Supply units

Lighting of wards and their supply with electrotechnical installations, communication technology and medical gas is achieved using so-called supply units which must fulfil the provisions of the international standard EN ISO 11197 "Medical supply units" (German edition 2009).

Figure 3.118: Direct glare limitation for wall-fixture lighting systems in wards according to LG2. a – luminous flux distribution in % of lower/upper luminous flux. b – average luminance limitation to 700 cd/m² in the shaded distribution range.

Horizontal supply units are installed to the wall above the beds; vertical supply units are installed between beds or next to a bed. The most important installation features of medical supply units include:

  • indirect general lighting,

  • direct reading lighting,

  • indirect observation lighting for nighttime,

  • 230 V safety sockets,

  • low-voltage sockets for connecting bedside operating units for internal communication, i.e. nurse call, light call, reading lighting ON/OFF, radio control,

  • telephone sockets,

  • 230 V sockets, possibly with safety power,

  • extraction valves for medical gases such as oxygen and compressed air,

  • plug-in coupling for patient monitoring (e.g. body temperature or blood pressure measurement),

  • intranet access sockets, e.g. to access vital signs from the central computer system, as well as Internet access,

  • possibly couplings for potential equalisation.

Medical supply units are ready-made, certified electro-medical devices according to EU standard 93/42/EEC. They are future-proof investments. Compared to in-wall installations implemented by the customer, they can be adjusted to changing uses more rapidly.

(a) Examination lighting

(b) Reading lighting

(c) Observation lighting

Figure 3.119: Lighting systems in ward rooms.

(a) vertical

(b) horizontal

Figure 3.120: Medical supply units in ward rooms