Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas offer a full-scale, automated media experience with interactive solutions.An afternoon at the doctor’s office is rarely a pleasant experience. Whether due to anxieties over impending procedures or simply the excruciating time spent waiting for care, most people would rather be just about anywhere else than visiting a doctor. Step into the offices of Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, though, and you’ll find the experience not only much more agreeable, but more informative, thanks to an automation system designed and installed by the custom integrators at the SoHo Shop. At the heart of this new system is an emphasis on patient comfort and cutting-edge solutions from manufacturers such as Control4, Panasonic, and Samsung.
Formed in 1990, Dermatology, Laser & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas was the first Mohs Surgery Center in the Charlotte area. Under the direction and leadership of Dr. Girish “Gilly” Munavalli, the facility has become one of the busiest and most respected practices in North Carolina, and continues to not only expand their professional services but also enhance their high-tech functionality to meet the growing needs of their patients and community.
A Typical Day at the Office is Anything But Boring
Each day begins as the office “opens” promptly at 6:30 a.m. as the system automatically turns on lighting and activates a pre-selected audio playlist which streams from two Sonos players across 32 zones of audio, within all of the rooms and patient waiting areas. Powering the system is a trifecta of Control4 controllers—the HC-1000 and two HC-300s—which act as the brain for an inclusive digital signage solution, delivering customized marketing materials and medical content to the office’s 30-plus televisions via three digital media players housed in a centralized rack.
As the first patients arrive and are taken to their respective rooms, nurses can choose from a variety of pre-loaded videos that provide background information on specific treatments, products, and services. A connected nurses’ station is complete with a Control4 7-inch in-wall touchscreen, enabling intercom functionality throughout the facility, and allowing staff to schedule specific content and audio, directed at individual rooms. Such readily available information helps to keep patients informed and occupied, settling their nerves prior to the doctor’s arrival, and in turn, more effectively assisting with the staff’s time management.
“Our main goal was to maximize the doctor’s time,” explained Bryan Jefferson, lead integrator at the SoHo Shop. “The more information we could provide the patient, the better understanding they would have. The project wouldn’t have been a success without the open communication with the doctor. And, more than anything else, the system needed to be efficient and reliable.”
To further aid the doctors, a 46-inch touch panel, installed within a small private wing, provides immediate access to a large-scale patient schedule. Doctors can easily and quickly search appointments and review patient records, while a simple double tap on the screen reverts the device back to its original screensaver, protecting patient confidentiality.
Making Patients Feel At Home
Stepping inside both treatment and recovery rooms, it’s easy to see that each was designed for comfort and relaxation, as patients have full access to news, sports and streaming media content. Promoting simplicity and easing confusion, patients can utilize a clearly labeled Control4 Wireless Six-Button Keypad on the wall to adjust volume while accessing cable TV, movies stored within the content library, or instant-streaming Roku, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus, and more.
Automatic & Intuitive
The integrated system also provides full and easy access to the office’s security system. Digital surveillance, with a Panasonic IP camera, allows the team to zero in and focus on various areas throughout the facility, capturing both audio and video footage. Additionally, integrated Black & Decker locks— operating with specific user codes—provide fullspectrum monitoring capabilities for the 32-room facility. Each lock reports back to the system on what rooms were used, when they were accessed, and how often user codes were entered.
Reporting is not limited to the physical inhouse system, either. For example, if someone accessed the drug room out of normal business hours or on the weekend, the administration staff will be notified via text, or “Push” notification,” providing the team with details surrounding access. This alone may be one of the most outstanding aspects of the entire installation, company reps say, as it provides an immediate look at the inner workings of the office, allowing the administration team to track the security of patient records, medical devices, supplies and beyond.
Overall, it’s the combination of an inclusive digital signage solution and advanced digital security, with Control4 at the helm, that provides the Laser, Dermatology & Vein Specialists of the Carolinas with a viable solution, which not only helps dramatically streamline operations, but also ensures patients receive the best in comfort and care.
Dr. Munavalli has now been a customer for over four years, a testament to the success of the installation. Speaking to ease-of-use and scalability, the facility’s technology has evolved over the course of four phases, molding to fit the unique needs of both the organization’s staff and patients. Growing from an 11 television, two input office, to a facility boasting a full-scale, automated media experience supported by interactive security solutions, is quite a feat—and one that took constant communication between the end-users and the integrator.
“It is extremely important to build relationships with customers beyond the initial sale. A thorough understanding of the needs of the business ensures that we not only provide a convenience, but a complete solution—utilizing Control4, we have been able to provide patient comfort, assist with time management, and help Dr. Munavalli to effectively grow his practice,” added Jefferson. “If we had not taken the time to experience and witness first-hand how Dr. Munavalli’s practice ran, and firmly understand his goals, we would not have been able to build such a complex solution.”
Equipment Used
(1) Tightrope Digital Signage Box
(2) Cable Boxes
(3) Control4 Media players—streaming educational videos for the patients
(19) Black & Decker locks—integrated alerting and access control
(1) Sony 4600ES—utilized in conference room audio
(1) Control4 Matrix Switch
(1) MyHome Site License—32 Machines to control Patient Rooms
(1) Control4 HC-1000 Controller
(3) Control4 HC-300 Controllers
(2) Control4 HC-200 Zaps
(1) Control4 IO Extender
(18) Control4 6-Button Keypads—for local room control
(2) Control4 8-Zone Amps
(1) Control4 7-inch In-Wall Touchpanel—utilized within the Nursing Station for facility control
(1) Control4 10.5v2 Touchpanel—utilized within Nursing Station #2 for facility control
(2) Control4 Outlet Switches—utilized for lighting control
(1) Roku Player—for access to movies in patient recovery rooms post long procedures
(17) 27-inch LG & Samsung TVs—located within patient rooms
(2) 42-inch LG TVs—located within waiting rooms
(1) 55-inch Samsung—located within spa waiting room
(1) Speaker Craft Amp—provides 10 additional rooms of audio
(2) Sonos Players—XM streaming
(2) QNAP VS-20XX—for IP Camera recordings
(12) Panasonic IP Cameras
(19) Just Add Power Receivers
(7) Just Add Power Transmitters
(2) CardAccess Contact Sensors, for monitoring fish tank leaks
