Solutions Guide: Smart Carts and Cabinets

Using smart data to improve asset utilization and nurses’ user experience

Steve Torbett, Senior Manager of Product Marketing, Rubbermaid Healthcare (RHC)

Mobile workstations are designed to enhance the daily routines and workflow of today’s healthcare providers, and hospitals depend on these carts to be operational every hour of every day – despite having some of the most demanding mobility, utilization and battery-power requirements of any clinical equipment. Of all the information technology found in hospitals, managing mobile workstations used by nurses at the point of care is among the most challenging responsibilities for IT departments.

While the positive impact of nursing carts within hospitals is indisputable, IT staff must account for the impact of user behavior. Carts don’t always end up where they belong, batteries are left uncharged and equipment is frequently misplaced. Diagnosing, solving and preventing these problems are dilemmas for IT when real data is lacking to evaluate what is actually occurring.

More and more hospitals have begun implementing analytics to help proactively manage obstacles before they impact nurses and patient care, and one way of doing so is to use smart nursing carts that stream data to fleet management websites. This data helps hospital IT staff manage fleets to improve utilization and identify certain usage patterns that uncover insights into problems that interfere with maximizing availability, uptime and runtime.

Fleet management systems allow hospitals to see how fleet utilization varies over time by department. In some units, usage is fairly consistent throughout the day, whereas in others, there are peaks and valleys. Understanding how staff uses carts helps provide a better understanding of how many workstations are actually required per unit and when to schedule service. Utilization data can also be used to identify equipment that can be redeployed to rebalance the fleet when carts are moved away from where they are most needed, helping hospitals save money and operate more efficiently.

With further analysis, power usage is another key variable that can identify opportunities to improve product performance. Power settings and technology selection can dramatically impact battery runtimes, but diagnosing power-related IT issues is often a guessing game. Comparing performance for different units and technology configurations makes it easy to identify and make adjustments to perform at an optimal level. In addition, IT can determine the ideal power-conservation settings for carts, which can increase cart runtimes for nurses by more than 50 percent.

Data is essential to inform and determine smart decisions. Hospitals that are applying this principle to their nursing fleets are able to save time by proactively identifying issues before they affect nurses and, most importantly, the care that patients receive.

Interoperability

Automated dispensing cabinets are interoperable with EHR

Hackensack University Medical Center (HackensackUMC) in New Jersey has successfully demonstrated interoperability between their Omnicell automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) system and the hospital’s Epic electronic health record (EHR). By eliminating unnecessary redundancies during medication ordering, nurses now have easier and faster access to patient data to help deliver the highest quality of care in the most timely manner.

HackensackUMC’s implementation of this integrated technology was championed by various members of hospital leadership, including nursing informatics and pharmacy management. This solution merges two separate operations into one application: the EHR. Using a single login, nurses can preselect medications to be removed from the cabinet, check medication availability and even document waste from the interoperable EHR.

Research has shown that 33 percent of the time nurses spend at cabinets can be eliminated if true interoperability between systems could be achieved.*

*South Jersey Healthcare. Vineland, NJ. Data from cabinet log analysis (2009).

Sensors in Healthcare

Internet of Things expected to revolutionize healthcare

H1505 Solutions Smart Carts Zebra Technologies 1

Nearly all (97 percent) of the surveyed organizations in a new study commissioned by Zebra Technologies agree that the Internet of Things (IoT) will be the most strategic technological initiative their organization will undertake this decade. For the research, Forrester Consulting surveyed IT and business decision-makers in nearly 600 global firms in the retail, consumer products, manufacturing, transportation, government, oil/gas, healthcare and hospitality industries between September and October 2014. Survey results also showed that 90 percent of healthcare IT departments are prepared to make the necessary changes to implement Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.

In the Internet of Things, embedded electronics, software, sensors and connectivity turn “dumb” devices like basic hospital carts into “smart” ones enabled by machine-to-machine (M2M) communication technologies like RFID tags and wireless systems for tracking, reporting and analytics. In the Zebra Technologies study, more than 70 percent of respondents cited Wi-Fi as the most important technology for enabling IoT solutions. Real-time locating systems (RTLS), security sensors and barcodes were also noted for their importance. In particular, 83 percent of firms identified Wi-Fi infrastructure and RTLS technologies as important or very important components to enable IoT solutions.

Most respondents expect IoT solutions to provide real-time operational data, creating a safer work environment with greater regulatory compliance, improved operations and an enhanced patient experience. Healthcare decision-makers listed security solutions, cloud services and data analytics as the most important IoT solutions for their industry.

Read the full report in the newsroom at www.zebra.com.

Smart Cart Solutions

All the features a caregiver could ask for

CareLink is the industry’s first smart mobile nurse station platform that embeds a computer and 7-inch glass touchscreen to help IT help nurses focus on patient care while providing them with an improved technology experience. CareLink streams data every one to two minutes to a cloud-based, centrally hosted fleet management system called N-Sight. The platform is designed to operate independently from hospital computers, making it easy to set up and manage.

Because it is a smart platform, new features can be added and updates downloaded remotely. Configurable features of the touchscreen include: a calculator that “shows your work,” three onboard lighting options, battery gauge with calculated runtime and charge time, fast electric lift, personal settings for each nurse that automatically transfer to all the other carts, service requests (for IT, housekeeping, and/or other departments), notifications/alerts and PIN-code entry with robust security options. Rubbermaid

Cordless system renders power cords obsolete

Astrodyne TDI now offers a wall-docking system that converts medical carts and vital-sign monitors into cord-free chargeable devices. MediParceliminates power cords from mobile medical devices while improving safety (nothing to trip over) and ergonomics (no bending down).

Designed to comply with UL498 and integrate into UL60601-3rd Edition mobile-powered carts, this unique wall-docking station is easy to use and makes charging carts effortless. The patent-pending technology can be used with a variety of other portable devices too, including ultrasound machines, hospital beds and electrical stretchers. Its design adapts to both OEM and after-market applications, so retrofitting equipment is definitely doable.

MediParc’s wall mount features a 12-inch-wide by 3.5-inch-deep connection for safe and flexible docking that easily adapts to a building’s existing infrastructure. The system is rated for 10 A at 125 V and offers an integrated ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) for added safety. Three different configurations include a metal raceway installation where the wall mount is connected to an outlet outside the wall, through-the-wall installation having all wiring for the wall mount hidden behind the wall, or as part of a new electrical installation. Astrodyne TDI

Be a part of the revolution in access control

H1505 Solutions Smart Carts Carstens Wallaroo

Carstens’ new line of WALLAroo wall-mounted workstations includes powerful ISONAS access-control technology that allows an authorized user to open locked cabinets and access points throughout a facility with a single swipe card. WALLAroo workstations provide convenient, secure storage to help streamline daily activities, create workflow efficiencies and improve interaction. Using a patented PowerNet reader-controller, ISONAS offers network-based “Pure IP” technology that eliminates the need for a separate power supply, control panel and dedicated hard wiring. These stationary workstations provide convenient and secure storage to help streamline daily activities, create workflow efficiencies and foster improved interaction and enhanced care. Carstens

Charge up to 20 devices

H1505 Solutions Smart Carts Anthro Yes Cart

Meet Junior, the 20-unit rolling YES Cart for Mini-Laptops and more. Junior is flexible (you can use it to store and charge just mini-laptops or mix and match with tablets, handhelds and smartphones) and adjustable (configure the width of bays and height of shelves to fit any device in any case). The deep front user area supports all devices with up to a 13-inch screen – and some with a 14-inch screen. The locking IT area in back provides 20 power outlets and two roomy bins to hold power adapters and cord bundles. An interface panel above the IT area has three external outlets to power your peripherals plus the on/off switch and indicator lights. Keyed locks engage a two-point locking system for security. Padlock brackets position your padlock to block access to the front and back handles for extra security. Anthro

Experience zero gravity

The VHM Series of mounting arms enables computers and medical devices to move weightlessly through a range of motion that can accommodate all point-of-care users, whether they are sitting or standing. In addition to their counterbalanced vertical movement, the VHM Series can be laterally adjusted, tilted and swiveled to ensure devices are positioned at the optimal viewing angle. The multi-position work surface allows users to write, type, read and work in a single integrated workspace. The fold-and-stow design provides a compact, flush appearance for convenience and fast access. Arms can be adapted to virtually any mounting situation found in a clinical setting: walls, counters, ceilings, architectural headwalls, poles, rails, anesthesia machines and more. GCX