Extend the Life of Your Medical Carts with Three Easy Tips!
While overall quality plays a major role in the performance and lifespan of any medical cart, so will some simple upkeep. Proper cart maintenance should be among the priorities of every healthcare facility. The time spent to accomplish just a few key steps will result in longer-lasting carts, significant long-term savings and time back throughout the day—valuable moments spent focusing on patient needs rather than cart troubleshooting.
First and foremost, cart models that feature DC optimized power solutions because they are safer – reducing the risk of shock and thermal events. DC optimized power solutions are more efficient because they allow direct connections with most EMR computers and screens. Bypassing the need for AC adapters, DC-powered carts deliver 20% more work time out of a charge while also saving 20-25% electricity. In terms of real-world cost savings, AC-powered point-of-care cart solutions cost about $20 more in electricity per year than DC-optimized counterparts. For a facility with 500 carts operating over five years, choosing DC-optimized cards can save $50,000 in electricity.
Also, on the subject of batteries, carts should always be re-charged before dropping below 15% power. Running cart batteries to zero will negatively affect the overall health of your carts. The software integrated into your battery system should monitor and manage this automatically.
More than just a convenient way to transport essential tools and medications, medical carts power computers, scanners and other devices needed for exceptional patient care. And while professionals today are well in the habit of disinfecting surfaces and other frequently touched parts of carts, they’re probably not thinking about dust in the power supply vents. Any build-up of dust can slow the performance of your cart in several ways: it causes components to retain heat and makes internal fans work harder to dissipate that heat. Together, these factors will decrease a cart’s day-to-day performance and efficiency. over time, dust can lead to cart failures.
So, to combat the negative effects of dust, be sure to vacuum it from those problem areas.
To keep carts and all integrated devices running smoothly and safely, don’t wait for connectivity problems to disrupt patient care. Make cable maintenance part of regular cart care by ensuring that cable connections are tight and clean. Loose cables and those not properly cared for may tug on connectors, causing hot spots that can go unnoticed until a major failure occurs.
By completing just a few simple tasks, you can successfully protect cart health. These early prevention measures will reduce downtime and save your facility money over time.
