The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the necessity for healthcare facilities to have both highly-trained staff and the required equipment to provide high levels of patient care.
Within the healthcare industry, it is standard practice for hospitals and clinics to hire the best staff they can find, and then to continue to put them through regular training. It is unacceptable for a professional to go for years without maintaining their professional development and keeping their existing skills at a high level.
However, the same standards should apply to equipment as well. Mobile medical carts are intricate pieces of machinery. These units can carry electronic equipment that can monitor patient vital signs, hold sensitive materials in biometric locking drawers, and even carry devices to help resuscitate patients in medical emergencies. The importance of maintaining every individual aspect of a cart should be a top priority in any ward.
Computing Hardware and Software
One key benefit of using mobile computing workstations is that physicians and nurses can access a patient’s electronic health records at the point of care. This facility may mean they can prescribe medication and a course of treatment at the time of visit, rather than waiting for a file to be updated in another location, and then passed to the physician later.
This information is particularly sensitive, and HIPAA regulations are clear in stating hospitals have a duty of care to protect this information carefully. It is essential to ensure the hardware can provide the necessary protections and that software offers an acceptable level of encryption.
Locking Systems
While some facilities continue to use key and lock systems, these are now somewhat outdated. The latest systems use biometric locking mechanisms with proximity scanners. They will remain secure until a professional carrying a key card with the correct authorizations is nearby.
This technology needs to be maintained, and users may have to update the software at regular intervals.
Crash Carts and Anesthesia Carts
Crash carts are invaluable in the case of a patient suffering a cardiac arrest. Response times are crucial, and if a cart enables a physician to respond more quickly, then this may benefit the patient outcome. Anesthesia carts are sensitive, and the measuring devices need to be extremely accurate to ensure patients receive the correct amount of anesthetic.
These electronics and mechanics need to be checked and maintained regularly. It’s also essential that these procedures are carried out by qualified professionals.
Frames and Casters
Hospital wards are busy, and carts can be subjected to many bumps during the day. Cleaning materials can be abrasive and may cause damage to frames over time. As the carts are mobile, the casters may suffer wear and tear. In a clinical setting, the failure of a mechanism on a mobile medical cart could have severe consequences.
A thorough maintenance schedule is crucial to ensure patient safety is not compromised.
How To Maintain Your Cart
Just as patients expect their medical professionals to receive training from those who are qualified to carry it out, computer carts must be examined and maintained by those who can do so.
Should inexperienced or unqualified staff attempt to check a cart and miss a fault, or try to fix a part and make a mistake, there could be severe consequences for patients. Preventative maintenance is better than fixing a problem after it occurs.
It may be better to outsource the maintenance of your mobile carts. Medical professionals place great importance on the value of the different units they use throughout their working days, such as treatment carts and procedure carts.
At Scott-Clark Medical, our qualified professionals will ensure the work surfaces, medical computers, frames, casters, and many more elements are in excellent condition and ready for use on the ward.
As you can customize your cart, it may be that your cart offers easy access to medications, or you had the cart designed to be of use in a particular kind of emergency. There are so many variations in the use of a cart that it is vital you only use a professional service to ensure it is going to be ready to help with your needs.
Our customer support team is available to give friendly and informative advice should you have any queries. Our capable engineers will carry out the required checks and repairs to a high standard, and you can be confident your mobile cart can perform the necessary tasks.
Contact us at Scott-Clark Medical today for a consultation and a quote for your mobile cart maintenance package. Refurbishments can be completed on site to limit any workplace disruptions. All our work comes with a guarantee for your peace of mind.