1. Introduction to Mobile X-Ray Vans
Mobile X-Ray Vans by ICU Automotive; The healthcare landscape is incomplete without the role played by mobile medical services, including diagnostic facilities. The mobile X-ray vans are one such type of van, providing standard imaging services outside the hospital. These specially designed, equipped, and manufactured vehicles bring sophisticated imaging modalities to the patient’s bedside. This directly addresses issues such as equipment utilization efficiencies, bed turnover, and patient emergency management. The services are appreciated not only by small towns and remote hills, but they also reach places that are neglected or not considered by conventional healthcare services. Society at large is utilizing mobile medical services, as they not only save time and effort but also provide world-class facilities customized for local medical health systems. In situations like stroke, unconsciousness, major accidents, traumas, and medico-legal use of X-rays, it becomes critical to carry the patient to the imaging area with zero mobility. In such cases, the mobile X-ray unit becomes the way ahead. The use of mobile digital X-ray systems not only helps disable our state-of-the-art passenger vans but also gives the opportunity for people to transport the patient along with the imaging system. Mobile medical imaging services are ideal for deploying flexible, dynamic, cost-effective equipment solutions in challenging resource and infrastructural situations. The target users of our services include private sector hospitals, large public healthcare chains, imaging groups, and conventionally based pyramidal process hospitals. Imaging specialists, radiographers, assistant staff, clinical teams, operations and technical services, healthcare administrators, medical management professionals, service providers, manufacturers, service deliverers, regulatory authorities, other stakeholders, and the audience for mobile services are the target audience for our mobile service. It is important to share our views and capabilities with these people who have a vested interest in the healthcare system, its future, and opportunities, as well as to draw their attention to its role and expectations. This will provide an early diagnosis and immediate attention to the patient as well. There is an increasing demand for mobile radiology services, and it is the need of society when healthcare providers prefer to come to the patients and address the demand for population health challenges.
1.1. Importance and Applications in Healthcare
Mobile X-ray vans have found numerous applications over the years and continue to be in high demand despite advancements in medical imaging technology due to the many different applications where these units continue to provide the best performance. One of the most common applications for these units is emergency medical situations. Having access to almost instant information can save lives in many trauma and other emergent patient care settings. Another common application is in the outreach community programs across the world where there is a variety of applications from chest X-rays looking for lung diseases such as tuberculosis, or other chest examinations to the more unusual items such as dental radiographs and even skeletal examinations. The mobile van environment offers a number of advantages over the fixed unit environment, including the ability to change settings and environments for each examination, such as no more waiting in the regular reception area. Mobile X-ray units also have other applications. For the sports medicine community, mobile X-ray units are taken out to an event and examinations are performed on athletes injured at the event. Rural and remote hospitals and clinics also take advantage of the images, particularly when they do not have the personnel to operate a more advanced fixed unit. Perhaps one of the most important events of recent times in many big cities and occasionally throughout North America has been the mobile approach to cavity filling operations. During times of urgency, mobile equipment can be immediately driven to the site and set up quickly to deal with the fallout from the emergency or natural disaster. Another area of potential enhancement is for mobile exams where the demands include, regardless of location, minimizing patient discomfort and length of examination to perform on a mass scale. A final reason is cost-based, with many community clinics in North America having low fixed budgets currently; the local health care authority is unwilling to purchase a fixed unit. However, they would be willing to have mobile units service their area, especially if the mobile unit is staffed by a radiological technologist with a CPR and First Aid certificate. The final reason is that mobile exams may take place in atypically configured scanning vehicles as part of security procedures in locations such as courts, corporate, and airport settings. This requires a different approach, and this service is detailed within. Staff on mobile units require more training than on fixed equipment, as they have to deal with multiple changes in position, exposure techniques, and examination setup. This is of particular importance when dealing with the environmental restrictions placed upon the positioning of a mobile unit van.
2. Design Considerations
Mobile X-ray facilities have become an important tool in the healthcare sector for prompt and accurate diagnosis. Offering an advanced X-ray system in a mobile van presents its own set of unique challenges in designing an environment with optimal space management, comfort, workflow efficiency, and incorporating the latest technology in a user-friendly manner. In addition, care has to be taken right from the product design stage to ensure that it is user-friendly and ergonomically well designed so that even if advanced medical equipment is fitted in it, they do not pose a problem at least to the person using it. An X-ray van should combine state-of-the-art features with the lowest life cycle costs.
Design for Mobility: An X-ray van is expected to be able to fit and reach each and every remote patient to provide them with world-class diagnosis. This would require that the patient-carrying van is easy and good to handle, navigate, and park anywhere, which may vary from congested urban surroundings to remote rural areas. It should require neither specialized driving skills nor should it be a hindrance to routine traffic, nor should it cause any noise or air pollution, which is difficult to laugh off as of now. Durability and reliability are essential features that are highly expected in a remote rural environment. For this to be effectively done, the whole system can be designed and developed with collaborative inputs from expert healthcare professionals, automobile manufacturers, engineers, etc., as it is not merely a van or body design but a healthcare delivery system involved.
In the urban setup, when space is not a major problem, the non-mobility van varies from a clinic on wheels to a medical diagnostic center. In the special case of a mobile MRI, these are made very large to accommodate the very big machine. With all the above features, it has been decided to develop, in phase I, a mobile digital X-ray van and in phase II, also MRI vans.
2.1. Mobility and Accessibility Features
The mobility features of mobile X-ray vans are critically important for mobile healthcare. The design of the vans should ensure that they can be transported via regular roads or even tracks to the site of the diagnosis. It is noteworthy that roads to some medical facilities are often in poor condition. At the same time, the neighborhood of a number of healthcare facilities can be equipped with a hard-surfaced road. Thus, a trade-off solution should be developed by the van designer, assuming the presence of a combination of urban infrastructure with different development levels and a rural context with its underdeveloped infrastructure. Mobility is not only related to the van itself but also to the possibility of patients getting inside the van. Some patients may use advanced mobile aids or wheelchairs, or may be on medical stretchers. The design of the van should consider the ease of getting and settling the patients in the special equipment inside the vans. In addition to individuals with mobility challenges or disabilities, the design of the mobile X-ray van should be arranged so that it does not prevent further usage of the equipment. Some advanced users may require the installation of a rolling platform in the van. The rolling platform should not obstruct the loading equipment. An adjustable provision for equipment height would be a good potential feature for some X-ray vans. The spacing between the equipment inside the van should be provided in accordance with inner layout guidelines or according to the equipment used. As for the van staff, the design of the van should allow for easy and fluid movement between the work zones. As the staff may use the operating monitor, the use of a personal computer or operating keyboard can also be utilized. The correct height of the instruments should be set by following human-related ergonomic design considerations. Designing a fully equipped van to meet the special accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities would be a good option in terms of targeting a larger variety of customers. The practice of integrating such features would allow alignment with local requirements and regulations. In general, healthcare service is a domain that should cater to providing services to every individual, regardless of one’s socioeconomic and social status or physical capabilities.
3. Key Components and Technology Mobile X-Ray Vans by ICU Automotive
The main components of mobile vans are advanced imaging systems to provide good diagnostic images. Our mobile and van range boasts the latest imaging technology of the times – image intensifiers for fluoroscopy and digital detectors for radiography. Over the years, image detector technology has advanced to reduce X-ray exposure to the patient, hence improving image quality, but most importantly, to reduce weight and power consumption, making them even more adaptable and efficient for mobile operations. The implementation of a high-quality image intensifier with flat-panel detectors gives images nearly the same as any fixed X-ray room systems.
With technological advancements, patient comfort and safety also increase. Unlike conventional X-ray systems, mobile and van X-ray systems are compact and can be maneuvered into small spaces inside the hospital. Since there is no bare-bones fixed system to slow down integration, hospitals can offer near real-time direct views of patient images acquired in the van. With on-board processing, one can configure the system to either send the images to a cleared report to be released to the relevant clinician or for immediate on-site diagnosis. Additional subsystems in the van have been incorporated to support complex imaging systems such as cooling and heating systems for climate control and enhanced power supply systems for system integration, climate control, and vehicle systems united. Magnets have also been smoothly integrated for mobile MRI.
3.1. X-Ray Imaging Systems Mobile X-Ray Vans by ICU Automotive
X-ray imaging systems include film-based radiography, computed radiography, and digitized radiography. Each method has its own operational virtues and negatives. However, easy transport and direct X-ray image acquisition with no need for films or any dark room makes digital systems the most popular solution in mobile systems. With or without medical grade monitors, being portable or fixed to an examination table, today’s completely digital X-ray systems allow the far and wide exploitation of remote and rural health systems.
Selection criteria for the most appropriate X-ray imaging systems for the medical scope were based on wide characteristics such as portability, guaranteed field autonomy for the power source, energy saving and easy transport, high diagnostic quality supported by a low value of the dose delivered to patients, high quantum yield, and an easy-to-use system, even in non-hospital environments characterized by vast environmental and instrumental variables such as fields in developing countries. The implemented systems are continuously monitored in all their operational and functional aspects since they operate efficiently in different climatic conditions and diverse electromagnetic frequencies. Efficiently delivering a diagnostic X-ray image is mostly the result of the operational functionality of mobile units; however, regular maintenance and calibration, as recommended, were due to the change in operational features for narrow environments and medicine. The correct XY-plane alignment is also recommended; otherwise, the image might be useful only for evaluation in large, simple structures.
The medical impact of portable radiology can be appreciated by seeing two different applications: the use of a minivan system in remote areas for detection of silicosis and associated risk factors, and the use of portable X-ray systems for surgery. Several case studies demonstrated that surgery with portable X-ray fluoroscopy units is fully operative. The use of portable radiological units significantly decreased operative time, blood loss, and blood transfusions during anterior approach total hip arthroplasty. This unit was effectively set up using digital technologies for the surgical evaluation of carpal fusion in five dogs; furthermore, it showed postoperative radiographic evaluation of screws and fracture healing for dogs with long bones and dogs with vertebral fractures. As long as the X-ray unit has a good interface, post-arrest rhythm could be controlled in the patients affected by cardiopulmonary failure. The result of electromagnetic interference was contrasted with the high-quality image acquisition of digital radiography, combined with the development of cloud storage for digital imaging in oncology diagnosis. The use of only digital fluoroscopy systems for interventional and diagnostic studies and for patients suffering from clinical complications is described for the first time. Conclusively, this literature review highlights the value of working on the use of portable radiology systems in the diagnosis and identification of clinical problems, as well as in conducting calibration and maintenance tasks.
4. Regulations and Safety Standards Mobile X-Ray Vans by ICU Automotive
Success in venturing into new mobile x-ray services is dependent on understanding the various regulations that must be met within healthcare. Regulations are established to provide guidelines to medical care workers in the treatment of their patients and, especially in the case of clinic regulations, to provide a level of safety to their employees. Mobile imaging entrepreneurs often overlook these guidelines, and in most cases, this error in judgment ends what could have been an excellent opportunity or results in legal and financial audits being undertaken. The legal requirements for mobile x-ray equipment can vary from state to state, which means that it is important to assemble a team of professionals who will be able to address the needs of a particular area. This includes, at a minimum, professional legal counsel, accounting professionals, and professional healthcare advisors.
Safety should also be a concern for medical care workers, as x-ray can be harmful in the wrong dose. There is always the potential for danger when workers are not professionals at their particular task. Safety standards should be followed in the mobile environment to protect the operator and the patient. Medical service standards should also be followed. Car dealers know that having the endorsement of the vehicle manufacturer can increase the value of the vehicle. An inspection by a relevant organization can help legitimize the mobile vendor. The mobile x-ray equipment and vehicle should be inspected and certified as needed by the manufacturer for proper service. Basic medical x-ray regulations require some levels of quality assurance for x-ray equipment over time. They can range from inspections of complete systems, and oversight will be required only if there is a problem monitored.
There is no single source of regulatory authority for mobile imaging. The vehicle is regulated by the Department of Transportation. The professional operation of radiological equipment is overseen by the various state health departments. The operation of radiation-emitting machines is overseen by various regulatory bodies at the local, state, and national levels. The vehicle operator is required to have a Commercial Driver’s License. As leased drivers are prevalent in the current market, this must be followed by the leasing agency. Accident contingency training is mandated by the state and/or local drivers’ associations. Many mobile x-ray operators are operating completely illegally in the United States. Mobile imaging units need to follow a different set of guidelines if they are to successfully make it to the marketplace. With a little education for the healthcare providers, you could save thousands of dollars. This is the highest of two levels of testing.
5. Future Trends and Innovations Mobile X-Ray Vans by ICU Automotive
Basic X-ray imaging quality is significantly superior compared to previous generation systems. Along with the sustained improvement in the quality and user friendliness of imaging processing software, these innovations in imaging technology have changed the decision-making curve for physicians who use medical images. Increased execution efficiency driven by process optimization is an important issue in the design and manufacturing of container-based mobile units and the use of these advanced software tools. In the short term, specialist X-ray knowledge needs to be effectively transferred to the mobile unit. As an innovative approach to sustaining the operation of medical images of relatively low standard complexity in areas with lower population density, it appears to be practical to automate the most frequently performed X-ray imaging workflow to the support level normally employed by qualified radiographers and expansion of the medical facility, and to address today’s staffing constraints and future patient site staff.
Longer term, the mobile unit operator of the future may not necessarily need to be an X-ray radiographer or a point-of-care ultrasound technician specializing in a part of the body. It is possible operators will be more involved in the operation of a suite of medical devices that include state-of-the-art wearable medical devices to communicate a far broader scope of real-time health information, such as performance analytics and cognitive adaptation in exercise science and rehabilitation and chronic disease monitoring of remote patients in fields such as cardiology, oncology, emergency medicine, orthopedics, aged care, acute renal failure, adult critical care, and ICU. Mobile unit health imaging providers may be the licensed X-ray practitioner or more likely the healthcare provider. Telemedicine consultations with a specialist in real time are a feature of this likely future. We anticipate an eco-friendly design for the future given we are designing and manufacturing devices that are market relevant. Battery power or hybrids will be the plan. Patient comfort and data sharing are definitely where the trend is going. We are working in the wearable health monitoring space, and data security and data integrity are critical and of utmost importance to all people who use and care for our products. It is predicted that future mobile vans will be oriented to prevention and risk diagnosis, not just traditional diagnosis and management. It is a trend to customize the healthcare of a patient. More and more people are getting used to close contact with mobile devices and paying more attention to a healthy lifestyle. The future will be the integration of all those devices and standard health diagnostics.
