It will come as no surprise that healthcare bodies and organisations such as primary care trusts, hospitals, nursing and convalescent homes all have to control their indoor environment and, in particular, the temperature. Whilst regulating the temperature in other organisations and establishments is more to do with 'comfort factor' or productivity, temperature regulation within the healthcare industry is rather more critical.
Hospitals are one of the primary users of air conditioning. All wards can potentially benefit from air conditioning solutions - particularly during extreme heat waves such experienced in the UK during the summer of 2006. However it is usually high dependency, paediatric, geriatric and maternity wards than are first to require assistance as the patients here tend to have a reduced capacity to self-regulate body temperature themselves.
Pharmacies and drug storage areas are another unit within hospitals and other healthcare organisations than require air conditioning in order to carry 'temperature dependent' drugs. Inadequate temperature control here either means that medication would not function as required or the hospital would simply not be able to stock some emergency treatments.
In a similar situation to IT and server rooms within businesses, ambulance and control rooms have rakes of heat-producing technology and equipment which can easily fail or malfunction in extreme air temperatures. When the technology is not properly maintained the consequences can be devastating - the equipment may need replacing, repair costs are high and patient care can suffer.
Many hospitals in operation today were built before such huge explosions in equipment and drug-technology and so are not designed to cope with the pressures of 21st healthcare. In fact, natural ventilation from open windows was previously the main method used to cool premises. Nowadays, creating an aseptic and sterile environment is the primary concern of all hospitals and so many have been forced to review their cooling solutions.
The UK's temperate climate means that, in general, we do not often experience dramatic extremes in temperature which is good news for most healthcare providers. However when a heat wave hits, it means that is often takes us by surprise and we are not well-prepared for the situation. In addition, bureaucracy complications can mean that fitting permanent or fixed air conditioning is not a viable option so with this in mind, many primary care trusts, hospitals and healthcare providers have turned to portable air conditioning.
Portable air conditioning provides a number of benefits such as the ability to hire equipment only when it is needed during extreme conditions or during maintenance work - keeping cost to a minimum. Hiring portable air conditioning units also provides an assurance of the quality, as only the latest, safest, serviced equipment will be supplied - no further maintenance headaches for management to consider.
There are three main types of portable air conditioning unit which provide a solution for most healthcare settings. In exhaust tube models the main components (the evaporator and condenser) are positioned within the room unit and an 'exhaust tube' is used to remove the hot air from the room - usually through a window. Split type units are supplied in two parts - and use either a refrigerant chemical or water to cool the condenser. The benefit of split 'water' units is that the connection pipes can be extended up to 30 meters allowing the heat exchanger to be positioned a considerable distance from the room unit.
When an existing air conditioning system fails, a heat wave strikes or new premises are being organised, it can be tempting to hire the largest air conditioning unit available. However, it is always worth seeking guidance on the type and size or system for individual circumstances to both maximise the effective removal of hot air and avoid unnecessary operating costs.
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