Mobile Carts in Healthcare – A Brief History and Beyond

The beginnings of Computer on Wheels (COWs) or Workstation on Wheels (WOWs)

Electronic Medical Records (EMR)and Electronic Health Records (HER) were the driving force for the development of Mobile Carts. With EMR and EHR in Healthcare, computer devices were needed to help Caregivers capture and share the Patient Data, Patient Images and access Patient Charts through the Wireless Network. This was to be done securely and efficiently in an effort to implement a big step in Patient Privacy.  Mobile Carts with a UPS and Battery were the early types.  They were effective but the Run Time was adequate at best and they were kind of clunky.  Enhancements came only as Up and Down Adjustments and Adjustable Keyboard Trays.  The Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) Batteries overall life was around 12 months and Run Time would be reduced greatly toward the end of their life.  What used to run for 6 to 8 hours now only lasts 3 or 4 hours.  This became a burden on Biomed and the IT Departments supporting them.  The question came up many times:  Who is going to support the Mobile Carts…Biomed because of the Battery Power or IT because it housed a Computer, Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse.  Turns out, IT drew the short straw on that one.

What we have now

As the Mobile Carts were used more and more, they became widely accepted. Ideas for efficiencies by using Mobile Carts focused on their intended use in each area of Healthcare. Every area of Healthcare is different and require different tools and accessories. Soon, they were being used for Specific Tasks – Charting, Admissions, Medication Delivery, Radiology, Phlebotomy and Respiratory.  Through the use of specific Accessories, they became effective tools for the Caregivers saving them time and footsteps.  Caregiver Safety came in the form of Ergonomics like: Adjustable keyboard trays – up/down and side to side movements and Adjustable monitor mounts – tilt and swivel to face patient or hide screen from prying eyes.

Technology kept driving on in the Power Systems and Battery Technology too. The old SLA Batteries were replaced by NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) and Lithium Batteries.  Lithium Batteries came in the form of Fixed Batteries solutions, like before, and then Hot Swap Batteries emerged as an alternative.  All of these delivered much longer run times, shorter charging and overall longer life…up to 7 years!

Mobile Cart development produced lighter carts using aircraft quality aluminum, plastics, polymers and cast materials. The new materials contained Infection Prevention features, as well – Microban was infused into the paints, plastics and polymers of each Mobile Cart.  They now had easy to clean surfaces for wipe downs to kill bacteria and pathogens.

The Mobile Carts today are Easier to Use and Maintain than before. Batteries and Power Systems last longer and require less maintenance.  The Mobile Carts are well built and will last up to 10 years, depending on the Manufacturer.  We currently support and maintain Carts built 13 years ago for a few clients.  They just keep rolling and rolling with regular Preventative Maintenance.

Where is Point of Care with Mobile Carts going?

We are currently seeing a couple trends in Point of Care with Mobile Carts or the ability to electronically enter and capture patient data.

We are seeing the need for more Carts in Hospitals, Health Systems, Clinics, Surgery Centers. Physician Practices, Rehabilitation Facilities, Long Term Care, Senior Care, Dental Care and other Health Related Facilities.

We are receiving more and more requests for simple Non-Powered Carts. Caregivers and physicians are using these are their “Home Spot” that becomes their vehicle to carry their Laptop or Tablet, Charts or other things to each patient.  (this simple approach reduces Cross Contamination in Infection Prevention…but that is another conversation)

Carts have been lightened and will become lighter. Monitors and computers have become lighter.  Battery Run Times have increased greatly and will last 5+ years, depending on the Lithium Battery Technology.

Cart Management has moved forward with a couple forms of Cart Inventory Software that have a dynamic Dashboard to show Cart location, Battery Health and User Log In History. Monitoring of a Mobile Cart fleet is now at your fingertips

What will we see in the future for Point of Care Mobile Carts?

Charging Mobile Carts through Proximity Chargers in the Hallways or Alcoves?

How about Carts that won’t need charging at all?

Lighter Carts are always high on the Want List. How about Super lightweight carts?

I have seen small RX Carts (like a R2-D2) that deliver Meds Carts to Caregivers from the Pharmacy on request. How about Mobile Carts that follow the Caregiver under its own power – No more pushing.  This takes Medication Delivery to a whole new level.

How about Mobile Carts that notify IT or the User that an Update, Service or Repair is needed? IBM has had that Service for decades in their support model.  An IBM Technician would show up to perform a Service or Repair because the IBM Mainframe directly opened a ticket and contacted him.

ASR are here to help every step of the way. We can help you off-load Cart duties, help supply New or Refurbished Mobile Carts, Wall Arms, JCAHO Prep, Repairs, Refresh, Upgrades, Accessories, Batteries and Tech Support.  We are a brick and mortar facility with a Tech Center, Parts Department and Warehouse just for Point of Care.

Every Mobile Cart Configuration is possible – we will help Retro-fit your existing Mobile Carts or provide additional Carts. Think of ASR for:

• Documentation Carts
• Charting Carts
• RX Carts for Medication delivery
• Respiratory Carts
• Phlebotomy Carts
• Admissions Carts
• Radiology Carts
• Tablet Carts
• Laptop Carts
• TeleHealth Carts
• Any Cart for any requirement

ASR is a leading Point-of-Care Mobile Cart Dealer and Service Center.

Send us a request for a Catalog

is bridging the gap for Healthcare providers. We know Point of Care and Infection Prevention. With over 40 years combined experience these necessary tools, ASR has developed many ways to reduce Cost of Ownership and increase your Return on Investment.  Contact us today for a quote on Mobile Cart services.

Visit our website at: asrhealthcare.com.

Contact 770.623.0071 or sales@asrhealthcare.com

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Cart Maintenance Basics including Cleaning & Disinfection – COWs, WOWs, Med Carts, RX Carts

 

Cart maintenance should include routine cleaning and disinfection processes. In all Health Systems, I see Carts in many degrees of condition. Some are visibly clean while others are covered with tape, stickers and just plain dirty. I believe that a Cart should look clean and actually be clean to prevent the spread of disease. Also, a Cart that is clean looks better to patients, their family, their friends and hospital staff. ASR offers detailed cleaning and disinfecting services for COWs and WOWs. This service should be performed a minimum of twice each year. One client wants this done quarterly on his fleet of Medical Carts.

Here is a bit I have put together to share about Cleaning and Disinfection of Carts:

Cleaning, Disinfection, and Sterilization: Point of Care Equipment

All Point of Care equipment including Computer on Wheels (COWs) or Workstation on Wheels (WOWs) and Wall Arms are essential to the care of patients. Because they typically are designed for high use, they also can transmit pathogens if any of the steps involved in reprocessing (Cleaning, Disinfection, or Sterilization) are inadequate or experience failures. Because the majority of pathogens are present in organic matter, e.g. visible soil, the first step in reprocessing, Cleaning is the most important. Any failure to remove soil at this point creates the potential for transmission of infection as the efficacy of subsequent disinfection or sterilization will be compromised.

Every hospital or healthcare facility should have an Infection Control Policy in place and include Point of Care equipment. An Infection Control Policy should be built around:

Cleaning Disinfection Sterilization

Cleaning: This process usually involves detergent or enzymatic pre-soak that removes foreign material (e.g. dirt or microorganisms) from an object. Cleaning is the most essential step in reprocessing instruments and equipment. Cleaning involves the removal of all foreign material (dirt and organic matter) from the object being reprocessed. Two key components of cleaning are friction to remove foreign matter and fluids to remove or rinse away contamination. This is especially true for manual cleaning of COWs or WOWs, which removes most organisms from a surface. Cleaning is normally accomplished by the use of water or detergents and mechanical actions. Detergent is essential to dissolve proteins and oil that can reside on equipment after use. Detergents lower surface tension and lift dirt or oil away from the device. Studies have shown that thorough cleaning alone can provide a 10,000 fold reduction in contaminants.

Disinfection: Any process, chemical or physical, that destroys pathogens that deems an item is safe to handle for its use. A disinfectant is a chemical agent that destroys most pathogens but may not kill bacterial spores. Chemical disinfection should only be used if heat treatment is impractical or if it may cause damage to the equipment. There is a broad spectrum of chemical disinfectants that have different antimicrobial activities. Most of them do not necessarily kill all microorganisms or spores that are present on an inanimate object but instead reduce the number of microorganisms to a level that is not harmful to health.

Sterilization: Uses an agent that destroys all viable forms of microbial life on any surface. Sterilization methods remove or destroy all forms of microbial life including bacterial spores by either physical or chemical processes. Sterilization is accomplished principally by steam under pressure, by dry heat, and by chemical sterilants. (Because of their size and the electronic components in COWs or WOWs, Sterilization is not a viable option).

 

Risks of Infection from Equipment

The risks of infection from equipment may be classified into three categories. COWs and WOWs fall into the Low Risk category. These are noncritical items are items that come into contact with normal and intact skin or with the inanimate environment (e.g. walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, sinks, etc.). Cleaning with a detergent and drying is more than adequate. A simple wipe down with an alcohol based disinfectant wipe or once over with a Hospital Grade Disinfectant Spray by the staff before each shift is even better. These processes are essential for every COW and WOW and should be included in your Infection Control Policy.

We understand that budgets are tight.  We will help you stretch your Point of Care device dollar through our VALUE. Partnering with ASR will save you time, money and allow you to better focus on Patient Care.

ASR is a leading Point-of-Care Mobile Cart Dealer and Service Center.

 

Send us a request for a Catalog

is bridging the gap for Healthcare providers. We know Point of Care and Infection Prevention. With over 40 years combined experience these necessary tools, ASR has developed many ways to reduce Cost of Ownership and increase your Return on Investment.  Contact us today for a quote on Mobile Cart services.

Visit our website at: asrhealthcare.com.

Contact 770.623.0071 or sales@asrhealthcare.com

New ASR Website for Point-of-Care and Infection Prevention

ASR Healthcare is proud to have launched our new website featuring many Point-of-Care Carts and Infection Prevention devices.  Check it out for many new updates and products.

 

 

 is bridging the gap for Healthcare providers. We are leading Point of Care company for Healthcare. ASR knows Mobile Carts and have developed many ways to reduce your Cost of Ownership and increase your Return on Investment.  Contact us today for a quote on Mobile Carts, Laptop Carts, Med Carts, Medication Carts and RX Carts.

Save big $$$ with our Refurbished Mobile Carts.

Think of us for Infection Control devices too!

See our new website at: asrhealthcare.com.

Contact  770.623.0071 or sales@asrhealthcare.com

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Point of Care Delivery is Evolving with Metro

Point of Care Delivery is evolving into the safest, most accurate and personable experience a patient can receive.

Health Systems are using Metro Medical Carts and Nursing Carts to enhance the experience of patient care through:

Efficient Patient Care – more time spent with patients instead of time walking back and forth

Highest Quality Patient Care – Technology monitored and supported

Safe and Quality Patient Care – Secure and Accurate Med Delivery

Let’s look at Med Delivery and our enhancements with the 8 Rights of Med Delivery

Right Patient – Scanned for Accuracy

Right Medication – Scanned and Verified

Right Dose – As Prescribed

Right Route – Verify Patient, Med and Dose

Right Time  – Given as Prescribed

Right Documentation – Validate Patient, Date, Time, Dose, Caregiver

Right Reason – Confirm why taking and patient history

Right Response –  Ensure drug gives desired effect

 

Let ASR show you how to get to Stage 5 of Meaningful Use – Closed loop Medication Administration.

 

For the Caregiver, the Metro AccessPoint RX Cart features safety through Ergonomics, Anti-Microbial and full shift battery life. AccessPoint RX Carts from ASR are a Win-Win for Patients and Caregivers.

ASR is a leading Metro Healthcare Medical Cart Dealer and Service Center.

Send us a request for a Catalog

 is bridging the gap for Healthcare Systems of all sizes. We are an award winning Healthcare IT company that knows Point of Care. With over 25 years combined experience Med Carts, ASR has developed many ways to reduce Cost of Ownership and increase your Return on Investment.

Contact us today for a quote on AccessPoint RX or Medication Carts.

See our website at: asrhealthcare.com.

Contact 770.623.0071 or sales@asrhealthcare.com

Cart Maintenance Basics – COWs, WOWs, Med Carts, RX Carts

Cart maintenance should include routine cleaning and disinfection processes. In all Health Systems, I see Carts in many degrees of condition. Some are visibly clean while others are covered with tape, stickers and just plain dirty. I believe that a Cart should look clean and actually be clean to prevent the spread of disease. Also, a Cart that is clean looks better to patients, their family, their friends and hospital staff. ASR offers detailed cleaning and disinfecting services for COWs and WOWs. This service should be performed a minimum of twice each year. One client wants this done quarterly on his fleet of Medical Carts.

Here is a bit I have put together to share about Cleaning and Disinfection of Carts:

Cleaning, Disinfection, and Sterilization: Point of Care Equipment

All Point of Care equipment including Computer on Wheels (COWs) or Workstation on Wheels (WOWs) and Wall Arms are essential to the care of patients. Because they typically are designed for high use, they also can transmit pathogens if any of the steps involved in reprocessing (Cleaning, Disinfection, or Sterilization) are inadequate or experience failures. Because the majority of pathogens are present in organic matter, e.g. visible soil, the first step in reprocessing, Cleaning is the most important. Any failure to remove soil at this point creates the potential for transmission of infection as the efficacy of subsequent disinfection or sterilization will be compromised.

Every hospital or healthcare facility should have an Infection Control Policy in place and include Point of Care equipment. An Infection Control Policy should be built around:

Cleaning Disinfection Sterilization

Cleaning: This process usually involves detergent or enzymatic presoak that removes foreign material (e.g. dirt or microorganisms) from an object. Cleaning is the most essential step in reprocessing instruments and equipment. Cleaning involves the removal of all foreign material (dirt and organic matter) from the object being reprocessed. Two key components of cleaning are friction to remove foreign matter and fluids to remove or rinse away contamination. This is especially true for manual cleaning of COWs or WOWs, which removes most organisms from a surface. Cleaning is normally accomplished by the use of water or detergents and mechanical actions. Detergent is essential to dissolve proteins and oil that can reside on equipment after use. Detergents lower surface tension and lift dirt or oil away from the device. Studies have shown that thorough cleaning alone can provide a 10,000 fold reduction in contaminants.

Disinfection: Any process, chemical or physical, that destroys pathogens that deems an item is safe to handle for its use. A disinfectant is a chemical agent that destroys most pathogens but may not kill bacterial spores. Chemical disinfection should only be used if heat treatment is impractical or if it may cause damage to the equipment. There is a broad spectrum of chemical disinfectants that have different antimicrobial activities. Most of them do not necessarily kill all microorganisms or spores that are present on an inanimate object but instead reduce the number of microorganisms to a level that is not harmful to health.

Sterilization: Uses an agent that destroys all viable forms of microbial life on any surface. Sterilization methods remove or destroy all forms of microbial life including bacterial spores by either physical or chemical processes. Sterilization is accomplished principally by steam under pressure, by dry heat, and by chemical sterilants. (Because of their size and the electronic components in COWs or WOWs, Sterilization is not a viable option).

Risks of Infection from Equipment

The risks of infection from equipment may be classified into three categories. COWs and WOWs fall into the Low Risk category. These are noncritical items are items that come into contact with normal and intact skin or with the inanimate environment (e.g. walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, sinks, etc.). Cleaning with a detergent and drying is more than adequate. A simple wipe down with an alcohol based disinfectant wipe or once over with a Hospital Grade Disinfectant Spray by the staff before each shift is even better. These processes are essential for every COW and WOW and should be included in your Infection Control Policy.

We understand that budgets are tight.  We will help you stretch your Point of Care device dollar through our VALUE as a VALUE ADDED RESELLER. Partnering with ASR will save you time, money and allow you to better focus on Patient Care.

ASR is a leading Metro Healthcare Mobile Cart Dealer and Service Center.

 

Send us a request for a Catalog

 is bridging the gap for Healthcare providers. We are an IT company that knows IT and knows Point of Care. With over 25 years combined experience these necessary tools, ASR has developed many ways to reduce Cost of Ownership and increase your Return on Investment.  Contact us today for a quote on Mobile Cart services.

See our new website at: asrhealthcare.com.

Contact 770.623.0071 or sales@asrhealthcare.com

What is your BEST VALUE in Mobile Carts – ASR and Metro

VALUE – “Worth in usefulness or importance to the possessor; utility or merit.”

VALUE ADDED – “A value add can either increase the product’s price or value. For example, offering one year of free support on a new computer would be a value-added feature. Additionally, individuals can bring value add to services that they perform, such as bringing advanced financial modeling skills to a position in which the hiring manager may not have foreseen the need for such skills.”

BEST VALUE – ” Combining Value and Value Added”

As one of Metro’s Leading Value Added Resellers (VAR), ASR encounters many opportunities where one Health System or another will engage us to source Laptop Carts, Documentation Carts, TeleHealth Carts or full blown RX Carts.  After learning about the task of the cart, the daily process for the cart and the technology to be used in it, we will configure the ideal model for them with pricing.  Those who are new to ASR and Metro often say, “we can get a X Cart or Y Cart for less than that.”  That is probably true, but let’s examine what you get for your $$$ and when will you be replacing it.

Best Warranty – The Metro carts have a 5 year warranty and now a 10 year guarantee  on the LiNano Battery through July 31, 2014 (now expired) .  I don’t think any cart competitor can make that statement.

Metro Carts are Better Built – We are currently servicing accounts with hundreds of our carts purchased in 2006 and 2007.  That is 7 or 8 years ago!  The Competitor’s Carts would have been replaced and scrapped long before that.

Best Features – The AccessPoint Computer Carts have 4 adjustments for Ergonomics, are lightweight and have MICROBAN infused into them.  We completely cover Care Giver Safety and Infection Control.

Best ROI – Metro Carts last longer which increases your initial investment.  Mobile Carts are not going away.  Think long term with them.

Best Service – Metro and ASR provide the best service available today.  We help you support your fleet, upgrade the technology in them down the road and simply push way past that mark where other manufacturers cart will be replaced.

Good luck in getting service when your carts are broken or dying.  Their current price is not anywhere near having VALUE.  Your Soft Costs of extra support, battery replacements and repairs will eat your IT budget up in man-hours year after year.  When looking at your next purchase, try using a factor of 1.5 or 2.0 times the price of the Competitor’s Cart against ours.  Then, you will begin to see your ROI with Metro.  Our carts have the lowest Cost of Ownership.  Think long-term and it WILL SAVE YOU $$$.

We understand that budgets are tight.  We will help you stretch your Point of Care device dollar through our VALUE as a VALUE ADDED RESELLER. Partnering with ASR will save you time, money and allow you to better focus on Patient Care.

ASR is a leading Metro Healthcare Mobile Cart Dealer and Service Center.

 

Send us a request for a Catalog

 is bridging the gap for Healthcare providers. We are an IT company that knows IT and knows Point of Care. With over 25 years combined experience these necessary tools, ASR has developed many ways to reduce Cost of Ownership and increase your Return on Investment.  Contact us today for a quote on AccessPoint Mobile Carts.

See our new website at: asrhealthcare.com.

Contact 770.623.0071 or sales@asrhealthcare.com