The Critical Role of Medical Display Technology in Modern Healthcare

The latest medical display technology plays a critical role in enhancing and advancing the way physicians diagnose, monitor, and treat patients, assisting both physicians and patients in their interactions within the healthcare environment, while enhancing partner hospital efficiency, streamlining staff operations, reducing equipment costs, and facilitating more remote work opportunities. As the technology continues to evolve and innovate, the future of healthcare is increasingly reliant on the integration of medical monitors that benefit all stakeholders involved in the healthcare process.

Powerful diagnostic display solutions act as a second set of eyes for radiologists and physicians – offering extraordinary image clarity that brings out even the smallest detail.  Medical imaging technologies such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds produce vast amounts of detailed data that require high-quality displays to interpret accurately. Physicians rely on high-resolution monitors with excellent color accuracy and brightness to examine these images. High-definition displays also allow physicians to share diagnostic images or test results with other specialists, making it easier to collaborate on patient care in real-time.

Precise Diagnoses

Diagnostic displays allow doctors to view intricate details that can be missed on lower-resolution screens. This helps in making more precise diagnoses, such as detecting tumors or fractures that might be obscured in poor-quality images. The use of these advanced displays allows for quicker assessment of images, enabling physicians to review medical data more efficiently, reducing the time it takes to identify medical conditions and speeding up decision-making, allowing for faster diagnosis and, subsequently, quicker treatment decisions.

Utilized with display technology, emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are helping physicians to improve diagnostics and craft treatment plans with confidence. In a recent study of thousands of mammograms, AI algorithms outperformed the standard clinical model for predicting five-year breast cancer risk. When evaluating women in the top 10% of risk, AI predicted up to 28% of cancers compared to 21% predicted by the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC)¹. Similar algorithms have also been used to predict risk for advanced kidney failure, up to 48 hours in advance. 

Medical imaging AI works to render stronger images for clearer diagnosis and earlier detection. On top of life-saving potential, these solutions can offer economic benefits by significantly reducing healthcare costs. In the United States alone, studies from both McKinsey & Company and Harvard University estimate that AI adoption in healthcare can save the country between $200 and $350 billion per year. Another study conducted by an insurer found that digital health technology reduced emergency room visits by 9% and inpatient admissions by 17%, resulting in an overall savings of $641 per member each month². 

Patient Understanding

Patients themselves also benefit from the ability to view their diagnostic images on high-quality screens, allowing them to better understand their conditions. This is especially helpful in educating patients about their illness or injury. With sophisticated displays that monitor vital signs continuously, patients can be reassured that their condition is being closely observed, especially during critical or post-operative care. Patients may also feel more at ease when they understand the data being displayed, which can foster trust in the care they are receiving.

Indeed, educational displays, which include interactive tools and visuals, are increasingly used by physicians to educate patients about their conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures, reducing anxiety and increasing patient confidence in the healthcare process. By leveraging visual aids such as 3D models and interactive animations – aided by AI – physicians can explain complex medical conditions and treatments in a way that is easier for patients to grasp. Interactive displays help patients become active participants in their healthcare, which is essential for improving compliance with treatment plans and lifestyle changes. Well-informed patients are more likely to follow through with medical advice, improving health outcomes and satisfaction with care.

In critical care units, operating rooms, and even general patient care settings, physicians can leverage high-quality monitoring devices to observe vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature. Today’s display technology has significantly improved how these parameters are visualized. For instance, physicians can view real-time updates of patients’ conditions on large, interactive displays, helping them make informed decisions immediately and more easily. In addition, some systems allow physicians to monitor patients’ health from a distance through connected displays, offering the flexibility to manage multiple patients simultaneously.

Virtual Healthcare 

Telemedicine has also become an essential tool. The COVID-19 pandemic may have driven its use, but patient demand for virtual healthcare options has continued to grow, with more than 40% of U.S. patients citing a desire for continued telehealth options². Physicians are now able to utilize video conferencing for virtual consultations, using diagnostic tools, and remote monitoring through various displays to evaluate and treat patients from a distance, if they are in remote locations or unable to attend in-person appointments, dramatically improving access to medical care and reducing the need for travel and long wait times in clinics or hospitals.

Today’s electronic Health Records (EHRs) have transformed how physicians store and access patient data, and advanced display technologies allow them to view patient histories, lab results, medications, and diagnoses in real-time. By using display technology to manage patient records digitally, physicians spend less time handling paper documents, reducing errors and increasing the time available for patient care. Accessible to all members of the healthcare team, high-quality display technology also helps ensure that patient data is more accurately presented, improving overall care coordination, and with some systems allowing patients to access their medical records, this fosters transparency, allowing them to actively engage in their health management.

Cloud Migration

Moving patient files from cabinets to digital folders streamlines operations across healthcare facilities, also helping to significantly reduce operating costs. According to Deloitte³, a leading healthcare provider was able to save $50 million (20% of its annual total operating budget for IT) by migrating to the cloud. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

By unlocking all the opportunities that accompany cloud migration, the healthcare provider was able to support new care channels such as at-home diagnostic testing, manage health data in a secure automated environment, create digital processes to boost agility and efficiency, and even use advanced analytics and AI to revolutionize patient care. In the cloud, the opportunities for operational excellence are astounding, explaining why so many healthcare organizations plan to make the switch.

Radiologists can securely examine diagnostic images from anywhere using a cloud-based Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS). Doing so not only affords more flexibility to the radiology team, but improves the speed in which images are analyzed. For example, medical images that traditionally took several days to render, examine, and return could be completed in as little as a few hours. 

As a result, tech companies are innovating to provide hybrid radiology departments and labs with the power they need – while also adhering to the highest security standards for protecting sensitive patient data and information.

Augmented Surgery

In surgeries, displays can assist in guiding the physician’s actions, either by displaying real-time images, patient vitals, or providing augmented reality (AR) overlays. AR displays and image-guided surgery allow physicians to overlay 3D images of a patient’s anatomy onto the surgical site, helping to improve the accuracy and precision of the procedure. Surgical teams are also able to use shared display systems to coordinate and make collective decisions during complex surgeries, leading to better patient outcomes.

The precision facilitated by advanced display technology in surgery can lead to less invasive procedures, shorter recovery times, and better overall results for patients, who have improved peace of mind and trust in their healthcare providers thanks to being aware that state-of-the-art technology is being used in their procedures.

With advancements in digital imaging, touchscreen interfaces, and patient-centered displays, the integration of high-resolution monitors, smart devices, and interactive technologies are having transformative effects on healthcare practices. These innovative medical monitor technologies not only help to improve the quality of care, but can also streamline workflows, reduce diagnosis errors, and enhance the overall patient experience, improving access to care and direct access to imagery, providing a clearer understanding of conditions and treatments, and also enabling remote care.

About Jim Salamon 
Jim Salamon is the National Leader of the Medical Team at LG Electronics USA. In his role, Salamon is responsible for promoting LG’s medical display solutions, including digital X-ray imaging technology. He has been involved in introducing LG’s medical monitors and DXD (Digital X-ray Detectors) to the healthcare market. Salamon is a seasoned healthcare industry executive with 20+ years of professional experience.