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Why is Mobility so Important for Medical Equipment?

mobile medical equipment

“Frontline workers need to be more efficient, and to do this they need equipment that is designed to help them,” said Brian Hazelwood in Healthcare Purchasing News’ recent article. Having equipment that works with you and not against you is an absolute necessity in the healthcare industry. With limited staff, it is crucial to be able to equip staff with what they need quickly and efficiently. Mobile equipment is nothing new to this industry, but it has begun to span far past traditional medical carts. Mobile equipment now spans into other healthcare equipment areas including transportable workstations with a computer and maneuverable equipment stands. Mobility opens up so many doors for more efficient ways to offer care to patients during their time at a facility. 

Time is money, and while healthcare providers should not aim to have the shortest amount of time with each patient just to be productive, more time does allow some flexibility with patient interaction time. Mobile equipment helps to increase facility efficiency as equipment and supplies are able to be moved quickly and easily by staff when needed. When you walk into a healthcare facility today, it comes as no surprise that a noticeable number of items in the room are on wheels. When equipment is able to be moved around a room, within a department, or even around a facility, functionality is increased which is why maneuverability plays a key role in the success of a facility. 

It’s no secret that mobility helps increase efficiency, but what specifically does mobility offer to a facility that increases productivity? There are three main factors that increased efficiency can be attributed to equipment mobility. Below we will go over how equipment that is maneuverable helps to increase efficiency, improve care for patients, and increase facility flexibility. 

1. Increased Efficiency

Every healthcare facility has standard operations that are followed, and each department also has their own set of guidelines specific to their type of care. When efficiency is increased, providers are able to spend more time with patients which is vital as many patients are feeling the need for more time with their provider. Mobile equipment allows staff to quickly move equipment and supplies to where they are needed without sacrificing a large amount of time. While some mobile equipment is moved further distances, even a small bed-side medical stand in a patient’s room may need to be moved quickly to provide care. All in all, mobility helps bring back time to patients with the increased efficiency they provide. 

mobile medical equipment

2. Improved Patient Care

Healthcare workers ultimately enter the field due to their desire to help others, specifically helping folks with their medical needs. While it can be easy to get caught up in the operational side of a facility, it is important to always be reminded of the main purpose of these facilities, and that is to provide care for those experiencing medical issues. When all focus can be put on the patient, everyone is able to experience a positive environment. Mobile equipment allows providers to put their time towards patients and not shuffling around heavy equipment and bulky supplies. This all helps lead to increased patient satisfaction which is vital for facilities to maintain. 

mobile medical equipment

3. More Flexibility

“Prior to COVID, the ability to move critical supplies within a single cart from point A to point B was important but once COVID hit, the needs for speed, mobility and flexibility hit the top of the priority list,” said Ian Loper in the Healthcare Purchasing News magazine. Since the pandemic began, healthcare has shifted in many different ways. It specifically has shifted the flexibility facilities need to have within their operations. Having equipment that is flexible and able to be shifted around in a room or within a department is crucial to this new and adjusted way of healthcare operations. 

Mobile medical equipment

Mobile equipment helps increase operational efficiency while being able to give back some time to patients. While mobile equipment is not the single factor contributing to facility operational efficiency, it can make a great difference in the day-to-day tasks of providers. So how can you increase the maneuverability of equipment at your facility? Lakeside has a wide selection of mobile medical equipment solutions exactly for this need in the market.