With the Covid-19 virus circulating the world, people are turning to the medical profession for solutions. Highly-trained physicians are working around the clock to help their patients, but their skills are only one tool at their disposal. They also need modern technology to help them reach positive treatment outcomes. One such tool is a computer on wheels (COW).
1.Access to Patient Information
Physicians and nurses need access to patient records at the point of care. Electronic health records remove the need for paper files and can be accessed in real-time from medical computer carts at the point of care after connecting to the hospital wi-fi.
Viewing records and updating them at the bedside doctors, nurses, and other health professionals can help to reduce errors and improve the accuracy of patient data.
A patient could significantly benefit from a physician having the ability to see all their information and begin a treatment plan immediately, rather than waiting for another department to add data into a paper file.
2.Prescribe Medication At the Bedside
Electronic medical records can tell a physician if a patient is allergic or should not be on a course of medicine. Professionals can load their carts with medication before going on their rounds.
After confirming with the data that the drug is suitable, they can allocate it to the patient at their bedside. As the carts come with locked drawers, it is safe to transport pharmaceuticals around the ward. This facility can help patient outcomes by speeding up the process to give them access to their medication.
3.Improve Patient Safety
Perhaps now more than ever, people are aware of the importance of infection control. Professionals who need to go to central locations to collect patient data, or medical equipment, risk coming into contact with others who may be carrying an infection. By using a cart, they can take all the information and material they need with them.
Before visiting a patient, the professional should carry out an infection control procedure, both on themselves and the cart. These procedures help minimize any risk of infection transference.
Patients are vulnerable, and their conditions may see their health deteriorate rapidly.
Professionals using a cart can quickly access materials and equipment such as sharps, medicines, devices to monitor vital signs, and emergency response devices such as those needed in the event of a patient suffering a cardiac arrest. By saving time when reacting to an emergency, patient safety can receive a welcome boost.
4.Improve Patient Engagement
It’s easy to think of healthcare as making the patient better without considering the complexity of the physician/patient relationship. Trust is an essential element to helping a patient to recover from their illness.
If the relationship is weak, patients may feel less inclined to carry out their treatment plan, as they don’t get on with the professional who prescribed the program. Studies have shown that a positive relationship between patient and physician can lead to better outcomes.
Mobile computer carts allow a physician to show laboratory results, scans, and images to the patient at their bedside. As the laptops are internet-enabled, they can view diagrams and pictures that may help the patient to understand complex medical terms. A positive professional relationship is crucial to fostering an atmosphere of understanding and trust.
5.Compliant with HIPAA Regulations
Even in times of emergency, it is still important to consider standards of care and data protection. The HIPAA safeguards are there for a reason, and healthcare facilities cannot ignore them.
Mobile carts help maintain patient confidentiality as information is entered at the point of care and then encrypted. Medicines and dangerous materials are safely locked in the unit, physicians can store contaminated material such as aprons and masks in secure anti-microbial containers, and carts can be decontaminated before and after visiting each patient.
Ensuring compliance with regulations will give both employees and patients confidence in the healthcare system.
Last Word
Healthcare facilities invest significant amounts of money, recruiting, training, and retaining highly-qualified and trained medical professionals. However, to help employees do their jobs to the best of their abilities, hospitals also need to provide them with suitable equipment.
Patient care and safety is always the top priority. As medical environments appreciate the benefits a mobile medical cart can bring, it is an increasingly familiar sight on hospital wards.
Contact us today at Scott-Clark Medical for a free consultation and demonstration.