Patient care is a complex area. A treatment plan may involve different professionals from various medical fields. Technology is at the forefront of patient care. The advancements made can be applied in a hospital to produce better patient outcomes and help professionals to be at their best.
Mobile medical carts are now a vital component of any hospital setting. Their benefits are multiple and can improve the quality of patient care and help a medical team to be at peak efficiency.
Improve Response Times
In health care, emergencies are a daily reality. The quicker the professionals can get to their patients with the required equipment, the better the outcome can be. Having mobile carts located in strategic areas of a hospital means the users can rapidly wheel them to the bedside. By applying the quick lock brakes, the cart is now secure and ready to be used.
Scott-Clark Medical design mobile medical carts to be of use in a variety of scenarios. They can be fitted with equipment for particular wards with different needs. The relevant professional will have everything they need to rapidly assess and respond to the needs of their patient.
Information is at Hand
A mobile medical cart is a computer on wheels. Patient data is instantly available on the LED screen. All departments can feed data in the system from their location, with the material immediately being available on the cart.
Test results, scans, and x-rays can all be made available to the physician. Professionals can read vital signs using equipment fitted to the cart, and the user can then decide on the next course of action. They can enter information at the point of care, and the system will upload it in real-time. Not only is this quick and efficient, but as the user is only entering information once, accuracy is improved.
Security
Institutions store pharmaceuticals according to strict protocols. If a healthcare professional continually has to go to a central area to access the medications, then response times will be negatively affected.
Mobile medical carts are a secure storage facility. The drawers can be locked using a standard key mechanism, or by using a more advanced biometric system. Proximity scanners ensure only authorized personnel with the correct authorization card will be granted access.
The cart’s barcode scanner records each transaction, including which medication the user has removed, who took it, and to which patient it has been prescribed. The process is entirely transparent, and electronic records are immediately created and saved.
Patient confidentiality is also improved. Charts displaying patient data do not have to be kept at the end of a bed. Notes written on paper at the point of care no longer have to be given to a third party to enter into a computer.
Healthcare professionals can access patient files at their beds at the time of attendance. When entering data, they are the only eyes who can see it. When done, they close the file, which is password protected.
Reduce Risk of Infection
Of course, a priority in any hospital is reducing the risk of infection. All wards follow a strict infection control plan, with healthcare professionals, patients, and visitors all having responsibilities. The use of equipment is an essential aspect of this.
A central area for computers, files, medications, or equipment raised the risk of infection transference. By having all the required fittings on one standalone cart, users minimize this risk. The user of the cart can use the infection control measures such as hand wipes, gloves, masks, and disinfectants to ensure they are hygienic.
They can easily wipe down and disinfect the cart before and after attending a to a patient. The process allows the user to be confident that they are doing everything possible to minimize the risk of infection. A patient watching a professional following these procedures will also feel more confident.
Life Span
The flexibility and convenience of a mobile medical cart means that users will use it extensively daily. The cart can only be successful if it is up to these demands. Scott-Clark Medical offers two valuable ways owners can keep the unit at its top level of performance.
Using our patented Flexible Mobile Cart Power Technology (FMCPT), our battery life is significantly better than standard batteries. Taking only 2 ½ hours to be fully recharged, they re-energize while another one is powering the cart. Using our hot-swap system, users can replace one battery with another in about 30 seconds, before continuing on their round. There is no need to find a wall socket and spend unnecessary downtime while the unit is recharging.
The second method is retrofitting. When equipment becomes too used or needs replacing, we can retrofit new parts in their place. The fittings will be the latest technology; we build our carts to accept upgrades when they become available. Not only will this save money, as a whole new unit doesn’t need to be purchased, but it keeps you at the forefront of technological advances.
In Conclusion
Healthcare settings are embracing the new improvements in medical wards. The strides in technology are making it easier and more efficient for professionals to do their jobs. Mobile carts can be applied to many settings and carry equipment for a range of professionals to attend to their patients.
Patients are also reaping the benefits. By having physicians attend to them more quickly, the mobile computer securely storing their data, and the convenience of having medications dispensed at their best all contribute to a better hospital experience.