April 23, 2013 — Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., has installed two 12-user headset systems from Quail Digital in the cath lab and EP lab. Wireless headsets are worn by the physician, scrub technician, X-ray technician, anesthesiologist, nurse and the control room technicians.
In specialized labs, where control rooms are separate but communication between the two rooms is vital, the capabilities of the Quail Digital system can be fully utilized. One major consideration at Scripps was the need for 12 users on one channel at the same time with talk lock microphones open.
“In a sterile environment technicians need to have the talk lock mic open before scrubbing in as they can’t be touching buttons,” said David Pickering, Scripps cath lab director. “The previous systems would only allow four users with talk lock.”
Some benefits of the Quail installation include facilitating consistent, clear but discrete communication between all members of the clinical team. This, in turn, enhances patient comfort and minimizes stress during procedures where patients will be conscious.
“As ambient noise levels in the room rise, so do people’s voices, which can become uncomfortable for the patient,” said Pickering. “With the headsets, the team can quietly communicate with each other.”
The previous headsets used at Scripps weighed more and were originally designed for drive-thru environments. They were bulkier, heavier and tended to fall off if staff leaned over a patient.
Scripps Memorial Hospital put Quail’s systems through three days of rigorous testing with the bio medical engineers to ensure the system’s frequency did not interfere with their equipment, wireless pagers and other communication systems they had in the labs.
For more information: www.quaildigital.com
March 21, 2024 
