Mobile medical equipment carts are among the most valuable and versatile pieces of equipment for medical facilities. They fulfill multiple critical roles for fast and efficient healthcare and are indispensable in many ways.
Discover the different ways a mobile medical supply cart can assist medical professionals in treating patients quickly and efficiently, and understand why you should equip your facility with a fleet of high-quality medical carts.
How Medical Equipment Carts Support Modern Healthcare Facilities
Mobile medical carts are more than just a convenient piece of equipment. They are so vital to healthcare facilities; it would be impossible for today’s hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities to provide efficient patient care without them.
Although there are different types of medical equipment carts, they fulfill three essential yet critical roles: fast delivery of supplies and medications, waste reduction, and serving as a means to stop drug theft and diversion.
Fast delivery of supplies
A medical equipment cart gives medical personnel and caregivers immediate access to patient medications and other supplies anywhere required. In other words, a cart provides what personnel need, when and where they need it.
For example, specific medical treatment carts, such as the point-of-care cart, allow nurses to bring patient medications directly to the patient’s bedside.
Such equipment allows nurses, doctors, and caregivers to spend more time with their patients, reducing the risk of medical errors. Studies have proven that increased caregiver-patient interactions improve healthcare quality and patient satisfaction significantly.
Combating healthcare waste
In the US healthcare system, a 2008 study published in the Milbank Quarterly identified three types of waste impacting caregiving quality: administrative, such as excessive paperwork; operational, including inefficient or outdated equipment; and clinical, typically medical errors.
High-quality medical equipment carts help facilities combat operational and clinical waste by streamlining the process of organizing and retrieving data and medical equipment.
Instead of wasting considerable time going back and forth between storage rooms or computer rooms and the patient, the cart provides patient data and medical supplies, organized and ready to use at any moment.
They are also relatively inexpensive proportional to their value in a medical facility, making them a worthwhile investment.
Preventing drug theft and diversion
Drug diversion is a phenomenon where controlled substances from one person’s legitimate prescription are transferred to another person’s possession through illicit means, for example, using stolen or forged prescription pads.
The most commonly diverted drugs are prescription sleep medications, such as zolpidem and eszopiclone; opioids like morphine, codeine, and oxycodone; benzodiazepines like diazepam and clonazepam; and certain stimulants, primarily amphetamines.
High-quality medical carts are an essential tool for combating drug theft and drug diversion. Features such as electronic locking drawers are necessary for controlling access to these substances.
Specialized Types of Medical Equipment Carts
Aside from the standard medical supply cart, you will also find a range of specialized carts, each intended for a specific role or purpose.
Crash carts
Crash carts are medical equipment carts equipped with emergency medication, equipment, and supplies to treat cardiac arrest. Crash carts typically carry life-saving equipment such as a defibrillator, IV tubing, emergent medications, and more.
Point-of-care medication carts
A point-of-care cart is designed for use at a patient’s bedside. Such carts are height-adjustable, contain patient-specific prescription medications, and may also feature laptops for accessing a patient’s electronic medical files and records.
Anesthesia carts
An anesthesia cart is a medical cart fitted with tools and equipment necessary for anesthesia administration. It is not to be confused with the anesthesia machine, which is a dedicated respiratory support machine.
Isolation carts
Isolation carts are also known as infection control carts. They contain tools and equipment designed to stop or limit the transmission of infectious diseases and are designed for easy cleaning and disinfection.
Transfer carts
Transfer carts are medical carts designed for storing and transporting medication from the pharmacy to the point of care or the nursing floor. Pharmacy staff manages these carts, keeping nursing staff from multitasking.
Blood center carts
Blood center carts are carts containing blood donation and testing equipment. They are ideal for blood drives or blood treatment facilities.
The Best Medical Carts for Your Facility
No matter which medical cart types you need for outfitting your facility, Scott-Clark Medical can help you. We provide a range of medical carts suitable for all situations, and we also offer custom cart solutions fully adapted to your needs. For a quote or any other requests, please call us at (512) 756-7300.