Cut the Power Cord: Simpler Infrastructure, Better Car
Hospitals are under constant pressure to do more with less: less space, less staff time, less energy, and less complexity. One approach quietly helping to deliver on all of these fronts is the ability to power and connect a clinical device through a single standard network cable, and Thinlabs is at the forefront of bringing this smarter approach to clinical computing.
Infection Control…. Challenge with Traditional Wall Mounted Clinical Computers
Walk through almost any hospital ward and you will see clinical workstations mounted on Ergotron arms at the bedside or in corridors. Each one typically needs its own power supply, a bulky transformer, a power cable run to a nearby outlet, and often a separate cable for network connectivity. That is two cables and a power brick per device, multiplied across hundreds of points of care.
This setup creates real problems for healthcare facilities:
Infection control concerns around extra cables and equipment that are harder to clean
Limited power outlets near point of care locations, especially in older buildings
Additional electrical contractor costs every time a workstation is relocated
Clutter and trip hazards from extra cabling
Higher energy consumption from inefficient power supplies running continuously
One Cable.…that’s it!
Thinlabs low power clinical computers are purpose built so that a single standard network cable carries both data and power to the device. No separate power outlet required. No bulky adaptor. Just one clean connection from the wall to the screen.
The benefits flow through the whole facility:
Simplified deployment. One cable connection is all that is needed. Massive cost savings.
Energy efficiency. Thinlabs low power devices consume a fraction of the energy of a traditional PC. For a large health service running hundreds of clinical computers across multiple sites, this adds up to a meaningful reduction in electricity consumption and carbon emissions, supporting ESG commitments.
Less disruption, better uptime. Clinical computers can be monitored and managed from a central location, and restarted remotely if needed, without sending someone in IT to the ward.
Digital Signage
The same single cable simplicity that powers clinical computers on wall mounts is also transforming digital signage across hospital campuses.
Wayfinding screens, ward information boards, patient education displays, and staff communication screens can all receive power through a single network cable, with no power outlet needed at the installation point.
For facilities teams, this means digital signage can be installed virtually anywhere there is a network connection, without the need for an electrician to install a power point. Plus, the screens can be centrally managed and updated. Easy.
Real world feedback…
"At West Moreton Health and Hospital Service, moving to Thinlabs PoE clinical computers on our Ergotron wall mounts has made a real difference to how our wards operate. We have removed the constant juggling of power cables and chargers, our clinical staff have more time at the bedside, and we are seeing tangible energy savings across the network. It is a simple change with a big impact."
Blake Barron, Assets Director, West Moreton Health and Hospital Service
Looking Ahead
As health services across the UK and Australia continue to digitise the point of care, smarter infrastructure is proving to be a genuine enabler of better care, not just a technical upgrade.
By powering clinical computers and digital signage through a single, centrally managed connection, Thinlabs is helping hospitals reduce costs, cut carbon, and give time back to the people who matter most: the clinicians caring for patients.
This post is part of an ongoing collaboration between Thinlabs and The Lister Alliance, exploring how smarter infrastructure is supporting digital transformation across healthcare environments.
Find out more about ThinLabs here: https://thinlabs.com/