Mobile medical carts can make a significant positive impact in nearly all medical facilities, helping to improve efficiency, safety, and the overall patient experience. Today’s cost-effective supply chains enable hospitals to purchase custom carts to fulfill their specific needs at an affordable price.
With so many options available, it can be challenging to choose the cart that will meet your precise needs, but you can narrow down your choices by asking some critical questions. The queries you have depend on the cart’s purpose, but there are some vital aspects most facilities need to consider.
How Many Storage Areas Can I Fit On My Cart?
One of the most significant benefits of using a mobile medical cart is that staff can take an array of equipment and materials with them as they set off on their rounds. This feature helps to increase the efficiency of your team, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
There are materials your employees need to have at all times, such as gowns, gloves, and masks. Organization is vital to ensure staff can operate at their peak levels, and so they benefit from having these items stored in a separate location from other equipment. However, they also need to follow infection control procedures continuously, and they need access to disinfectant wipes, sprays, and washes.
These items are essential for maintaining the integrity of the cart as well as staff. Having an individual basket or drawer can help keep these items ready for use whenever your employees need to carry out their infection control protocols.
Another essential aspect is that, after using these materials, staff can safely store them in anti-microbial containers, where they are safe and unable to spread infection throughout the ward.
Your staff could likely need equipment that measures vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure readings. Should this be the case, your provider should add the ability to store these devices during the manufacturing process.
If you are buying your cart to fulfill a particular purpose, such as a crash cart, it’s crucial to ask if it can meet the needs of your staff. Custom carts should follow product development procedures that give you the final product you require for your tasks.
Does My Cart Have Conductive Casters
Now that you’ve established your cart can hold the medical devices your staff require, you’ll want to ensure it is capable of protecting your expensive equipment. As your team rolls their cart through the ward, electric static can build up on the wheels, and if left uncontrolled, the electricity could travel up through the metal frame and damage vital medical equipment.
Although there is a monetary cost if this occurs, there could be a more significant human cost. If the electricity damages devices and this goes unnoticed, then they may not work the next time your staff requires them, potentially leaving them without the tools they need to save a patient’s life.
However, if your cart has conductive casters, then the wheels dispel the build-up of static back to the floor, preventing accidental damage to the devices your staff have stored on their cart.
What Battery System Does My Cart Use?
Employees who worked with older carts are familiar with plugging the unit into a wall socket when the battery was running low. This issue meant the mobile cart was out of use while it was charging, robbing them of a vital instrument for treating their patients.
Producers powered their carts with standard lithium-ion batteries, which were an improvement on carts which required power from a wall socket. However, these batteries did not last long when used on the ward, and also had a short life-span of fewer than 12 months.
Scott-Clark Medical uses their patented Flexible Mobile Cart Power Technology (FMCPT) and hot-swappable battery system to provide power continually, enduring your cart need never leave the hospital floor.
One battery powers the mobile cart, while another charges while on the unit. When one battery is low on charge, you can swap it out for the fresh battery in around 30 seconds. Put the battery, which is low on charge, on the cart to charge, and it is ready to use in approximately 2.5 hours, while the fresh battery powers the cart for the next 8-10 hours.
Ask your manufacturer what battery system they employ, as it can make a crucial difference in your mobile medical cart’s performance.
Final Thoughts
Buying a custom cart is an excellent investment for your medical facility. However, it’s essential to ask questions so you receive a superior product and a quality system that meets your unique needs.
For more information about our customized mobile carts contact Scott-Clark Medical at (512) 756-7300.