CARTS
STRATEGIC SOURCING & LOGISTICS WORKSTATIONS
“There are a multitude of medical procedure cart applications, including Isolation carts, anesthesia carts, general supply carts, code response carts and more,” noted Bradley Carlson, Product Manager, TouchPoint Medi- cal. “Each of these carts serve specifi c purposes. Therefore, each type of medical cart will have unique features to enable it to perform its intended purpose to best address the required workfl ow. Therefore, I would say that when selecting a cart platform, the most important attribute would be a cart with highly confi gurable drawers and accessory options. This is critical in order to meet the end user and application needs.” Tim Ramcoobeer, Head of Outside Sales, H+H System, concurs. “Hospitals, specifi cally inpatient pharmacies, are
such dynamic, ever-changing environments,” he said. “From drug shortages to procedural changes, there will always be the need to grow and adapt — the CO- VID-19 pandemic only reinforced this demand. These strenuous, albeit necessary, changes should absolutely be supported by your equipment such that effi ciency and patient care isn’t sacrifi ced in the process. One of the many ways we mitigate these changes is with our fl exible dividers. The H+H Flexible Divider System allows users to quickly and easily remove, reposition or break dividers down to serve their new needs, without any compromise in effi ciency.” Clinicians and nurses require such fl exibility with this equipment, ac-
Tim Ramcoobeer
cording to Joe Grabowski, Channel Sales Manager – Acute Care, Capsa Healthcare. “The most important cart storage attribute is an
easy-to-use, easy-to-manage locking system with confi guration fl exibility,” he indicated. “Nurses and clinicians need fast, easy, reliable access to the medications and supplies for their specifi c workfl ow. [Information Technology] needs security that is easy to manage, including remote management.” Every cart is designed for a different purpose, from
charting on mobile computing carts. The end goal would be to reduce this amount of time so that it can be spent on quality patient care. “At a bare minimum, mobile workstation providers should be focused on making this charting time as pain-free and easy as possible,” Carlson continued. “This can be achieved through the deployment of DC-optimized workstations that provide 25% more runtime, so that caregivers are not interrupted by the need to go plug in a cart to charge, and/or through the use of lightweight, nonpowered carts paired with medical grade AIO computers with swappable battery solutions as part of the AIO solution. Through the addition of an external power cord, such solutions can see 16+ hours of runtime and can be trickled charged via the power cord without caregivers needing to fuss over or worry about physically exchanging batteries or fi nding additional precious real-estate on the fl oor for battery chargers.” Ergonomics for easy, fl exible use tops the chart
for Capsa’s Torbett. “Adjustment of keyboards and displays is crucial
to adapt to different users, for use in sitting or standing positions and for patient engagement,” he indicated. “Fluid movement, including vertical height adjustment, tilt, swivel and reach, all play important roles in positioning the workstation, both for use by the clinician, and in some use cases, for showing information to patients. Good ergonomics encourage comfortable and convenient use, while preventing caregiver injury and strain.” Tim Ramcoobeer, Head of Outside Sales, H+H System, and Ian Loper,
Steve Torbett
Vice President, DSI, concentrate on the fi nal frontier. “Space, being one of the most valuable commodities within the
Joe Grabowski
surgical case carts to a pediatric cart, so clinicians and nurses have to determine the optimal cart for its serviceable purpose, emphasizes Ian Loper, Vice President, DSI. This is why his company designs its high-density storage carts with an integrated storage system for ultimate effi ciency and fl exibility. “With a wide variety of pull-out baskets, interchangeable compartments, low-profi le tool-less adjustable shelves, catheter storage hangers, and angled trays with the option to upgrade with dust covers, custom labels, handles and casters is enough to meet the high standards in the acute care space,” he added.
Carts: What should be added? Experts envision several design and functional gaps that can be fi lled among carts today. With the need for fl exibility in cart design, one complementary attribute
must work its way into existing and future models, according to H+H’s Ramcoobeer. Adaptability. “It became abundantly apparent in 2020 that our tools and equip- ment needed to serve a multitude of functions,” he said. “Along with the introduction of COVID vaccines, came the need to shift valuable time and resources to new, unfamiliar processes. Sure, carts can be specifi c to serve specifi c functions such as code, narcotics, IT, etc., but when substantial workfl ow changes arise as we’ve seen in recent years, most carts aren’t equipped to adapt and serve those new functions. This gap in effi ciency manifests itself in many ways including loss of time, money and subsequent patient care.” Consequently, H+H System incorporates modularity to its mobility units, enabling end users to shift functionality to storing and transporting general inventory from doing the same with pharmacy trays, he added.
pharmacy, must be maximized whenever possible,” Ramcoobeer noted. “Being able to have all the components necessary to support workfl ow, while keeping the overall footprint minimal, has become such a powerful feature that we are proud to offer with our FlexShelf line of products.” Loper emphasizes the need for having a clear
work surface. This means “stuff is not stored on the work surface but rather stored underneath the work surface in a cabinet or above the work surface in a space free and clear of the countertop,” he said. “A workstation should have storage capacity incorporated into the overall design allowing for a more effi cient, clutter-free, work environment.”
Ian Loper
Workstations: What should be added? Still, experts agree that current workstations in use would benefi t from a number of improvements. Salus suggests solid surface countertops for one. “By upgrading to a solid surface over a laminate you can make cleaning easier and help eliminate the chances of contamination,” he noted. “Laminate cracks, exposing the wood, which absorbs moisture and any other stuff it comes in contact [with], making it unsanitary and impossible to clean – an infection control issue that can be avoided easily by upgrading to a more solid countertop option like stainless steel.” But DSI’s Loper cautions about a universal option that can compli-
cate lifecycle costing. “It seems most of the workstations being used in SPDs today were
originally designed for other markets, not specifi cally for use in hos- pitals,” he observed. “The materials used are heavy in weight, using thicker-than-needed heavy gauge steel, and more importantly, do not have a complete range of accessories applicable for use in SPDs and or Biomedical applications. This often leads to sourcing different ac-
hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • July 2022 11
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