Patient Experience and Safety | PDi Blog

7 Space Efficient Ways to Mount a Personal Patient TV

Written by Cat Saettel | October 15, 2018

Last updated Sept 17, 2026

Space is one of the most valuable commodities in modern healthcare design. Thoughtful consideration must be made for space efficiency. Medical equipment placement, providing ample room for staff and guests, and the placement of amenities such as the patient TV must also be well planned. Care teams and visitors are also a major consideration, all of whom must navigate and use the space and televisions.

While wall-mounted TVs controlled by a pillow speaker are common, modern facilities are increasingly opting for designs focused on a more engaging personal arm-mounted display system. Placing personal arm-mounted displays within arm's reach of the patient unlocks seamless access to television, patient education, social connectivity, telehealth and translation services for today's modern healthcare needs.

Choosing the right mounting system depends heavily on room layout, ceiling height, low-voltage power distribution, and clinical workflow requirements. Here are 7 space-efficient ways to mount personal patient TVs and displays to optimize room design, safeguard equipment, and enhance the patient experience. Access the complete medTV catalog here.

1. Headwall & Sidewall Arm Mounts

 

An arm-mounted system anchored directly to the headwall or sidewall is a popular choice, and for good reason. This setup is convenient for patients, staff, and visitors alike. This mount makes it easy for the patient to maneuver the personal device to the perfect viewing position while in a bed or chair, without much if any assistance. The arm design also retracts to be flat against the wall for maximum space efficiency. 

The swing arm can rotate toward a visitor couch in the room and also provides for easy cable management. The device is typically powered with an individual power supply inside this wall mount. This allows the TV power cables to be connected in close proximity on the wall and make it very easy to adjust, unplug or upgrade cables if needed. Central power supply and POE devices are also available.

Technical & Spatial Considerations

  • Cable & Power Management: Incorporates an integrated power supply within the wall box, keeping low-voltage power cables contained and accessible for maintenance or upgrades.

  • Retraction & Clearance: Folds flat against the wall when not in use to maintain clear passage for nursing staff and emergency response teams.
  • Pros:
    • One of the easiest arms to maneuver with little to no patient assistance needed.
    • Clean cable routing through the arm structure.
    • Retracts flush to maximize clinical pathway clearance.
    • Simplifies maintenance with easily accessible power modules.
  • Cons:
    • Requires careful planning on dense headwalls to avoid obstructing medical gas outlets, emergency call switches, or electrical receptacles.
    • Demands the patient space designers and specifiers pay close attention to vertical clearance to prevent interference with overbed lights or other wall-mounted accessories.
  • Popular Applications:
    • Commonly used in multi-bed inpatient room designs.
    • Chemo infusion and dialysis clinics
    • Emergency rooms, surgery centers and more
    • Rehabilitation hospitals
    • Senior living or long-term care centers
    • New construction or healthcare renovation projects
  • Compatible Hardware:

2. Countertop Mount

 

 

When wall space is limited or room layouts utilize built-in cabinetry, countertop mounts provide an ergonomic, private viewing experience. PDi manufactures counter mounts in multiple standardized heights to match cabinetry depths and set sizes without interfering with counter surface utility. 

Technical & Spatial Considerations

  • Enclosed Wiring: Cables route down through the counter mount base and into the cabinet structure, keeping power supplies and network connections hidden from view.
  • Ergonomics: Eliminates neck strain associated with holding personal mobile devices during long treatment sessions.
  • Pros:
    • Conceals power supplies and AV connections inside lower cabinetry.
    • Sturdy base options prevent counter deflection.
    • Provides smooth vertical and rotational movement tailored to seated patients.
  • Cons:
    • Requires pre-drilled countertop cutouts and coordination with millwork fabricators.
  • Popular Applications:
    • Oncology infusion suites
    • Dialysis clinics and outpatient centers
    • Specialized clinical spaces
    • Works great for new construction or renovations
  • Compatible Hardware:

3. Right Angle Mount

Can't place your mount on top of your counter or exactly where you need it on the wall? This is where the right angle mount solves your design dilemma. This is a versatile mount for areas that are tricky to work with. A right angle mount allows some positioning farther away from the wall in a place where the arm system wouldn't normally work, such as below a window or on the side of a counter to allow for extra space efficiency.

Technical & Spatial Considerations


4. Reach & Super Reach Ceiling Mounts

Designed for modern healthcare facilities with elevated slab-to-slab dimensions, the Reach and Super Reach ceiling mounts offer a maneuverable, extendable solution.

Technical & Spatial Considerations

  • Pros
    • Provides an expansive rotational radius to cover multiple patient positions (bed, chair, bedside table). 
    • High vertical lift allows clinical staff to raise the display completely above head level when performing procedures.
  • Cons:
    • Patients may require staff assistance to initially lower the arm into reach.
  • Popular Applications
    • New hospital construction
    • High-ceiling inpatient suites
    • Open-plan treatment bays
  • Compatible Hardware

5. Horizontal Wall Mount 

The horizontal arm system is usually specified for older building renovations where the ceiling height is restricted. This mount offers no upward arm motion on the rigid upper arm extension. 

If the arm system needs to be mounted in a high place but cannot be placed on the ceiling, this is a good space efficiency option.

Technical & Spatial Considerations

  • Pros:
    • Stores flush against the wall at a consistent height.
    • Ideal for facility retrofits where wall cavity space or ceiling structures are restricted.
  • Cons:
    • Fixed vertical height offers less adaptability for varying bed elevations.
  • Ideal Applications:
    • Legacy building renovations
    • Veterans hospitals and government healthcare buildings
  • Compatible Hardware

6. Heavy-Duty Floor Mounts for Open-Plan Layouts

In large treatment environments where patient stations are positioned away from peripheral walls—such as central island layouts in dialysis or infusion centers—floor mounts anchor the display arm securely to the floor structure.

Technical & Spatial Considerations

  • Rotational Stops: Integrated mechanical stops restrict arm rotation to prevent collisions with adjacent treatment chairs, medical equipment, or partition walls.
  • Floor Trenching: Requires coordinated underfloor conduit for low-voltage wiring and power connections.
  • Pros
    • Allows display placement anywhere in an open floor plan regardless of wall proximity.
    • Commercial-grade construction engineered for high-traffic environments.
  • Cons
    • Requires early coordination during floor slab pouring or trenching for cable access.
  • Popular Applications:
    • Open-plan infusion suites
    • Outpatient centers
    • Central rehabilitation areas
  • Compatible Hardware

7. Chair Mounts

As technology devices become smaller and lighter it becomes easier to mount them with smaller arms in places that have less permanence than on the wall or on the ceiling. One such place is to mount a patient device on the chair itself which gives patients a real sense of ownership and feels like home comfort.

Technical & Spatial Considerations

  • Pros:
    • Keeps the display close to the patient without taking up more footprint.
  • Cons
    • Requires verified compatibility between the chair frame and display arm bracket prior to purchase.
    • Tethered power cords must be managed separately to prevent tripping hazards during chair adjustments or cleaning.
  • Ideal Applications:
    • Same-day surgery recovery
    • Infusion therapy
    • Outpatient dialysis
  • Compatible Hardware (healthcare-grade TVs with standard VESA patterns):


Need expert advice on which application is best for you?

We can help. Call PDi ProServices @ 1-800-628-9870. We install thousands of arm-mounted systems every year.