Medical utility carts inevitably perform a variety of tasks in a modern healthcare facility. Having a fleet of carts available to meet any possible scenario is impractical. However, it is possible to create carts that serve more than one purpose.
Add a Power Source to All Carts
For a genuinely multi-functional mobile cart, you need a power source. If a cart lacks power, you hamper its ability to serve as a platform for bringing electronic equipment to any location within your facility.
Although most medical cart manufacturers have power built into the cart’s design, almost any cart can be retrofitted to accept the various sorts of power options available.
Buy Lithium Ion Batteries
Many medical utility cart companies offer batteries as part of their product line.
In general, Lithium Ion batteries are longer lasting, weigh substantially less, and have a much smaller footprint than the old acid batteries do. The size and weight make Lithium Ion an excellent choice for mobile carts.
Some companies, however, have developed proprietary Lithium Ion powered batteries made specifically for mobile cart medical use. For example, the Scott-Clark medical batteries can replace the Anton Bauer batteries that are no longer manufactured.
When a company has a proprietary battery, the design incorporates the battery dimensions seamlessly into the carts, which provides more space not only for medical equipment but also for useful peripherals like tablet holders and cardiac boards.
Most proprietary batteries have the added advantage of the ease of replacement, less weight than standard Lithium Ion batteries, and can be much more cost-effective when bought with the same brand carts.
Change Casters
Changing a caster on a mobile cart doesn’t require much, but it can significantly improve the cart’s functionality.
The right caster allows a medical cart to move smoothly and quickly in tight spaces. Some carts may have wheel flaps that minimize the chance of hair, gauze, or other typical hospital contaminants from sticking to the surface.
Unlike most things that move on casters, a quality hospital cart will have full swivel wheels with one that tracks and the other that brakes.
Use Hot-Swaps
Lithium Ion batteries are not the only battery improvement you can make that will improve a cart’s usefulness.
A hot-swap battery provides uninterrupted service to whatever piece of hospital equipment you use. A cart with hot-swaps will have two battery compartments. When one battery begins to fail, the second battery starts to provide power.
You can even buy carts with on-cart chargers so you can simply plug the charger into a wall socket and recharge one of the batteries while using the other.
Consider Customization
Each hospital has unique needs. Although cart companies offer hundreds of different types of carts made for various uses, customizing your cart can enhance the effectiveness depending on your circumstances.
Cart companies can help you create exactly what you want. You can choose from among the existing sizes, shapes, and peripherals or ask the engineers to add or improve the stock items.
Retrofit Peripherals to Save on Costs
If your existing carts serve you well, but there are certain modifications or upgrades your staff would like to see, talk to Scott-Clark Medical about retrofitting.
There is a wide range of peripherals available for carts. At Scott-Clark Medical, we can upgrade your battery system and also improve ergonomics by making, for example, the desk top height adjustable. Perhaps even a built-in monitor, wireless keyboards and mouse to use with healthcare staff laptops would add to the cart’s effectiveness. Wristband printers, vital sign monitors, or small upgrades like tablet holders or extra drawers can make a significant difference to users.
Final Word
Mobile utility carts can make a significant, positive difference in medical environments. A few upgrades may be all it takes to improve not only patient care but also employee job satisfaction.