Spacelabs Patient Monitor Equipment

Posted by jetmedical on January 17th, 2019

Few companies have a more descriptive title than Spacelabs, and Spacelabs monitors are a founding product of the company going back more than 60 years. It's interesting to talk about where it all began, so read more about patient monitors along with some company history.

What's in a Name?

Early computers used in the NASA space program had less computing power than most early 8-bit PCs. On top of that, the critical issue of minimizing vehicle payloads meant every ounce of weight had to be calculated to be sure there was enough fuel to get out of the Earth's gravity and return, but the health and well-being of the astronauts had to be monitored in space. Within this challenging mix, two scientists, Ben Ettelson and James Reeves, developed systems to monitor astronauts' vital signs, working for the company they founded, Spacelabs.

History Still Being Made

Fast forward to today, and Spacelabs continues to create products for patient monitoring and to improve and expand on the discipline they invented: patient telemetry. 

Multiparameter patient monitoring is accomplished using equipment capable of analyzing and displaying multiple patient readouts of data, starting with heartbeat, blood pressure, blood oxygen level, and temperature. Depending on the model of the monitors, those like the Spacelabs Ultraview have expansion capabilities allowing for additional patient monitoring options. These monitors also are built for convenience, with bright screens for easy readouts, battery operation if the main power source is interrupted, and network communications capability.

Another benefit of these patient monitoring devices is that, because they're flexible in their configuration, with different modular inputs, the same device can be used, within limits, in different hospital treatment locations. That might include an ICU, trauma center, or pediatric unit, for example, in addition to patient bedside monitoring.

Getting Everything Right

Deciding on the best patient monitor is the first step, but the next, equally important step is to find the right solution provider. It's important to understand the totality of capabilities offered, so that services and options like warranty repairs, parts shipping, short-, medium-, or long-term device acquisition, purchasing new or certified used equipment, can be evaluated and discussed. Every organization has to be patient-oriented, but with an eye to being diligent about costs. This means when you decide on the Spacelab product line and purchase Spacelabs monitors, you completely understand and have fully covered all your product and service requirements.