Medical Cart Mobile Power Systems
Project: Medical Cart Mobile Power Systems
Medical Cart – noun, /med-i-kul – ‘kart/; “Mobile systems, solutions, or workstations that optimize the storage, mobilization, and access of healthcare equipment, supplies, medication, and electronic data.” -American River Medical, LLC
What: medical cart mobile power systems are the on board (on cart) power supply systems or components that power adjunct peripherals, typically of the IT category, and potentially the cart’s own access control system.
Who: American River Medical is a innovation, design and service company focused on medical cart and storage systems for healthcare. We welcome the opportunity for potential project collaboration.
Why: Our mission is to provide medical cart systems, services, and solutions that make healthcare professionals’ calling more meaningful, efficient and effective.
Example: a mobile computing cart may have a barcode scanning gun, an AIO monitor/cpu, and a specialized printer. These items enable EHR (Electronic Healthcare Records) integration and require a power source. Power chords – yes still widely in use – are typical and cost effective, whereas modular batteries are a chord-less solution. Both, require an onboard battery as the core definition of a cart “mobile” means the cart must maintain power during mobilization. The on board battery(s), charging system, and often “Chord” are all part of the medical cart’s “Mobile Power System.”
Problem: medical cart power systems are negatively impacting workplace safety, costs and quality of care
Current Market Climate: medical carts utilize three primary mobile power systems
- Chord – for charge/recharge of onboard battery(s) (common LiOn, or SLA)
- Modular / swappable – modular battery is “Swapped” in exchange system with one from charging station
- Continuous modular – utilizes technology to optimize power between two modular batteries (LiOn)
Question: Can a medical cart with a mobile power system be designed that not only resolves the above problems but goes beyond and improves healthcare, workflows, and ultimately patient care?
Carts of Consideration:
Primary – mobile computing carts, workstations, Wow’s, and other carts with integrated IT peripherals
Secondary – medication carts, OEM carts, other carts with high power demands and/or mobile path of travel
Tertiary – all carts. With increasing demand and integration of technology even the simplest of medical supply carts will see an increase in power demands going forward
Goal: medical carts of all types will be chord-less, abundantly powered, and nursing / healthcare staff will again be free to perform their primary calling of caring for patients absent today’s burden of medical cart mobile power system monitoring, management, and maintenance
Research: utilize evidence based practice methodology and healthcare design for patient outcome initiatives to optimize workflow efficiencies and eliminate today’s medical cart mobile power system problems. Consideration will be given to highest and best use practices for healthcare and our environment.
Potential Metrics & Milestones:
- product / brand development
- industry / peer collaboration – healthcare systems, manufacturers, research/design/architect firms
- pilot program, white paper, evidence based design incorporation
- intellectual property development – copyright, trademark, design and/or utility patent(s)
- market adoption of solutions (design, product, brand)
- solution integration with existing brand product line
- healthcare professional performance metrics improved, reduced nursing fatigue
- solution minimizes healthcare facility’s carbon footprint to positively impact environment
- solution advocates – nursing, physician, healthcare/environmental/manufacturing community
item #AR-Project-001
Posted 16MAY2018 under “Projects.” Additional project updates may be found here or under “News“