Supply Exchange Cart – Mobile Solution Spotlight
El Dorado Hills, CA USA – Suppy Exchange Carts
continue to grow in popularity. Traditionally utilized in the surgical setting, Endoscopy or GI, supply exchange carts support optimized supply storage in three ways:
1. Large supply storage capacity
2. Complete supply visual transparency
3. Modular configurations
Our “Mobile Solution Spotlight” for August 2015 is the Supply Exchange Cart. Among many benefits the supply exchange cart offers a large storage capacity, complete visual transparency of supplies with a single access point, and modularity for the customization of your storage needs today and the evolution of your storage needs for the future.
Supply Exchange Cart – American River Medical’s “Mobile Solution Spotlight” for August 2015.
1. Large supply storage capacity – The nature in size of supply exchange carts allow for more items to be stored. More isn’t always better, especially in the realm of optimized storage. An anesthesia supply room crammed with “Stuff”, isn’t a functional storage system. However – the supply exchange cart makes a strong case for capacity. Capacity is only a function of optimized storage – it cannot in and of itself create optimized storage – just more storage. To be optimized storage, the supply exchange cart must represent an increase in storage capacity and the ability to stock, access, and pull supply items readily. Supply Exchange Carts accomplish this with an exoskeleton body, that is large, yet still mobile. Having more supplies as a function of it’s utility near the carts POP (point of purpose), means less restocking and replenishing. This increase in capacity functions really nicely – whether utilized in a traditional Cart Exchange System” or not. A traditional supply exchange cart system would utilize a supply room, with supply exchange carts that are filled and prepared for deployment or exchange, for one who’s inventory has been accessed and requires inventory reconciliation and replenishment. A new cart is rolled to it’s POP, while the old cart is rolled back into the supply room. The benefit of increased capacity in a supply exchange cart is this “Exchange” is done far less frequently due to the larger inventory of supplies on hand. Whether the POP is in a surgical suite, catheter lab, or patient room – the supply exchange cart allows for less inventory shortages and requires less frequent reconciliation and replenishment.
2. Complete supply visual transparency – Supply Exchange Carts traditionally come with either a roll up door called a flex door, tambour door, C-lock, or glass hinged door(s). The type of door is dependent on supplies stored and location of the carts point of purpose (POP). In the case of the Flex-Lok roll-up door, when it is accessed all the supplies stored inside the cart are available in one quick glance. Healthcare professionals can readily see all the inventory supplies, labels, and sizes to efficiently retrieve the correct item they are seeking. In the case of the glass hinged doors, healthcare staff can readily see the stored items on approach to the cabinet, even prior to accessing it. As healthcare leadership throughout the western United States have conveyed to American River Medical – time saved is money saved. Supply workflow systems are increasingly being evaluated to bring about improved care. Every minute their staff are not digging into a drawer of a cart looking for items – is labor cost savings and increased employee satisfaction. The exoskeleton of the supply exchange cart delivers a single access point to the entire cart. It eliminates time savings of opening the wrong drawer for something once, twice, thrice, and so on. The entire supply exchange cart is transparent at the moment it is accessed and even prior if it is in the open position or has glass doors.
3. Modular configurations – Supply exchange carts have modular storage. This allows for your cart’s supply inventory optimization to change over time. Shelves, slide out shelves, trays, bins, wire baskets, catheter FIFO glide hangers, slot shelves and dividers short and long provide maximum customizable storage. Customizable storage configurations allow for supply exchange carts to adapt to any hospital or healthcare environment, and evolve with that environment over time. Hospital departments may re-purpose the supply exchange cart from that of an interventional cart, to that of a thoracic, or vascular supply cart. This is accomplished by reconfiguring the internal storage within the framework design of preset vertical slots. Shelves and bins can be moved around or replaced with bins and baskets. Storage modularity ensures the supply exchange cart will be customized to fit your need from day one – and evolve with your storage supply needs long into the future.
Supply Exchange Carts Increase Hospital Revenue Capture
Due to the benefits of increased storage capacity, transparent quick views, and modular configurations the Supply Exchange Cart is making headway into the department of Emergency Services and other patient care areas. The supply exchange cart is quickly replacing traditional smaller bedside carts and fixed case work. In Emergency services, if a room is specialized for pediatrics, or psychiatric behavior, the fixed (often melamine) case work or bedside cart is also specialized. When the department receives a surge in standard patients, it is unable to quickly and easily convert that room to a traditional patient room as it only has supplies for specialty patients (Psych, Pediatric, etc.). The ability of the Supply Exchange Cart to be an all encompassing supply cart, means any room can be used at any time for the needs of the department. In turn this means shorter wait times and more revenue capture opportunity. American River Medical continues to learn new applications of the Supply Exchange Cart from healthcare and nursing leadership and we welcome the opportunity to learn from you and yours.
The American River Medical Advantage
Our team’s experience and leadership in medical supply carts consistently provides clients the personable service they enjoy and the professional expertise of performance. American River Medical understands the obstacles, departments involved, and how to serve your needs throughout the various stages of supply exchange cart analysis, design, and implementation. Our team utilizes internal systems, software
Want to learn more about Supply Exchange Carts or have a question? Give us a call at 800-2eight5-23hundred , View our Supply Exchange Carts here, request a Demo or Quote here , or connect with us here.
The Supply Exchange Cart is our “Mobile Solution Spotlight” for August 2015, a leader in mobile storage optimization, and a True Solution.
About – American River Medical, LLC is a medical manufacturers’ representative group of True Solutions. The team is focused and purposeful in serving clients’ complete medical cart and storage experience. The commitment to clients is demonstrated through service centered representation of only the best brands. American River Medical’s cart and storage systems improve quality of patient care through optimized storage of equipment, supplies, medication, and data. ARM’s core competency in carts and storage combined with value-add services and strategic partnerships deliver a proven, unique, and refreshing value proposition. True Solutions.