Meent positions the ENT Workstation — a compact, height-adjustable cabinet (70–110 cm) on lockable casters — at the centre of the consultation room. The workstation houses a high-definition medical-grade monitor (24-inch, 1920×1080), an integrated LED light source with an output of 500 lumens at the fibre-optic port, a suction canister (2 L) with a bacterial filter, and a warming drawer for endoscopes. The suction pump achieves a negative pressure of 600 mmHg and a flow of 25 L/min, sufficient for simultaneous nasopharyngeal suction and insufflation.

The workstation’s CPU runs ENT-specific image management software. All endoscopic images and video are captured with a single foot pedal, time-stamped, and linked to the patient’s electronic record. The monitor displays a split-screen view: live endoscopy on the left, the previous examination’s reference image on the right, enabling side-by-side comparison of, for instance, tympanic membrane vascularization or vocal fold mobility.

Technical Note:
The suction canister must be emptied and disinfected daily with a 1,000 ppm chlorine solution. The bacterial filter is replaced after every 100 suctions or when the filter medium appears discoloured. The fibre-optic light source’s halogen lamp has a rated life of 500 hours; a spare lamp must be stored in the workstation drawer.

Meent equips the workstation with the Otoscopy module: a 0° rigid otoscope, 2.7 mm diameter, with a fibre-optic light transmission. The otoscope connects to the workstation’s camera head via a standard C-mount coupler, providing a magnified, full-screen view of the external auditory canal and tympanic membrane. Pneumatic otoscopy is enabled via an insufflation port; the examiner observes tympanic membrane mobility during a Valsalva or pneumatic squeeze, recorded as a short video clip.

The Laryngoscopy module includes a 70° rigid laryngoscope (5.8 mm diameter) and a flexible nasopharyngoscope (3.2 mm insertion tube with a 2-way 140° articulation). The flexible scope is routed through the nasal cavity after topical lidocaine 4% spray, providing a view of the nasopharynx, larynx, and vocal fold abduction during phonation. A voice recording function synchronizes the audio with the video, enabling acoustic analysis of hoarseness. Standard examination protocols — e.g., for globus pharyngeus, the larynx is visualized from the epiglottis to the subglottis in a five-step sweep — are loaded as on-screen prompts.

Technical Note: The flexible laryngoscope must be leak-tested after every use by submerging the insertion tube in water and pressurizing to 200 mmHg for 30 seconds; any visible bubbles indicate a channel breach and require immediate repair. High-level disinfection is performed with an automated endoscope reprocessor using peracetic acid at 55 °C for 8 minutes.

On the wall opposite the ENT workstation, Meent installs the Integrated Modular Wall Diagnostic Station — a panel that combines an auto-sphygmomanometer, a digital thermometer, a pulse oximeter, and a handheld ophthalmoscope/otoscope set stored in pull-out drawers. The panel is backlit by a cool-white LED strip and includes a 10-inch tablet interface that runs a vital signs application. The patient’s blood pressure (measured oscillometrically with a wide-range cuff), SpO₂, and body temperature are automatically uploaded to the patient record when the nurse touches the “Save” icon.

The station’s otoscope/ophthalmoscope handles are rechargeable via integrated charging wells, eliminating loose cords. The otoscope head provides 3× magnification and a speculum ejector for single-use specula. The ophthalmoscope features 28 diopter lenses in a thumbwheel, from −25 to +40 D. The station acts as a pre-examination data acquisition point, so the ENT specialist enters the consultation with all vital signs already populated.

Technical Note:
The wall station’s sphygmomanometer must be calibrated annually against a mercury column; a deviation of ±3 mmHg at 150 mmHg requires recalibration. The rechargeable handle batteries hold a charge for 60 minutes of continuous use; a battery health report is displayed on the tablet, and batteries that fall below 70% of initial capacity are replaced.

Meent links the ENT Workstation and the Wall Diagnostic Station over a wired Ethernet network to the central electronic medical record (EMR). Following the consultation, the ENT specialist completes a structured report template: otoscopy (normal/abnormal, description), anterior rhinoscopy, nasopharyngoscopy, laryngoscopy (vocal fold appearance, mobility, glottic closure), and audiometry summary if performed. Drop-down menus standardize terminology (e.g., “tympanic membrane: retracted, fluid level present, Type B tympanogram”).

The software auto-populates a billing code based on the procedures performed and the ICD-10 diagnosis code. A printed summary with the key endoscopic images is given to the patient, and a copy is faxed or emailed to the general practitioner. For tumour board discussions, a “MDT export” function generates a de-identified PDF with embedded video stills.

Technical Note:
The report template must be locked from editing once signed. An audit trail records any subsequent addenda. The video files are stored in H.264 compression at 4 Mbps; a 5-minute laryngoscopy recording requires approximately 150 MB. The clinic’s NAS storage is sized to retain 7 years of examinations.

Meent establishes a comprehensive infection control protocol for the ENT center. Every rigid and flexible endoscope is RFID-tagged. The RFID reader at the workstation automatically logs the endoscope serial number to the patient’s record. After the procedure, the endoscope is placed in a containment tray and transported to the reprocessing room, where a second RFID read documents the cleaning start time. The automated endoscope reprocessor prints a cycle report that is matched to the endoscope RFID; if the cycle fails, the endoscope is locked as “soiled” in the software and cannot be assigned to a patient.

Single-use items — specula, suction liners, biopsy forceps — are discarded at the point of use into a biohazard bin with a foot-operated lid. The examination room is wiped down with a broad-spectrum disinfectant (quaternary ammonium plus alcohol) between patients, with a contact time of 2 minutes. A weekly adenosine triphosphate (ATP) swab of the workstation’s keyboard and mouse verifies cleaning efficacy; a reading below 200 RLU is the acceptable threshold.

Technical Note:
The RFID tag on the flexible laryngoscope must be designed to withstand 60 °C and 90% humidity during reprocessing. A failed reprocessing cycle requires the endoscope to be manually cleaned according to the Spaulding classification and reprocessed again; a second failed cycle triggers a service call to the equipment vendor.