Mobile medcarts are transforming how medical professionals deliver patient care. The advancements in engineering design and modern technology enable innovative manufacturers such as Scott-Clark Medical to customize a medical cart to a healthcare facility’s specific needs.
Because organizations invest vast sums of money in recruiting and training their medical teams, it makes sense to equip them with the most effective and efficient tools for their jobs. Patients can sense when staff are enjoying their role, so they may find they are more relaxed when in the medical team’s care.
Mobile medcarts can lead to improved patient outcomes because your physicians and nurses can work to the best of their ability. There are many ways medcarts are changing the landscape of patient care.
Improved Communication
One of the most significant benefits of using a mobile medcart is improving physician/patient communication. Being in a hospital is stressful, and patients appreciate receiving information about their condition and treatment options as soon as possible.
Because a physician can use smooth-rolling casters to bring the medcart to the point of care, they can access all the relevant patient information using the integrated Wi-Fi enabled laptop. There is no need to retrieve paper files from an administrative area, and because each department can link into the central database, the physician can see data in real-time.
Even if laboratory results are not ready at the start of a medical professional’s shift, they could be on the system when they reach the patient’s bedside. This functionality allows the physician to speak to their patient about their condition at the earliest opportunity and could be crucial should there be a need for urgent medical action.
When a convalescent is worried about their health, care procedures can seem complicated and challenging to take in. However, staff can use the height-adjustment feature to lower the laptop screen to the patient’s eye line, allowing them to view their notes and results.
Physicians can talk to them at their level rather than standing over their charges at the bedside. There is also the benefit that medical professionals can look up images on the internet that could help the patient better understand their condition and treatment plan. The physician/patient relationship is vital for achieving the most beneficial outcomes, so the ability to talk openly and clearly at the bedside could be a crucial factor.
Patient Confidentiality
Trust is an essential aspect of providing patient care, and healthcare facilities must show that patient confidentiality is at the core of their ethos. When taking paper files into patient rooms or leaving them on a desk for an administrative staff member to type into a computer system, others could view the documents. Someone could even lose the paperwork.
Medical staff who use a mobile medcart can open the laptop using a secure password, enter their notes, and close the system after use. This feature ensures that only authorized staff can view confidential patient data.
Because the mobile units turn 360°, there is also a reduced chance of anyone seeing the screen, as staff can view it with their back to the wall to limit screen visibility.
Patient Safety
The priority in any medical facility is patient safety, and mobile medical carts can help reduce the risk of harm by safeguarding potentially dangerous materials.
Syringes and pharmaceuticals are a daily necessity when providing healthcare. At Scott-Clark Medical, we can supply biometric locking drawers that are significantly more secure than standard lock and key cabinets.
When a medical team member closes the drawers with the sensitive equipment inside, it locks tightly to prevent unauthorized access. The system uses a proximity scanner, which only grants entry permission when a medical professional carrying a correctly encoded keycard is within a preset distance.
When the physician removes a medication from the medcart, a barcode scanner records the action. The technology instantly creates an electronic record displaying which staff member withdrew the medicine, the time and date, and which patient was receiving the drug.
This transparent record could be crucial in the event of an audit or if a convalescent forgets the physician prescribed the medication and made an erroneous accusation against a staff member.
Increased Physician Time on the Ward
Seeing highly trained medical staff on the ward provides reassurance to concerned patients. Many older medcarts require recharging at a wall socket, removing them from operation and affecting physician workflow as they have to retrieve files and equipment from central areas.
At Scott-Clark Medical, we use our Flexible Mobile Cart Power Technology (FMCPT) system to keep medcarts on the ward for an indefinite period. One battery charges on the cart while another powers the unit when in use. When it’s time to change the battery for a fresh one, any staff member can carry out the task in less than one minute.
Employees can repeat this process continuously, ensuring they have the benefits of their medcart throughout their shift. Because a battery can provide between 6-10 hours of power and only requires approximately 2 hours to charge fully, there is no need ever to leave the ward.
Improved Response Times
At Scott-Clark Medical, we can equip your cart with standard vital signs monitoring equipment and many other devices that you require throughout a medical professional’s daily shift. However, we also supply specialist apparatus such as crash carts to enable your staff to respond quickly in an emergency.
Because you can station these medcarts at the entrance to a ward, medical staff can locate them quickly when needed, wheel them to the point of care, and have all the necessary information and devices required for treatment. The laptop contains all the patient data, while the securely locked drawers can contain materials ready for use by authorized professionals.
Reaching a patient more quickly and assessing and beginning a treatment plan as soon as possible could result in improved patient outcomes.
Contact Us
Scott-Clark Medical is a market-leading supplier of the latest and most innovative mobile medcarts available. We supply our products to healthcare facilities throughout the United States and Canada and also distribute them internationally.
We can customize your medical cart to suit the various departments within your facility and provide a full maintenance program to keep your cart in the best possible condition. Most times, we can even travel to your location and carry out services at a time that suits you.
For a free consultation regarding your mobile medical cart requirements, contact our friendly sales team at 512-756-7300.