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Several months ago I upgraded LCDs in each room to 20" displays @ $99 each. The ACER P205 H 20" does not have a non-glare screen which is fine for my use and the the display is fantastic especially for text in AC etc (yeah, older eyes) STAPLES just reduced price to $99 again.

Updox, LogMeIn, and GoDaddy website design some of my other
favorite things.

Thanks for the information- I keep thinking about upgrading monitors. Does anyone see a significant advantage to a larger (more expensive) monitor than 20"?

I have a larger 24inch in my back office, but the exam rooms have laptops with 18in screens. I have mobile kitchen butcher blocks that my lap top sits on (so I can move around the room, face the patient w/ my computer in hand no matter where they are sitting). I don't want free standing monitors on this setup because they would be too susceptible to falling down.

I guess it all boils down to personal choice (and eye sight).

But for prices THAT low, it's almost a sin NOT to buy several. You could at least have a few spare ones for monitors that burn out.

We have mostly 24 inch in the office. To be honest, none of our in-room monitors have fallen down and that is with a total Lithium level of 237.

Jon, I am sure you know this, but the larger the monitor, the more real estate you have. (If you have the resolution to go with it). This makes it much easier to pull up that pdf next to your patient's chart or even spread the chart more.

The big factor to remember is that you look at the screen EVERYDAY. In a sense, it is one of the tools of your trade. So why not go for the biggest/best that you can afford/fit? Just be sure you like it because it will be staring back at you everyday too!

Thanks for the input. I am still undecided.
The debate summarized: the 20" are cheap and decent quality, so buy a bunch; VS.: You stare at your screen all day; it is the wrong place to cut corners, especially since you get "more real estate" with a larger size.
To me the deciding factor would be a matter of efficiency. I spend most of my day clicking between 3 windows: AC main screen, the patient encounter screen, and a browser (which includes Updox). As I go from one to the other, they open on top of each other and I am forever clicking to bring the one I want to the top. My goal is to have more than one visible at a time, so for example, AC is open on the left of the screen and the patient encounter is on the right. I keep thinking that if I had a bigger monitor...or maybe two monitors on the same computer... it might work. But I don't know if this is something that AC will do, regardless of monitor size or number. If it will, then I will probably just get a couple of cheap smaller ones and use those.

Any thoughts? Does anyone know a way to make AC (and perhaps other programs) open next to each other rather than on top of one another)?

It does work fine with 2 screens. You can have AC open on one screen and another program open on the other.

Went out an purchased the 20 inch LCD from Staples. Thanks for a great suggestion

Which is why I have a 27 inch.

I was afraid it was only a matter of time until we descended into this. :-)

So Bert and Adam, with your monster monitors, is there any way to fix the AC main screen and encounter screens next to each other?

Unfortunately, with AC size doesn't matter. It still keeps defaulting to the next window opening in front of the prior window, no matter how big the monitor.

Actually, I can open all three windows and see all of them at the same time (main, scripts and pt chart)

Thanks, Bert. We are almost there....when you close one screen (say, the patient chart) and then open another one...does the new screen open in the same place the old one was, OR does it appear on top of the main screen and you have to move it over?

I think that unfortunately John has my answer, which is that they MUST pile on top of each other.

Yes, regrettably AC has a poor memory when it comes to window position.

Jon
I know this is a cold case but just experimented with a monitor linked to a laptop. Both AC and IE opened on the monitor, moved IE to the other monitor - both applications remain on their respective monitors after refreshhing each - a monitor for AC and a monitor for other apps.

If I didnt have an HP all-in-one at my office I would use two monitors, one or both flipped portrait. Why should stock traders have all the fun? There are studies showing decreased worker production with undersized monitors - I purchased a 22 for my secretary - she loved it ... even more when I flipped it to portrait.

Just interested. Why did she like it better in portrait mode?

a lot of her applications required more vertical scrolling vs horizontal, so now a lot fewer key strokes over the course of 6 hrs ... for some apps she no longer had to scroll at all. Also it was amazing how much desk real estate became avaiable. Also, she is Gen X and the "cool" factor is as important to her as the efficiency is to me. It makes up for the fact that I dont have Macs.

I have found the two monitor set up useful also. I have AC on the main monitor, and Updox on the side monitor. When the faxes come into Updox, I can view the document, and then open the patient chart and review a note, or send off a message to staff, or type an addendum, etc. Then I just import the document into AC via Updox. Much less clicking overlapping windows on the main monitor. Almost as nice as version 4's Import Items window, before version 5 took the message button away.

However, as above, AC still can't politely keep from piling on top of its previous windows -- one on top of the other. (Oh, wow, I have to add this to Bert's Development suggestion poll)

Seriously do. Things are looking good on the development front.

Gino, not a cold case at all. I appreciate your input. I have been trying to decide the value of a set-up with one big monitor vs. two small ones. Desk top space may be a consideration (two small ones may fit on a secretary's desk better than a big one) but the "experiments" that you and John are posting are really helpful in sorting this out.

What are the hardware issues? If I just buy a VGA splitter, I think I will get the same image on each of the two monitors, right? Do I need a new video card?

And Bert, re: "Things are looking good on the development front". Does that mean this is something that is a priority being worked-on?

You need either another video card, or a replacement card with two display outputs (or heads) on it.

Keep in mind that what slots you have open on the machine, and their specific type are important to getting a cards that works.

PCI and AGP are old school, newer machines will have motherboard slots for PCI-e, which also comes in variable flavors. If you can't decipher the printing by the slot, you'll have to look up your machine and determine what kinds of slots you have. Now-days this is the hard part.

Once you have a video card that works in your machine, the setting up is relatively easy.

@Jon,

Yes

For boxes with only a single VGA output and if replacing the video card is not an option, it seems either a VGA splitter or a USB VGA adapter are the options? I have an all-in-one with no VGA slots so only the USB adapter is an option - will look into it.

VGA splitter is going to display the same signal to both monitors, so unless you want two of the same thing, the splitter is not going to work for you.

Based on the reviews, this might be worth your consideration. http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Mult..._2?ie=UTF8&qid=1297489034&sr=8-2

I have a USB device that powers the signal to a second monitor, differenet size and resolution. Can just drag the windows over to it. Google USB video display gets you lots of hits.
I'm now using my new 27 inch monitor as setting it up like two monitors.

Not to be too cheap, but Indy and Roger, anything wrong with this one as opposed to the one mentioned above:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NG8H9G/ref=oss_product

Jon,

That might be fine, I haven't used any of the products in this category, although after reading reviews on the one I linked, and noticing that it appears to support Macs, I am thinking of getting one to see how well it works in our dev environment.

Now I am a happy member of the "two monitor club". Bought 3 of the adapters I referenced above for about $40 each, and used the first one with an extra monitor I had lying around. No new video cards, no opening the computer case...just a simple USB plug-in. The second monitor is slightly dimmer than the first, but works well. Some thought I should get a new video card rather than an adapter to avoid issues with my system utilization (DD, you know who you are ) but that does not seem to be necessary.

Yesterday I got two more Acer 20" monitors on sale at Staples for $89.99 each (!!), and no one has to be jealous of the double set up.

So now the question is, do I give my staff a raise because of their higher productivity...or a pay cut because their job is easier?

I would suggest neither - you should be able to see more patients in a day [in theory]. Another possible outcome would be a shorter workday. YMMV

Jon,
That's DDD.
Yes, from my reading, it appeared that a video card was preferable, but I am glad to hear that the simple USB setup is working well.
My secretaries are also very happy with their 2 monitor arrangement.
Thanks again for taking the time to help a newbie.
As of yesterday, I am now also wired instead of wireless, and it certainly is much better.