT JUST A TV...

Think of today’s healthcare TV, not just as a TV, but as part of an IOT ecosystem - an internet enabled smart hub, multi-faceted and boasting an abundance of additional features.

SMART TVs can be integrated with a third party’s management software to perform a series of additional tasks. These may be as simple as a personalised welcome message on the TV, or incredibly sophisticated - think the operation of a room’s lights, heating and curtains via the TV.

Naturally, you don’t need to incorporate every available feature - many might not be relevant anyway - but don’t under-estimate what your humble TV has got underneath its bonnet.

DESIGN, DESIGN, DESIGN

You can design the most technically impressive system the healthcare industry has ever seen, but it will be compromised by poor design.

Whilst user experience is critical, almost as important is the aesthetics of a system. We’re not suggesting something fit for the Sistine Chapel, merely a series of professional looking pages, that are uniform in design and conform to your organisation’s style and branding.

Arguably, this is common sense, what’s less obvious is how the choice of a system will a ect the scope of your design. The best systems allow infinite options via an HTML based platform; if possible, avoid template based systems that won’t accommodate deviation from a set standard.

THINK ABOUT THE HOME-FROM-HOME EXPERIENCE

A healthcare TV should perform like a domestic TV (speedy switch-on and channel changes, clear menu systems etc) and o er OTT content options. Whilst linear TV still has an important part to play in the healthcare environment, telly addict patients (see pages 26 & 27) expect more.

Healthcare certified Google Chromecast enables the patient to cast content from a SMART device to the TV - providing access to 1000+ apps and essentially, an infinite amount of content.

Chromecast is a relatively inexpensive technology, and has revolutionised the healthcare TV industry. We recommend that it’s implemented whenever possible.

Think About Bandwidth

Can your property’s WiFi or internet infrastructure support the bandwidth requirements of tech-hungry patients, streaming high-definition movie content?

Make sure your network can support an interruption-free streaming experience during peak viewing / usage times. We recommend a minimum speed of 30Mbps per patient and a scalable WiFi service that can support this.

FUTURE-PROOF IT

Implement An Entertainment System

Patient entertainment systems turn a TV into a powerful information and marketing tool, delivering interactive services and additional features to the TV, via a customisable interface.

Whilst they come in all shapes and sizes (ranging from a simple splash screen with an image and text, to sophisticated systems capable of two-way communication and service integration), they will always add value and a personal touch to the healthcare TV.

With SMART television functionality, comes greater longevity to the healthcare TV system, allowing regular software updates and scope for future feature upgrades. Make sure this is firmly in mind when purchasing a system - think not just about the TV itself, but also the supporting system you choose to incorporate. Whilst most systems can be upgraded in some form or another, some are much more geared up for this, o ering automatic updates and simple, intuitive methods to do this.

Smart (no pun intended) design of healthcare TV technology can extend your TV system’s life by several years...

DON’T BUY WHAT YOU DON’T NEED

The best TV systems aren’t necessarily the most feature-rich - especially when a glut of functionality interferes with the user experience. This may seem obvious, but it’s worth asking yourself if a feature will be used often enough to justify its inclusion.

Whilst you may want to fill your interface with an array of smart apps, many will gather dust and exist as clutter, rather than credible passers of time. A good rule of thumb is: will the TV support or elevate the app experience? Of course this is a resounding “yes” for streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube, but a big, fat “no” for most social media services - which can be better accessed via the guest’s portable device.

CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES...

With several TV brands and multiple interactive systems to choose from, the choice can seem overwhelming. However, it doesn’t need to be.

Three key brands operate in the commercial TV sector – Samsung, Philips and LG. All are reliable, all are recommended by our technical team, and all are certified Airwave partners.

Which brand is best? That’s, of course, subjective. Each brand o ers similar features and functionality and we find the customer’s purchasing decision is usually based on personal preference or price.

The implementation of a patient entertainment system will depend on the scope and scale of the property, and your individual requirements - and as such, is slightly more complicated. However, the pleasure will be all ours as we talk you through the options and demonstrate each system accordingly.

So….get in touch, we’re looking forward to talking tech!