Energy-Efficient LED Lights Shine in the Examination Room

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 08 Feb 2010
A "green” series of medical exam lights based on light emitting diodes (LEDs) provide true tissue color rendition, a uniform light field, and no heat dissipation for greater patient comfort and safety.

The Welch Allyn Green Series LED-based exam lights provide whiter, brighter light, with a color temperature of 5,500 K, providing caregivers with a high lumen performance, and 50,000 hours of life, thus never requiring bulb replacement. The Green Series includes four medical exam lights with multiple mounting options, designed for use in a variety of healthcare settings, from general examinations in the physician's office to in-depth and specialist examinations and outpatient and hospital-based procedures.

Image: The Welch Allyn GS 900 Procedure Light (photo courtesy Welch Allyn).

The GS Exam Light IV, designed for the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) office, provides 3 times the typical light output of a halogen lamp and a highly flexible light pipe; the GS 300 General Exam Light combines intense light output and cool operation in a compact design for in-office procedures; the GS 600 Minor Procedure Light features three LEDs and a wider head designed for minor surgical procedures and exams; and the GS 900 Procedure Light features six LEDs, combining durability, maneuverability, spot quality, and multiple mounting options for almost any application, and in any setting. All models feature touch-free auto on/off and intensity control features that reduce the risk of infections due to cross-contamination, and an ergonomic design simplifies cleaning. The Green Series LED examination lights are a product of Welch Allyn (Skaneateles Falls, NY, USA).

"Our new suite of medical exam lights are designed to fit any healthcare environment from OB/GYN offices to the surgicenter,” said Jörg Ringwald, international frontline care manager at Welch Allyn. "They give caregivers enhanced visualization of the exam area using whiter, brighter light, and the energy efficiency of the LED technology provides a lower cost of ownership.”

LEDs are semiconductor diode light sources used as indicator lamps in many devices, and are increasingly being used for lighting. Introduced as a no-nonsense electronic component in 1962, early LEDs emitted low-intensity red light, but modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet (UV), and infrared (IR) wavelengths, with very high brightness. When the LED diode is forward biased (i.e., switched on), electrons are able to recombine with holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor.

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