In the dynamic world of healthcare, the surgical sector stands out for the swift precision and meticulous organization required for success. Every instrument, equipment, and medical supply item can be critical in life-saving procedures. Surgical inventory management ensures patient safety and helps facilitate the seamless execution of medical procedures in such an environment. 

Managing and organizing your surgical supply inventory might seem daunting. After all, it requires more than just tracking and monitoring — you must order new medical supplies and surgical equipment strategically, throw out expired materials, and constantly check that you have what you need. 

So, how do you balance the fine line between having enough inventory and avoiding overstocking? Read on to learn what surgical inventory management entails and how to optimize it to create an efficient and organized surgical supply operation that supports your procedure workflow. 

What is Surgical Inventory Management? 

The backbone of a successful surgical department lies in its ability to manage inventory effectively. This is where surgical inventory management is a strategic imperative that supports every surgical procedure by maintaining the right tools at the right time.  

Surgical inventory management oversees and controls the availability, storage, tracking, and utilization of medical/surgical supplies, equipment, and consumables within a healthcare facility. These management systems involve:   

• Stock monitoring  
• Procurement  
• Surgical storage optimization  
• Creating a committee  
• Order processing for surgical storage  
• Demand forecasting 

Ways to Optimize Your Surgical Inventory Management 

You can employ several methods to create a surgical inventory system that’s as dynamic and responsive as the healthcare environment it supports. 

Stocking and ordering supplies are the basis of inventory management. The key to success is to track stock meticulously by monitoring crucial details, such as the quantity, expiration date, suppliers, and reorder levels of your supplies.  

You should establish a robust inventory tracking system to implement this method effectively. One of the best approaches is to use a digital inventory management system. This system can automate the tracking process and alert staff when stock levels fall below a predetermined threshold or when items are near expiration.  

You should also build strong relationships with suppliers to keep a steady stream of necessary items. Finally, conduct regular inventory audits to identify usage trends. This can inform more accurate ordering and prevent overstocking and understocking. 

Integrating Technology 

Integrating technology can help turn your inventory system into a well-oiled machine. You can use technology to organize and label inventory, track access and usage, and monitor stock levels in real time.

A few ways you can adopt technology include: 

• Adapt specialized inventory management software: Categorizes items, tracks usage, and automatically reorders supplies when critically low.  
• Integrate access control systems: Tracks who accesses the inventory and when.  
• Utilizing barcode or RFID technology: Optimizes the process of checking items in and out. 

The key here is to choose scalable solutions that integrate seamlessly into your existing workflows. By doing so, surgical supply management becomes a strategic asset in delivering high-quality patient care. 

Creating a Committee

• Collaborative Decision-Making: The committee’s varied perspectives lead to more comprehensive decisions. Each member contributes unique insights, covering all facets of inventory management. 
• Identifying Needs: Different department members can pinpoint specific inventory needs and challenges, like surgeons and nurses identifying essential items and supply chain experts suggesting stocking methods. 
• Process Efficiency: The committee standardizes inventory management procedures, setting protocols for ordering, stocking, and monitoring levels, which are vital for an efficient supply chain. 
• Better Communication: Regular meetings enhance inter-departmental communication, ensuring a consistent understanding of inventory changes. 
• Monitoring and Evaluation: The committee continuously assesses inventory system effectiveness, adjusting based on performance metrics, staff feedback, and technology use. 
• Compliance and Best Practices: The diverse committee ensures inventory management meets regulatory standards and industry best practices, which are crucial for patient care and safety. 

Monitoring Expiration Dates 

Monitoring expiration dates is another critical task that directly impacts patient safety. Efficiently tracking these dates keeps all surgical supplies safe and allows you to utilize surgical storage space for viable, adequate supplies.   

You can incorporate several strategies to monitor expiration dates effectively:  

1. Incorporate expiration date tracking into regular inventory counts. You can do this manually or boost efficiency through inventory management software that alerts staff to upcoming expirations.  

2. Organize items in a way that prioritizes using items with earlier expiration dates to help prevent waste.  

3. Establish a routine for disposing of expired supplies. 

Demand Forecasting 

Demand forecasting involves analyzing usage patterns to predict which items you’ll need most frequently and in what quantities. It helps you avoid overstocking and understocking, which can lead to increased costs and waste or delays in surgical procedures. To implement demand forecasting effectively, you can analyze historical usage data to reveal trends about which items get used most frequently and are prone to running out. 

Furthermore, advanced inventory management systems can assist demand forecasting by providing detailed reports and predictive analytics. These insights allow you to adjust your ordering patterns for a more efficient supply chain. This helps improve budgeting for future purchases and always keeps essential supplies in stock. 

By adopting a proactive approach to demand forecasting, you can optimize your inventory levels, reduce costs, and enhance the quality of patient care. 

Security, Storage, and Organization 

While keeping supplies well-organized is important, security is an even bigger priority. High-quality medical storage cabinets and procedure carts are the solution. They maintain an organized inventory and provide easy access to supplies while securing them against unauthorized access.  

Capsa Healthcare provides a variety of solutions you can incorporate into your practice to enhance the security and organization of surgical supplies, such as:  

• Storage cabinets: The FLX and MAX Storage Cabinets feature locking hinged glass doors with either a keyed or keyless lock. Thoughtfully designed storage compartments include flat pull-out shelves, shelves with three or six columns, bins, and trays with dividers.   
• Procedure carts: The Avalo Procedure Carts are lockable with keyed or keyless locks. The procedure cart benefits include convenience, space-efficient storage, adaptability to various applications, and more.  
• Crash carts: The Avalo Crash Cart features a breakaway locking handle to access secure supplies during an emergency. Storage compartments for these carts include different types of drawer dividers along with other storage options.   

These adaptable mobile workstations are designed with the complexities of healthcare environments in mind, ensuring only authorized personnel can access surgical supplies. As a result, you can maintain your inventory’s integrity and comply with regulatory requirements.   

Budgeting

Lastly, you must maintain a balanced budget to optimize resources without compromising patient care. One of the key strategies is leveraging demand forecasting, which allows you to plan your budget based on historical data and trends.   

Other practical measures include:  

• Avoiding bulk purchases to prevent overstocking and waste. 
• Regularly running cycle counts to understand inventory turnover. 
• Keeping expensive supplies locked up and well-monitored to prevent misuse or stealing. 

Boston Medical Center’s Approach to Optimizing Code Carts  

Boston Medical Center (BMC) tackled challenges with outdated code carts, impacting workflow and patient safety. In 2016, they aimed to standardize new carts, addressing issues like clutter, accessibility, and inconsistent designs. A diverse Code Committee evaluated solutions, ultimately choosing Capsa Healthcare’s Avalo Emergency Cart for its ergonomic design and efficiency.  

Results and Redesign Impact   

Post-implementation, the redesigned carts received positive feedback for their organized, less crowded design. The new layout significantly reduced the time to administer medications, enhancing efficiency and focusing on patient safety. BMC’s project not only improved the physical design of the carts but also standardized the hospital’s emergency response equipment.  

Lessons for Surgical Inventory Management   

BMC’s experience underscores the importance of several aspects crucial to surgical inventory management:  

• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Involving a diverse team to identify issues and solutions ensures that different perspectives and needs are addressed.  
• User-Centric Design: Focusing on the needs of the staff who use the inventory ensures efficiency and safety.  
• Regular Audits and Feedback: Continuous improvement and adaptation based on user feedback and changing needs are essential.  
• Technology Integration: Utilizing modern solutions like Capsa Healthcare’s carts can significantly enhance efficiency and safety.  

Optimize Your Surgical Inventory Management with Capsa Healthcare 

Mastering the art of surgical inventory management is about more than just keeping shelves stocked. By utilizing the above methods, you can achieve enhanced operational efficiency, ensure patient safety, and drive cost-effectiveness. 

Capsa Healthcare offers excellent medical storage solutions if you’re looking for high-quality medical storage cabinets, crash carts, procedure carts, and more. View our wide variety of products today to see how they can aid you in optimizing supply organization and storage for your surgical inventory management.    

The post Surgical Storage Redefined: A Guide to Optimizing Your Surgical Inventory Management  appeared first on Capsa Healthcare.

What Are Endoscopy-Associated Infections?

Endoscopy-associated infections (EAI) can occur during gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic procedures. These infections typically manifest within 30 days and can be attributed to two primary sources: the patient’s inherent gut flora or contaminated endoscopes.

The microorganisms typically responsible for EAI include well-known ones like Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella enteritidis.

On a broader scale, the composite infection rate following GI endoscopy procedures is estimated at around 0.2%. However, it’s important to note that certain procedures, such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), may exhibit higher infection rates.

While preventing EAI stemming from contaminated endoscopes is feasible, there exist challenges in ensuring effective infection prevention.

Challenges With Preventing EAI Caused by Contaminated Endoscopes

The FDA hasn’t yet approved single-use endoscopes, and several factors make cleaning endoscopes a complex and challenging process:

• Endoscopes have an intricate design, with numerous crevices, joints, and delicate components, making them difficult to clean manually.
• Biofilm can form on the surfaces of endoscopes and inside the endoscope channels, making it difficult to remove contaminants and increasing the risk of infection.
• Failing to follow proper reprocessing guidelines can lead to ineffective cleaning and an increased risk of contamination.
• Failure to dry the endoscope after cleaning and high-level disinfection can render the reprocessing procedure invalid and can pose an infection risk.

There are three ways healthcare facilities can address these challenges.

Three Ways to Prevent EAI Outbreaks

“Over 17.7 million gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopic procedures are performed annually, contributing to 68% of all endoscopic procedures in the United States.” PubMed

Each procedure requires cleaning the endoscope afterward while adhering to ST91 standards and testing cleaned endoscopes. Prompt communication about any infection outbreaks is also necessary for patient safety.

Clear and Urgent Communication About EAI Outbreaks

It’s essential to have clear and transparent communication regarding endoscope outbreaks or device failures. Poor communication can lead to staff stress and regulatory complications.

The FDA has emphasized that patient safety could be compromised if clinicians do not promptly and effectively report infections.

Effective communication promotes collaboration among healthcare professionals, manufacturers, and regulatory bodies. It helps them better understand and address risks related to endoscopes. Likewise, clear communication is vital in preventing infections and informing patients about potential endoscope hazards. Timely reporting and swift incident response are crucial for preventing complications and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Staff morale improves when you inform them about risks and the steps you take to address them. When communications are open between medical teams, you can broaden perspectives, provide new information, and reduce persistent safety issues.

To ensure effective communication, you could:

• Identify clear communication pathways for sharing new or essential information about endoscopes.  
• Provide training for staff about recognizing events and motivating them to report by letting them know their input is essential.  
• Implement structured communication techniques to improve teamwork and reduce errors.  
• Utilize digital tools for reporting and data collection to improve efficiency and communication. 

By addressing clear communication, healthcare providers can help minimize the risk of endoscope-related outbreaks and device failures, ultimately improving patient safety and overall outcomes.

Properly Follow the Endoscope Reprocessing Cycle

“Healthcare facilities should have a reliable, high-quality system for endoscope reprocessing which minimizes infection risks.” Center for Disease Control   

Endoscopes require constant reprocessing, including proper cleaning, disinfecting, drying, and storing. The FDA recommends following reprocessing guidelines listed in the manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU) to help prevent contamination.   

The AAMI updated the ST91 standards for endoscope reprocessing in 2021. The update singled out four critical areas:

1. Training

A leading cause of endoscope processing errors is inadequate training.

Personnel performing endoscope processing or sterilization need in-depth formal training. Employees should be certified and keep their certifications up to date.

2. Clarification Regarding Cleaning Steps and Verification Checks

Improper cleaning process timing is a critical error in many sterile processing departments.

Instruments should be cleaned within 60 minutes following a procedure.

After each use of high-risk endoscopes, there should also be a cleaning verification check. This includes bronchoscopes, duodenoscopes, linear ultrasound endoscopes, and more.

3. Instrument Drying

Some bacteria can remain alive in wet environments. To complete sterilization, the AAMI recommends a minimum of ten minutes of drying using instrument air or high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-filtered air before storage for endoscopes, all lumens, and channels. A proper endoscope drying cabinet utilizing forced air can meet this recommendation.

There should also be a check for moisture inside and outside the instrument to determine if more drying time is needed.

4. Instrument Storage

Healthcare facilities can store endoscopes in drying cabinets or conventional storage cabinets. However, research shows that drying cabinets reduce the risk of retained moisture and microbial contamination.

Capsa Healthcare’s TruAir™ Scope Drying Cabinet ensures patient-ready endoscopes by providing additional safety during storage and drying.

Regular Testing and Surveillance of Endoscopes 

Surveillance culturing and regularly testing endoscopes also help protect patients against endoscopy-associated infections. However, testing endoscopes for microbiological surveillance culturing has limitations and differs by country. Some regions do not require testing but encourage it.

Microbiological surveillance or testing, or environmental endoscope culturing, is rapid and straightforward. It monitors the effectiveness of standard reprocessing procedures and helps find and trace contaminations in endoscopes.

Clinicians should also test scopes for defects and leaks to help prevent contamination. The CDC advises performing leak testing using the manufacturer’s IFU. Surveillance is critical for detecting damage to endoscopes’ external surfaces and internal channels.

Your scope testing should include monitoring for defects like debris, scratches, dents, adhesive disintegration, channel shredding, biofilms, or residue.

It’s crucial to regularly test and surveil endoscopes for patient safety, infection control, and regulatory requirements.

Mitigating Risks of Endoscopy-Associated Infections

Healthcare facilities can significantly reduce the risk of endoscopy-associated infections (EAI) by focusing on three critical components: clear communication, adherence to updated ST91 standards for endoscope reprocessing, and regular scope testing and inspection. Clear and transparent communication among healthcare professionals, manufacturers, and regulatory bodies is essential for promptly identifying and addressing potential risks, promoting collaboration, and ensuring patient safety. 

Adherence to the ST91 standards, as updated by the AAMI in 2021, is vital in maintaining the integrity of the endoscope reprocessing cycle. This includes comprehensive training, timely cleaning and verification checks, proper instrument drying, and suitable storage methods. Implementing these standards minimizes the risk of contamination and supports infection control measures. 

Regular testing and surveillance of endoscopes, encompassing microbiological culturing, leak testing, and defect inspections, are indispensable for monitoring reprocessing effectiveness and detecting any issues promptly. These practices are crucial not only for patient safety but also for meeting regulatory requirements. By prioritizing these three pillars—clear communication, adherence to standards, and regular testing—healthcare facilities can enhance patient safety and ensure that endoscopes are consistently procedure-ready, contributing to improved overall outcomes and infection control. 

Enhance patient safety and ensure endoscopes are procedure-ready with Capsa Healthcare’s TruAir™ Scope Drying Cabinet, an innovative solution that adds an extra layer of protection during storage and drying processes, ultimately bolstering infection control in healthcare facilities. Make the choice that prioritizes patient well-being and procedure readiness—choose TruAir™ today.

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In 2015, a nursing home caregiver in Minnesota who was under a lot of work pressure mistakenly recorded a medication order for the wrong patient. As a result, a resident who was supposed to receive warfarin didn’t get the correct dosage for nine days, leading to a stroke and the resident’s death. Likewise, in 2016, a pharmacy dispensed the antipsychotic drug Navane (thiothixene) instead of the blood pressure medication Norvasc (amlodipine) to a 71-year-old patient, causing severe physical and psychological harm to the patient.

These cases are part of the roughly 7,000 to 9,000 annual deaths and 1.5 million injuries in the United States attributed to medication errors. A significant number of these mistakes occur because of problems with communicating dosages and drug orders, as well as confusion between drugs with similar names.

Medication workstations can be crucial in addressing these problems by enabling administrators and directors to equip their staff with the latest technology. One practical approach is closed-loop medication management, which has demonstrated tangible benefits, including an overall reduction in adverse drug events, a 10% decrease in harmful errors, and saving an hour in staff medpass work time.

What is Closed-Loop Medication Management?

Closed-loop medication management systems use modern technology to prevent medication dosing errors by replacing each manual step with a computerized one. In a closed-loop system, the doctor or caregiver enters the order directly into a computer, keyed to the patient’s wristband or other barcode. This computerized order goes directly to the pharmacy. The medication is typically stored in an automated dispensing cabinet, such as a NexsysADC. It is then retrieved and placed into the MedLink system for delivery to the patient.

The MedLink Medication Management Workstation ensures secure access to the cabinet and a patient-specific drawer through the patient’s wristband barcode, preventing unauthorized access. It is transported to the patient’s room and opened at the patient’s bedside, guaranteeing the exclusive retrieval of medications from this workstation, thereby eliminating the risk of incorrect dosing.

The MedLink logs the medication retrieval and dosage, seamlessly updating the patient’s records within the hospital or facility’s computer system.

The closed-loop system ensures that even if the drawer is mislabeled and taken to the patient’s room, it cannot be opened. Medication can only be delivered to the patient for whom the drawer is programmed. This helps prevent giving incorrect doses to patients and other potentially dangerous errors.

MedLink Medication Management Workstations

Mobile workstations are essential tools in modern hospitals and clinics. These powered or manual carts efficiently move supplies and equipment between rooms, eliminating the need for staff to return to supply closets repeatedly. Specialized workstations, such as Capsa’s MedLink Medication Management Workstation, offer focused support by facilitating medication delivery.

The MedLink Medication Management Workstation is a specialized portable medication delivery system designed to streamline the process. It transports medications directly from the pharmacy to the patient’s bedside without unnecessary detours. This closed-loop system minimizes errors and enhances patient safety. With no reliance on additional staff inputs or side trips for signatures, the likelihood of errors is significantly reduced. This single-trip approach also eases the workload for staff and reduces paperwork. Nurses and clinicians no longer need to make multiple trips to the pharmacy, as the workstation can accommodate all the necessary supplies and medications.

Electronic Medical Records

The caregiver should ask the ” seven rights ” questions before administering any medication. With the EMR accessible at the bedside, these questions are readily available.

• Is this the right patient?
• Is this the right drug?
• Is it the right dose?
• Is it the right time for this medication?
• Is this the right route of administration (oral, IV, epidural)?
• Has the right documentation been completed?
• Is this drug being given for the right reason?

Since the MedLink Medication workstation has features that prevent the drawer from opening unless the correct code is entered, the first four questions have already been answered. The EMR answers the sixth question. Caregivers only need to ensure that the route of administration and the reason for the medication are correct.

Benefits of the MedLink Medication Management Cart

Mobile workstations are great additions to large and small hospitals and clinics. They are versatile and customizable to a range of needs. The MedLink Medication cart offers some unique benefits to administrators and staff alike.

• Safe and accurate medication administration: Each patient is assigned a drawer in the cart, and each drawer can only be unlocked with the patient’s barcode. Once the drawer is assigned, medications are stored and refilled as needed. Drawers will close and lock if left open too long, so medication cannot be removed if a caregiver is called away. The system records each time the drawer is opened and closed for tracking purposes.
• Customizable and adaptable design: The standard cart can support a computer monitor and keyboard, plus two cassette housings. The cart can be configured with one standard cabinet or two high-capacity cabinets that hold twelve different arrangements of drawers. Drawers come in sizes from small to extra-large for all kinds of items, from syringes to bulky supplies.
• Multiple labeling systems: Drawers can be labeled with patient names, room numbers, or supply codes. They can be assigned via a pre-loaded patient list or manually through the keyboard and patient wristband or barcode.
• Streamlined workflows: The AutoScan and MedLink Pro software allows staff to assign the same cart to multiple users throughout the day. Since each drawer is keyed to one patient, there is no risk of cross-delivery of medication. This improves staff workflow while ensuring patient safety.

MedLink Carts Boost Workplace Efficiency

Like all Capsa mobile workstations, the MedLink Medication Management carts are designed with a focus on ease of use and staff comfort. The AutoFit ™ technology allows each user to adjust the height and angle of the work surface and display with a single touch. The powered cart features a one-handed steering function that helps reduce physical stress.

Even in large hospitals, space is always at a premium. All Capsa carts are built with tight spaces in mind. Small footprints allow for easy cart storage and prevent hallway clutter. With Power Track™ steering, caregivers can effectively navigate tight spaces, corridors and turns with one-hand operation for care on the go.

All Capsa workstations are built for easy cleaning to meet infection control standards. The surfaces and drawers are easy to clean and stand up to repeated sterilization and disinfection.

Is MedLink Right for You?

If your facility does not need the complete MedLink Pro software, consider MedLink Lite. Some facilities may not require all system features but need the safety and security of the closed-loop medical management system.

• Long-term patient care environments, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, may not require the capacity and flexibility a high-turnover acute care facility requires. 
• Smaller facilities won’t need to assign a single cart to multiple users per shift. If a single user will handle the medication delivery for each shift, the MedLink Lite system may be sufficient. 
• If the cart is 100% self-contained, it can provide records of cart usage, medication access, and other auditing information. If your system is already set up to capture this information elsewhere, you will not need the additional software immediately.

Other advantages to acquiring the complete MedLink Pro software include tracking and AutoScan. Consider the specific needs of your facility before making your final determination.

Bringing the MedLink Medication Workstation to Your Facility

The MedLink Medication Management Workstation can enhance medication administration in healthcare settings. It ensures patients receive the proper medications, reduces the physical strain on caregivers by minimizing trips to supply rooms and pharmacies, and enhances the accuracy of medication prescribing, distribution, and delivery. Healthcare administrators can also reduce liability by upgrading their technology.

If you believe the MedLink Medication Management Workstation could benefit your organization, please contact our consultants for a review of your specific needs. You can reach us at 1-800-437-6633 or submit an online request form. We will get in touch to discuss suitable mobile workstation options and how our closed-loop system can improve your workplace.

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In the healthcare landscape of the United States, access to specialized medical services can be a critical challenge, especially in underserved areas. rtNOW, a telerespiratory company based in Michigan, has been at the forefront of addressing this issue. Founded in 2016 by respiratory therapists, rtNOW initially offered remote respiratory care services to a small, critical-access hospital.

However, in 2019, under the leadership of registered nurse Chuck Stadler Jr. of CORE Staffing and Vital Tech Solutions, rtNOW underwent a transformative merger, enabling it to expand its services across several states.

Since then, rtNOW has evolved into a nationwide company, providing innovative solutions in response to the national healthcare staffing crisis. Hospitals, healthcare facilities, and skilled nursing facilities can now have on-call virtual access to expert respiratory therapists. The American Association for Respiratory Care recognized rtNOW as a pioneer in telerespiratory care. 

The Challenge 

Urban hospitals and other medical facilities have an integrated network of medical professionals with availability to these staff around the clock and access to high-tech procedures and specialists. At the same time, rural hospitals have historically faced limited access to resources and specialty healthcare professionals. Often, there aren’t enough respiratory patients to justify full-time respiratory staff. 

Non-respiratory personnel must take on some of those duties. However, their facilities often lack the medical equipment, protocols, and staff needed to deliver care. Nurses double as respiratory therapists, but they don’t have the specialized training to manage complex pulmonary conditions.  

At the same time, the healthcare sector is experiencing a shortage of respiratory therapy professionals. This absence of medical professionals and resource limitations were the catalyst for rtNOW seeking a solution. 

rtNOW recognized that healthcare facilities, especially rural hospitals, needed remote access to bedside respiratory care and support. However, to meet that challenge, rtNOW needed the right equipment to deliver services remotely. 

Evaluation Process 

Due to the nature of respiratory care, rtNOW needed medical carts with articulation. Respiratory therapists closely monitor both the machines and the patient, so on-site staff needed mobile medical carts that could easily turn from one area to another.   

The medical carts also needed to be easy to assemble and use. In their capacity as a small organization, the rtNOW sales staff was unable to deliver equipment or store carts. They needed a supplier with drop shipping.

Selecting Medical Carts 

After reviewing many suppliers, rtNOW chose Capsa Healthcare’s Tryten S1 Tablet Cart for respiratory therapy delivery. The fact that the Tryten S1 comes 90% assembled was a central factor in the decision. 

rtNOW staff had previously spent hours putting stands together with great difficulty. The Tryten S1 Tablet Cart could be assembled in minutes, simplifying the process and increasing staff efficiency. 

The sleek look and the articulating iPad arm were also deciding factors. rtNOW wanted a cart that would stand out from the other equipment. Nurses and medical staff work with many different bedside carts and equipment, so the telerespiratory cart needed to be easily identifiable and easy to use.  

The weighted base and the whisper-quiet, non-marking, lockable wheels offer stability and increased mobility, which improves the ease of use for nurses and medical staff. The white finish also offers long-term product durability, enhancing service quality. 

The tablet bracket and basket accessories were also attractive features. Staff could ensure secure iPad attachment and have an organized storage solution for medical supplies or medical instruments.  

The Implementation Process 

The solution was seamlessly implemented. RtNOW, which started as a small business, only purchases one or two stands at a time. The sales lead places an order and drop-ships it to the account executives. The account executives assemble the carts, attach the iPad, and deliver the solution to the client. 

As the organization expanded, rtNOW introduced a White Glove Service for remote installation, enabling growth into states outside a drivable distance. Capsa’s simple assembly and drop shipping features enhanced this service, making it easy to quickly onboard new clients. 

The Results 

With the help of Capsa Healthcare’s medical cart, rtNOW saw a wide variety of benefits, including increased efficiency, cost savings, and protection from theft.  

Enhanced Efficiency 

Where previous stands took hours to assemble, the Tryten S1 Tablet Cart took under 30 minutes. That alone increased staff efficiency, resulting in significant time saved.

rtNOW also saw greater logistical efficiency with drop shipping. The team could curtail the time and money spent on delivery and assembly and have products shipped directly to the account executive or the client.  

Cost Savings 

The increased setup and logistical efficiency led to substantial cost savings. Staff spent less time on assembly, leaving more time to focus on the client. The convenience of drop shipping and no minimum order requirements made it easier to ship and deliver stands without the overhead of a loading dock, long assembly time, or substantial cash commitment on carts.  

The carts securely hold the iPads, which avoids expensive loss from theft. rtNOW hasn’t experienced any theft or technology loss since integrating the tablet cart into the process, resulting in significant savings.  

Overall Experience

rtNOW found the experience with Capsa Healthcare easy and accessible. They faced obstacles with other suppliers, such as minimum order requirements, but Capsa welcomed small orders and listened closely to feedback. 

Capsa continuously implemented product improvements, displaying its commitment to quality and innovation. Implementation was easy and eliminated previous pain points in the rtNOW setup process. 

Recommendation 

rtNOW’s journey, from its inception as a small critical-access hospital service to its evolution into a nationwide company, demonstrates the critical need for remote respiratory therapy care in rural hospitals and healthcare facilities. The shortage of respiratory therapy professionals and resource limitations posed significant challenges, which rtNOW sought to address head-on. 

rtNOW expanded its reach to underserved areas and addressed challenging medical needs. Implementing the Trtyen S1 adjustable Tablet Cart increased overall efficiency for rtNOW and facilitated secure access to essential telerespiratory care. Learn more about Capsa Healthcare’s custom carts for medical devices and telehealth services.

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Endoscopes are important medical devices utilized by healthcare facilities to screen, diagnose, or treat patients. When facilities utilize reusable endoscopes, there’s a risk of infection if proper manufacturer reprocessing steps aren’t followed. To minimize the risk, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has collaborated with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to establish the ST91:2021 standards for sterilizing endoscopes. Ensuring strict compliance with these standards is vital to ensure the safety of patients undergoing endoscopy procedures at your facility.

Healthcare facilities in the United States conduct over 20 million endoscopy procedures annually, which involve contact with a patient’s tissue and mucous, posing risks of person-to-person and environmental infections. Inadequate sterilization and storage practices can result in potential disease and outbreaks within your facility. It falls upon an organization’s leadership to establish policies, provide training, ensure the availability of suitable equipment, and implement relevant standards to address these concerns. 

The ST91 standards are comprehensive and detailed, aimed at keeping patients safe and reducing complications. Endoscope reprocessing has traditionally relied on manual cleaning and high-level disinfection. The revised ST91: 2021 standards provide added importance to drying and storing flexible endoscopes. If organic residues and infectious material persists in the endoscope channels due to reprocessing failures, they can multiply if moisture is present. Proper drying is crucial for ensuring patient-ready scopes. Meticulous storage conditions and equipment are essential for keeping the endoscopes contamination-free after reprocessing. 

The ST91 Reprocessing Recommendations 

The ST91 standards developed by the AAMI and ANSI provide comprehensive guidance to achieve best practices for cleaning, disinfecting and/or sterilizing, drying, packaging (where required), and storage of endoscopes. The standards are data-based and aimed at improving patient safety. They cover: 

• Definition of high-risk scopes. Some types of scopes are more difficult to clean due to specialized levers and smaller, more specialized components. This further decreases the margin of error in the cleaning and reprocessing steps with an already tight margin of error windows.   
• Expanded leak testing methods. Your facility should have both automated and manual leak testers. These testers should be periodically verified and calibrated. 
• Current recommendations for drying endoscopes. Endoscope channels must be dried with pressure-regulated forced filtered air for at least 10 minutes. Instrument air or high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-filtered air is vital for preventing contamination and formation of biofilms. This period should be extended if moisture is visible. This reduces microbial recontamination of endoscopes and biofilm formation within them by water-borne organisms.   
• In the past, staff used long soaking periods to ensure decontamination. This increased their risks of adverse effects. ST91 provides precise guidance about the time required for disinfection and warns about the hazards of manual disinfection. 
• Technical guidance about sinks. They should be deep enough to allow complete submersion of endoscopes during cleaning and leak testing. Their height should be adjustable for staff comfort and ergonomics. 
• Communicating technical information about testing the water quality used for the final rinse is important. Safe water is crucial to prevent contamination at this stage. 
• Appropriate packing and sealing specifications of reprocessed endoscopes are necessary. This keeps your facility ready for emergency procedures. 
• Even with appropriate packing, endoscopes don’t remain sterile forever. ST91 specifies how reprocessed endoscopes can be stored before needing reprocessing.  

The ST91 standards define specific drying and disinfection times, eliminating the need for lengthy disinfection basin processes and improving your hospital’s endoscope usage. 

The U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is concerned about the risks of infections associated with reprocessed endoscopes. The FDA recommends that all healthcare facilities follow one of these steps:   

• Precleaning, leak testing, cleaning, disinfecting, rinsing and drying 
• Precleaning, leak testing, cleaning, and sterilization 

It is important for your facility to follow all recommended infection control practices. Your facility must report any adverse events related to the use of endoscopes (including infections) to the manufacturer and the FDA under the medical device reporting regulations. Stringent compliance with the ST91 standards will improve patient safety and reduce the need for such reporting.  

ST91 Standards — Implementation 

ST91 compliance requires significant changes in facility-wide practices. Staff training and equipment acquisition are likely to need considerable capital outlay. All personnel engaged in endoscope reprocessing should undergo formal training followed by competency verification. You may also need to procure appropriate equipment.  

A three-basin setup of adjustable height will facilitate your staff to perform disinfection effectively and without physical stress.   

Endoscope drying cabinets come with many valuable features. These include pressure-regulated forced instrument-grade air or HEPA-filtered air that helps the endoscope’s internal lumen to dry. The positive pressurization inside the cabinet stops free-floating debris in the environment from entering the cabinet. A well-specified endoscope drying cabinet will provide safety and efficiency beyond standard scope storage cabinets and help your facility meet and maintain ST91 compliance. 

Drying cabinets reduce the risks of retained moisture and microbial contamination. You can minimize the costs associated with ST91 compliance by acquiring one scope drying cabinet and then storing the reprocessed endoscopes in a standard scope storage cabinet. The requirements may change over time and require drying in storage. Drying and storage cabinets should be kept away from basins to avoid water-borne contamination due to splashing. 

Capsa Healthcare’s TruAir™ Scope Drying Cabinets are ST91 compliant and have four configurations to accommodate 4 to 18 endoscopes. Capsa Healthcare’s cabinets are an excellent investment; you can upgrade them to meet changing requirements. Your facility can implement future changes swiftly and avoid completely replacing existing solutions.   

Capsa Healthcare is a trusted healthcare support organization committed to serving the industry and delivering expertise. Products are engineered for dependability and durability. When you need technical support or service, Capsa Healthcare has a comprehensive service program designed to help you maintain uninterrupted care delivery.    

ST91:2021 Fundamentals 

Physicians at your facility use endoscopes for medical procedures, and it’s crucial to reprocess these devices after each use to prevent infections. Endoscopes are costly and delicate instruments, and proper cleaning and disinfection require expertise and suitable equipment. 

The ST91 standards offer detailed guidance to your staff on safely processing reusable endoscopes and accessories, ensuring patient safety, and teaching effective reprocessing methods. Choosing equipment carefully to maintain ST91 compliance in your hospital is essential. The magnitude of the pharmacy industry means that organizations and pharmacists must adopt cutting-edge technologies to keep up with demand and maintain efficiencies. Automation is one of the major enablement levers.  

ST91 compliance not only improves your facility’s endoscope management and patient safety but also helps reduce hospital-acquired infections, which are vital for preventing healthcare-associated illnesses and controlling costs. Capsa Healthcare can assist you in selecting, obtaining, and operating the necessary equipment to adhere to these critical standards, providing expandable and upgradeable solutions to keep your hospital adaptable and prepared for the future. 

The post ST91 Compliance: Endoscope Drying and Storage Done Right   appeared first on Capsa Healthcare.

It is staggering how far and how fast the business of prescription dispensing has come! Pharmacy filling practices have changed from drug compounding in the early 1920s to pre-manufactured medication dispensing in the 1960s and 1970s. Medications went from being available only at request to being stocked in extensive inventories. 

The evolution of prescription filling continued with mass-tableting and capsulating methods in the 1960s to the modern day, moving from strictly dispensing medications to offering clinical consultation and patient counseling. Today’s local neighborhood pharmacy practice largely follows this format.   

However, as the need for pharmaceuticals has skyrocketed in recent years, pharmacies have acquired sizable and expensive inventories. The massive cash investment required, combined with costly labor shortages, and the evolution of transportation/shipping and automation, have ushered in more efficient prescription filling models. One compelling solution has been highly automated central filling and mail order pharmacy models. 

Central Filling and Mail Order Pharmacies 

What are Central Filling Facilities? 

Central filling is the practice of processing prescriptions in a warehouse or closed-door pharmacy rather than a local pharmacy. Large chain pharmacies today commonly use this strategy to dispense refilled prescription medications (non-acute).   

The filling process model is logical, efficient, and economical: a local pharmacy receives a prescription, decides whether it’s an acute/short-term medication need or a maintenance medication, and thus on a regular refill schedule. If it is the latter, the pharmacy forwards the script to the central fill location. This closed-door facility processes the prescription via automated processes and ships it back to the local pharmacy within 24 hours for patient pickup.  

Chains use this strategy to simplify logistics, setting up a radius of “spoke” pharmacies in one region and placing the warehouse central fill in the “hub”. The warehouse serves only those chain locations, some within a drivable 100 miles and others across several states. 

Central filling has proven success: 

• Alleviate workload 
• Decrease patient waiting times/heighten customer satisfaction
• Contribute to greater accuracy and reduced overall costs
• Enhance pharmacy workflow
• Drive better patient outcomes
• Contend with the rapidly changing environment – and its financial pressures – surrounding chain pharmacy

Due to its many benefits to patients and businesses alike, chain pharmacies strive to maximize efficient refilling; chain pharmacies operating a central filling model have the capability to fill up to 50% of maintenance prescriptions at their centralized facilities. 

Role of Mail Order Pharmacies 

Where central filling pharmacies operate by geography, mail order pharmacies are traditionally driven by insurance coverage. Instead of picking up a prescription from a local pharmacy, the patient’s prescription runs through insurance and a pharmacy benefits manager, processes via automation at a mail order pharmacy, and is delivered to the patient’s doorstep.  

The process circumvents a physical brick-and-mortar pharmacy and allows insurance companies to promote medication adherence. It’s also a highly efficient system with substantial savings. Mail order pharmacies can provide patients with numerous benefits, including convenient home delivery, online ordering of prescription refills, and a longer supply than at a community pharmacy (e.g., 90-day fills are common in mail order versus 30-day fills).

Compared with community pharmacies, the total costs at mail order pharmacies may often be lower for patients. Hence, there is continual growth in mail order pharmacy prescription filling. In 2010, mail order accounted for 10% total prescriptions in the United States; a decade later, that number was almost 16%. Volume-wise, mail order pharmacies have the capacity to fill an incredible volume, upwards of 100,000 prescriptions daily.  

Benefits of Centralization in Pharmacy for Maintenance Medication Prescriptions 

One of the benefits of centralization is pharmacy inventory reduction, especially for chain pharmacies. A local pharmacy no longer must own and stock thousands of medications, resulting in substantial savings in overhead costs. 

Centralization is also more efficient. Almost all medications can be diverted to a local warehouse with pharmacy automation, significantly decreasing pharmacy labor costs and requirements. Patients taking multiple maintenance medications can have their refills synchronized so all prescriptions arrive at the local pharmacy for pickup at the same time. This results in faster patient turnaround, fewer trips back to the pharmacy, and a more in-depth consultation with the local pharmacist at pickup time. 

Pharmacy Industry Trends in Central Filling

Pharmacy centralization is a growing market, expected to expand at a compounded annual rate of 11.3% by 2028. Small to midsize chains, large hospital systems, and even independent multi-store owners are moving toward centralization for refills. 

Large integrated delivery networks (IDNs) are also increasingly creating specialty pharmacies. IDNs are organizations that own and operate a network of healthcare facilities. These central pharmacies allow healthcare providers to circumvent barriers to access and better coordinate care across multiple sites. 

Efficiency gains and cost savings are leading the shift to centralization. With tight margins and labor challenges, pharmacies can optimize central and mail order automation systems and see a faster turnaround, less cash investment in stock, and fewer labor constraints.  

The Scale of the Pharmacy Industry 

Pharmacists filled 6.7 billion prescriptions in 2022 in the United States alone, representing a part of the largest global market. Globally, the pharmaceutical industry is enormous, valued at $1,587 billion in 2022, and expected to grow.  

Outside the United States, the Netherlands is a shining European example of the progressive adoption of central filling. Beginning with a major overhaul of the country’s health services, including medication delivery methods in the early 2000s, Dutch pharmacies now fill 70% of repeat prescriptions via a hub and spoke model, with proven significant reductions in local pharmacy cost, onsite labor, and Rx filling errors. 

The magnitude of the pharmacy industry means that organizations and pharmacists must adopt cutting-edge technologies to keep up with demand and maintain efficiencies. Automation is one of the major enablement levers.  

The Role of Labor and Automation 

Labor shortages are a critical issue, driving migration to automation. With continual evolution, stakeholders can optimize operations and increase efficiency.  

Labor Challenges Driving Migration to Automation 

A 2022 survey found that 76% of community pharmacies struggled to fill positions in late 2022. On top of that, demand for pharmacists will increase by 3% over the next decade. These long-term staff shortages are straining pharmacies across the board.  

One of the solutions to managing staffing shortages is to embrace prescription-filling innovations. Automated central filling and mail order pharmacies can handle high-volume dispensing at high speeds, simultaneously relieving the pressure from labor constraints and increasing turnaround time.  

Robotics, interconnected software systems, and now artificial intelligence in central fill pharmacies automate most tasks such as inventory management, counting, labeling, packaging, record-keeping, and shipping of medications (from bulk tablets and capsules to unit-of-use packaging). With automation in a centralized location, pharmacies at the local level can redeploy existing staff to profit-generating and patient-centered tasks, improving efficiency and quality outcomes.  

Evolution of Automation Tech 

Like pharmacy practice as a whole, automation tech for high volume pharmacies has evolved. Its advances are largely driven by the goals of human error reduction, cost containment and FTE reduction, escalating daily order volumes, speed, and better inventory management. Centralized pharmacy automation designers in the past often relied on integrating Rx filling devices more suited to brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies (e.g., daisy-chaining multiple retail pharmacy dispensing robots that each hold 100-200 medications).  

Modern design philosophy has shifted away from that hybrid approach. Designing from the ground up with specialized central fill/mail order counting technology, instead of cobbling individual retail pharmacy technologies, addresses the unique large-scale needs of central fill or mail order in a warehouse-size layout, dispensing hundreds to thousands of NDCs/DINs via complete conveyor systems. 

Also driving technology, pharmacies saw a skyrocketing number of drug shortages in 2023, requiring strict operational and clinical inventory management. 

As automation expands from simple counting and filling machines to central technology, pharmacies can create complete systems that automatically manage manual tasks using rule-based design, AI, and robotic applications.  

Implement Cost-Effective Prescription Filling Methods With Capsa Healthcare 

The pharmacy industry is vast; the United States is approaching 7 billion prescriptions filled annually. Pharmacies have historically held extensive inventories to serve their hometown patients, but the overhead and investment costs, labor challenges, and advancements in automation are driving rapid change. Staying current on industry trends and adopting cutting-edge technologies that minimize inventory requirements and relieve labor constraints is essential.  

Automated central fill and mail order design, a specialty of Capsa Healthcare’s Pharmacy Automation Group, has proven to be a cost-effective approach to transforming chain, hospital and, mail order pharmacy operations. Learn more about Capsa Healthcare’s high-volume pharmacy prescription systems. 

The post The Rapid Expansion of Central Filling & Mail Order Pharmacies appeared first on Capsa Healthcare.

Accurate documentation is vital for delivering quality patient care in the healthcare industry. Point of care documentation is a valuable tool to enhance the documentation process.

So, what exactly is point of care documentation?

Point of care documentation, or POC charting, is the recording and documenting of patient information directly at the bedside or point of care. It uses portable electronic devices instead of delayed conventional methods, such as paper-based records or desktop computer systems. It involves capturing real-time data in the electronic health record (EHR) system for patient observation, assessment, and treatment.

Why is point of care documentation important?

It is vital because it enhances accuracy and efficiency while reducing the risk of errors caused by delayed documentation. It helps you rapidly capture and update patient information to maintain comprehensive medical records. It improves access to critical patient information, facilitating better communication and decision-making among the patient’s entire healthcare team. 

What is an example of point of care documentation?

A current example of point of care documentation is using handheld electronic devices, such as tablets, to enter patient data at the bedside. Point of care solutions may also include mobile computing workstations, wall-mounted workstations, or medical carts, such as those designed by Capsa Healthcare.

Best Practices for Effective Electronic Health Record (EHR) Documentation

Adopting point of care clinical documentation improves patient outcomes and empowers patients to participate in their healthcare journey. However, to ensure an effective, safe workflow, you must address point of care documentation concerns, such as patient data security, authentication, error risk, and compliance issues, by following standard guidelines and best practices for EHR documentation.

1. Ensure Accurate and Comprehensive Data Entry in Electronic Health Records

Capturing complete patient information is crucial to ensure effective healthcare delivery. Here are some tips for accurate and comprehensive data entry:

• Verify and cross-reference patient identity and data.
• Use standardized coding systems, workflows, and templates to ensure consistency and better data analysis.
• Use real-time point of care documentation for enhanced accuracy and reduced risk of omissions or inaccuracies.
• Prioritize data completeness by including all relevant information, from past medical history, medications, and allergies to present-day vital signs and health metrics.
• Regularly review and validate patient data for consistency and accuracy.
• Use supported AIDC (automatic identification and data capture) devices to enter critical information into the EHR. An example would be using a mobile computing medication workstation with a mounted barcode scanner to automatically and accurately enter accurate data entries into the EHR.  This barcode medication administration workflow ensures the right drug was administered, to the right patient, with the right dose, at the right time, via the right route (the five “rights” of medication use).

Adhering to these practices can help you establish reliable EHRs to support informed decision-making, effective care coordination, and improved patient outcomes.

2. Maintain Timestamps and User Signatures for Document Authentication

To ensure the integrity and authenticity of EHRs, healthcare professionals must maintain timestamps and user signatures for document authentication. Timestamps record when the document is created, modified, or accessed, establishing a chronology of events. They are vital for auditing, legal purposes, and tracking changes in medical history. User or digital signatures verify the identity of the healthcare professional responsible for the documentation. They establish accountability and serve as confirmation that the data has been reviewed and approved by authorized personnel.

Timestamps and user signatures safeguard patient data against unauthorized modifications. They can help detect potential tampering and maintain the credibility and reliability of EHRs, promoting data integrity and compliance with regulatory standards.

3. Enhance Readability: Optimize Font and Text Size in EHR

Enhancing readability by optimizing font styles and text sizes in EHRs is crucial for efficient patient data retrieval. This can help reduce the risk of misinterpretation and errors. Here are some best practices for optimizing font and text size in EHRs:

• Select easily readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Avoid decorative fonts that may hinder readability.
• Use a font size large enough for comfortable reading. A font size between 10 and 12 points for body text and a slightly larger one for headings and important information is ideal.
• Avoid light-colored text on a white background and dark-colored text on dark backgrounds. Ensure sufficient contrast between the text and background colors.
• Use consistent layouts and formatting to ensure vital information is not missed.
• Use large format displays greater than 22 inches or other EHR viewing devices that enable zooming for improved readability of text.

These tips can help you optimize font and text size in EHRs, enhance readability, improve user experience, and support data comprehension.

4. Minimize Errors and Ensure Data Integrity with Timely Documentation Entry

Delayed or incomplete documentation can affect the quality of patient care, leading to poor patient outcomes. On the other hand, timely documentation reduces the chances of errors or omissions, enabling the generation of reliable reports, analytics, and actionable insights. It allows you to capture details immediately, reducing the risk of forgetting critical information.

Timely data entry also promotes continuity of care. You can promptly record assessments, observations, and interventions so that your team has access to complete, up-to-date information. This facilitates smooth transitions in patient care, minimizes miscommunication and duplication of efforts, and improves decision-making.

You can implement technological solutions such as point of care mobile devices with alerts or reminders for prompt documentation. This can enforce real-time documentation and data authenticity and improve care coordination and patient safety.

5. Improve Patient Communication and Information Sharing via EHR

EHRs improve patient communication and information sharing in healthcare agencies. They provide immediate access to a patient’s comprehensive medical history, including diagnoses, medications, allergies, and test results. This enables informed and accurate communication with patients. Through point of care systems or patient portals, patients can access their records, care plans, and educational materials, empowering them to engage in self-care.

EHRs facilitate seamless information sharing and care coordination among teams across healthcare clinics, enabling continuity of care. Multiple healthcare providers can access and update the patient’s record in real-time, ensuring records of the most current information.

EHRs also enable the sharing of clinical guidelines, evidence-based resources, and treatment options with patients. You can discuss treatment alternatives, risks, and benefits and involve patients in shared decision-making. This promotes transparency, patient engagement, and better health outcomes.

6. Avoid Reliance on Previous Visit Notes for Current Documentation

Capturing current and up-to-date patient data is crucial for maintaining accurate medical records and delivering quality care. So, avoid relying on previous visit notes for current documentation. Previous visit notes provide valuable information about a patient’s medical history. However, they cannot serve as a substitute for current patient data.

Relying solely on previous visit notes may lead to documenting inaccurate or outdated data. Patient conditions, medications, and preferences may change over time. Failing to update records with current information can result in errors or inappropriate treatment decisions. Current documentation ensures the highest quality of care without compromising patient safety.

Additionally, healthcare providers are legally and ethically responsible for accurately documenting a patient’s visit. Previous notes may raise concerns regarding compliance during audits or legal matters.

7. Leverage Advanced Digital Health Technologies for Enhanced Patient Care

Innovative healthcare technology holds tremendous potential for enhancing patient care and revolutionizing healthcare practices. Solutions include telemedicine, remote monitoring, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, digital therapeutics, wearable devices, point of care workstations, and EHRs. They enable point of care documentation in home health, fostering patient communication and engagement, remote diagnosis, and primary care delivery. These tools enhance workflow efficiency, personalize patient care, and improve patient outcomes.

Solutions To Help Deliver Quality Care to Your Patients

Implementing best practices in EHR documentation is crucial for delivering high-quality patient care. However, leveraging advanced technological solutions can help achieve this more accurately and efficiently.

Using innovative technology, Capsa Healthcare delivers flexible and reliable point of care solutions to enhance workflow efficiency and seamless communication among patients and healthcare teams. With a user-friendly interface and robust features, our solutions allow you to access and document patient information at the point of care, improving accuracy, timeliness, and overall patient care outcomes.

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At Capsa Healthcare, we recognize the growing demand for adaptable and mobile workstations capable of accommodating a variety of monitors and devices, making us a leading player in the mobile medical workstation industry. Join us at this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) conference in Chicago from November 26-30 where we will showcase our trailblazing mobile medical workstations.  

At Booth 6961, explore our Trio carts and Tryten Monitor and Tablet Carts, which can be tailored to align perfectly with your radiology workflow requirements. These carts are not only customizable but also offer branding options, embodying our commitment to delivering top-tier care and ergonomic solutions to the healthcare sector. 

The Challenge in Radiology Workflow 

We have extensive experience in using computer-aided design (CAD) to enhance the creation of our mobile workstations. Healthcare professionals need mobile cabinets and healthcare carts with everything they need at hand, but the carts must also withstand daily use by multiple users. In radiology, the equipment used on mobile medical carts can be heavy, so the carts must have robust frames and combine an ergonomic design and reduced footprint.  

At the 2022 RSNA conference, the need for streamlined clinical workflow in radiology was emphasized. The impact of the COVID emergency has not lessened in the past year, and radiology departments need efficient, cost-effective equipment, including work carts. At Capsa Healthcare, we have responded to these evolving medical needs by expanding our product lineup to include a variety of categories, such as isolation carts, bedside carts, and medication management carts. 

Capsa Healthcare’s Trio Computing Workstation 

Diagnostic imaging equipment needs a sturdy utility cart that provides space for a computer, monitors, a power supply, and imaging equipment. Capsa’s Trio Computing Workstation fills that bill admirably for medical facilities looking for a medical workstation on wheels that can ease flow problems in time- and personnel-strapped offices and clinics. 

Capsa Healthcare’s Mobile Computing Workstations 

We have been building and customizing mobile computing workstations in all areas of the healthcare industry and have garnered recognition for our ability to design mobile workstations that improve radiology workflow. The benefits of radiology care workstations are innumerable, and include: 

• Ease of movement. The small footprint of the Trio workstations makes them easy to handle and simple to store. A cart on wheels can be stashed behind a door or in a convenient corner without blocking hallways during high-traffic periods. 
• Ergonomic comfort. We design all workstations with medical staff in mind. All carts and workstations adjust to multiple heights and angles so radiologists and other users can sit, stand, or kneel as needed during a busy day. 
• System integration. Radiology Information Systems (RIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) are compatible with the Trio workstations and the Tryten Monitor and Tablet Carts. 
• Independence. Reliable and powerful batteries mean radiologists can travel from room to room without concern for electrical outlets. No need to worry about unplugging other devices or stopping to swap batteries or recharge a device. 

• Sterilization capacity. We design all our workstations to meet the highest infection control standards. A healthcare facility needs equipment that is easy to clean and can take repeated disinfection to keep both patients and healthcare personnel as safe as possible.     

Real-World Impact of Medical Carts 

The Trio workstations are already making a major impact in the radiology world. These highly modifiable carts accept a wide range of customizations and feature N-Sight fleet management software that enables facilities to track cart locations in real-time. In busy radiology departments, this added perk is a benefit that helps reduce wait times and misplaced equipment. 

The Tryten S1, S2, S5, and X1 fleet of Monitor and Tablet carts also enhance workflows and improve patient engagement by providing medical professionals with bedside access. Visit the Capsa booth at the RSNA conference, and let us show you how mobile medical carts can give you:

• Quality patient care. Carts provide faster diagnostic turnaround, improved data security, and more bedside visits, all of which improve patient care. 
• Improved staff efficiency. Carts contain organized storage for medical instruments and supplies, allowing doctors to access everything they need, all in one place. Ergonomic equipment reduces user stress and improves care delivery. 
• Reduced documentation errors. By having mobile carts with electronic medical records, data is entered into the patient’s file immediately, decreasing the number of charting errors. The doctor sees what the radiologist sees and can even discuss the imaging in real-time. 
• Increased workflow and patient turnaround. Since the carts are easy to use, lightweight, and have a small footprint, radiologists can visit more patients during a shift. This translates into reduced wait time per patient and more imaging per staff member. 

Capsa Carts Meet the Radiology Demand 

The Tryten S1, S2, and S5 carts are in great demand from radiology departments because of their flexibility in monitor mounts. The Tryten S5 Monitor Cart can handle two side-by-side or vertical-mount monitors thanks to a sturdy VESA monitor bracket. The S5 features a phenomenal 68.7″ vertical extension pole, meaning the top monitor can be seen even in a crowded conference room. 

All Tryten carts have generous document surfaces and can be fitted with auxiliary storage bins whenever needed. Part of improved workflow means fixing problems, and using mobile carts as storage solutions can be one answer. Your radiology cart can double as a medical supply cart in a pinch. 

Additional Radiology and Medical Carts 

When you visit the Capsa booth at the RSNA convention, be sure to ask about our other radiology and medical carts. This year, we are highlighting our SlimCart Documentation Cart. This nonpowered, lightweight documentation workstation is a great companion to our other radiology medical carts, thanks to its compact design and narrow casters. Featuring a slide-out mouse tray and a wide work surface, the SlimCart is ideal as a support cart. 

Visit Capsa Healthcare at the RSNA Convention! 

When it’s time to improve your radiology department workflow, you need fast design and quick turnaround from manufacture to delivery. You need workstations on wheels that will give you speed and flexibility in your daily routine and enhance both patient care and staff efficiency. We have both with the Capsa family of custom medical workstations. 

This year, Capsa Healthcare will be at Booth 6961 to answer your questions and arrange for a demonstration of our mobile medical carts. If you’ll be there, come by and see us. If not, call our office at (800) 437-6633 (International +1 (614) 864-9966) or complete our sales form on our contact site. We’ll be in touch right away to discuss your computer workstation needs. 

The post Discover Capsa’s Mobile Medical Workstations at RSNA 2023  appeared first on Capsa Healthcare.

Patient engagement is vital to maintaining patient satisfaction. So you need to be strategic and develop processes to increase patient engagement. The following eight strategies for patient engagement will ensure that you have satisfied, happy patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed many aspects of provider-patient relationships. One of the most influential changes was that patients became more concerned about receiving accurate medical information and actively participating in their healthcare decisions. Patients began to demand better access to providers and transparency regarding treatment plans, with 61% of patients desiring better patient engagement in 2022.

As the healthcare market becomes increasingly competitive and patients continue to behave as consumers, healthcare organizations need to develop effective patient engagement strategies to demonstrate their value to patients and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.

But what is patient engagement, and how does it affect patient satisfaction? We’ll answer those questions in this article. We’ll also consider eight effective strategies for patient engagement to increase patient satisfaction.

How Patient Engagement Affects Patient Satisfaction

Patient engagement in healthcare involves actively gathering medical information and making decisions about their health. Engaged patients are also known as active patients.

Patient activation falls under the umbrella of patient engagement. Patient activation measures a person’s knowledge, willingness, and competence to participate in care decisions.

There are several reasons why patient engagement is important to increase patient satisfaction.

1. Improved Patient Outcomes

Activated patients are proactive in their health management and engaged in every part of the healthcare decision-making process, which improves their health outcomes in several ways:

Engaged Patients Exhibit Positive Behaviors

Activated patients are more likely to participate in numerous positive behaviors, including:

• Managing their condition
• Taking prescribed medications
• Engaging in preventative behaviors such as regular checkups, STI/STD screenings, immunizations, mammograms, and more
• Building healthy habits like regular exercise, adequate sleep, and nutritious eating
• Avoiding damaging habits like overdrinking, overeating, smoking, and drug use

Engaged Patients Participate in Self-Management

Engaged patients are also more likely to recognize health issues early. Self-management and self-monitoring benefit both patients and healthcare providers by reducing:

• Treatment complications
• Emergency hospital admissions
• Unnecessary provider visits

Engaged patients are also more likely to recover from their conditions quickly and have fewer complications from uncontrolled symptoms than unengaged patients.

Engaged Patients Receive Improved Medical Care

Since engagement ensures patients understand their treatment plan and condition, treatments are often more successful. Healthcare providers can provide better care when patients actively work together with them to improve their health.

An engaged patient’s commitment to follow through with your treatment plan will grow. As they experience positive results from doing so, their satisfaction will also increase.

2. Strengthens Relationship Between Patients and Care Teams

Patient engagement doesn’t just improve relationships between the primary provider and the patient. It involves a multi-faceted collaboration between patients, their families, their representatives, and the entire care team.

The care team communicates openly with patients, providing education, encouragement, and stimulation for patients to achieve optimal health. 

In return, patients feel comfortable completing their own research, asking questions, and building a treatment plan together with the care team. They can actively manage their condition and make informed decisions.

The open communication between patients and the care team deepens patient trust as they seek to improve their health. Patients will feel valued, heard, and well-cared for. They’ll feel that you are indeed a team and that you care about their well-being, strengthening your provider-patient relationship.

You succeed in providing an exceptional patient experience, and patients become satisfied with the care they receive.

Effective Patient Engagement Strategies That Make All the Difference

Patient engagement is vital to maintaining patient satisfaction. So you need to be strategic and develop processes to increase patient engagement. 

The following eight strategies for patient engagement will ensure that you have satisfied, happy patients.

1. Let Patients Have a Hand in Treatment Decisions

Patient engagement begins when patients are fully knowledgeable and begin to make active decisions about their health. So let patients have a hand in care decisions instead of developing a plan on your own.

Take the time to educate your patient about their condition, treatment alternatives, and the reasons behind your recommended course of treatment. Allow them to decide on aspects of their care, such as medications (if there are alternatives), treatment options, referral locations, and more.

2. Identify Patient Demographics

One of the best patient engagement strategies is to treat each patient as an individual. Your patient demographics may vary widely, so what may engage one patient may not engage another. 

So segment your patients by demographics to identify how to engage them successfully. The most common demographics include:

• Age
• Race
• Biological sex
• Ethnicity

You may also choose to segment your patient population even further by using demographics like:

• Medical history
• Gender
• Level of education
• Insurance information
• Employer

Their location can also indicate the type of community they reside in, which can also help you develop customized engagement strategies that will work for every patient.

Every patient is different, even if they fall into the same demographic classification. So don’t take a “one-size-fits-all” approach using only one demographic. 

You can combine several demographics to develop tailored engagement strategies for specific patient groups, increasing their satisfaction with your messages and proposed treatment.

3. Provide Patients With Guidance and Educational Resources

Patient engagement is a collaborative effort, so you want to uphold your part by providing patients and their families with the guidance and educational resources they need to make informed decisions about their health.

Healthcare providers can improve patients’ health literacy by promoting patient education. Health literacy — an individual’s capacity to obtain, comprehend, and act on health information — allows patients to make informed decisions and self-manage their own health, which improves health outcomes.

As you spend more time communicating with your patients, you’ll increase their satisfaction and enthusiasm about their health.

4. Encourage the Use of the Patient Portal

The best patient engagement strategy begins before patients even step in the door. You can encourage them to use a patient portal to complete pre-visit procedures, such as:

• Registration forms
• Clinical reminder setup
• Appointment reminders

Patients will not feel rushed to complete their paperwork, increasing accuracy and making them feel more comfortable sharing detailed health information. 

It also makes the first appointment much less stressful and more streamlined. You and your team will already have the information you need to address their health concerns, increasing patient satisfaction.

5. Use Patient Engagement Tools

Utilize various patient engagement tools to increase patient activation. Engagement tools increase convenience and streamline your processes, directly boosting patient satisfaction.

There are various tools available, such as:

• Online scheduling
• Websites
• Digital appointment reminders
• On-call support
• Patient apps
• Text and email reminders
• Automated surveys
• Online reviews
• Accessible medical records
• Flexible payment options
• Medical carts

6. Get the Whole Care Team Involved

Patients often spend more time with your nurses and other staff than they do with you when they visit your practice. So make sure your entire team is on the same page.

Have regular meetings to formulate engagement strategies, then make actionable plans to carry them out. Emphasize the importance of education in the patient experience, and have regular training to keep everyone involved. 

When your entire practice uses the same wording and has the same approach to patient care, patients will be reassured that the entire team is working with them to improve their health.

7. Offer Telehealth Options

Adopting new technologies is one of the best ways to differentiate your practice. Technology helps enhance the patient experience, making processes more accessible and streamlined.

So finding the right technological tools goes a long way toward increasing patient engagement. Offer telehealth options to communicate with your patients about their care and make treatment more convenient.

For example, you can incorporate remote monitoring into your practice. Remote monitoring is a telehealth option that uses digital technology to analyze, monitor, and report health conditions remotely. You can use remote monitoring devices to collect their vital signs, weight, and other important measurements and transmit them directly.

You can use the same system to speak with your patients on a monitor or tablet in real-time, so they never have to leave their homes to receive care.

There are many other telehealth options you can implement in your practice, such as:

• Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)
• Virtual Rounding
• Telestroke
• Virtual Nursing

8. Ensure That Patients Can Easily Get in Touch

The old communication methods of letters and long phone call queues are no longer sufficient in today’s competitive healthcare market. Patients seek convenience in every step of their care journey, including communication. 

In fact, 71% of customers expect brands to provide customer support through digital messaging platforms, and 41% of customers prefer live chat over other communication channels.

So healthcare organizations need to develop various approaches to patient communication. They should ensure that patients can easily get in touch by developing a robust digital engagement strategy, such as live chat and instant messaging solutions.

Deliver Prime Care With Game-Changing Medical Carts

Patient engagement is the key to patient satisfaction. Developing an effective patient engagement strategy benefits you, your patients, and your entire care team. Your practice will stand out among the crowd and continue growing for many years. Medical carts are an excellent way to incorporate telehealth and streamlined technological processes into your practice. Tryten offers high-quality, easy-to-use telehealth cartsfor every stage of the provider-patient journey. Contact us today to see how medical carts can improve your patient engagement and help your practice thrive today.

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Retail pharmacists are essential and highly accessible healthcare providers. They are the trusted experts who dispense prescriptions and suggest over-the-counter remedies for common illnesses or chronic conditions. But a community pharmacist’s abilities go much further today. A staggering 97% of Americans believe a pharmacist is responsible for informing patients about medication safety and effectiveness. This highlights the evolving role of the pharmacist beyond prescription dispensing to broader patient care, which was especially evident in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reports revealed heightened demands and pharmacy staff shortages that overburdened pharmacy managers. Consequently, about 51% of Americans expressed concern about potential problems with their prescriptions. In response to these opportunities and challenges, pharmacy automation is becoming the enabler of a brighter future for community pharmacies.

Recent data shows that 48% of pharmacists and 66% of prescribers effectively leveraged pharmacy automation to align with their growing role in patient care. The readiness of retail pharmacies to explore automation can empower pharmacists to deliver more comprehensive, personalized services to patients. Technology integration can further enhance pharmacy efficiency and ensure that healthcare is accessible globally.

A retail pharmacy seeking comprehensive transformation can begin by identifying and eliminating manual, time-consuming processes that affect efficiency, put patients at risk, or impede value-based care initiatives. The pharmacy can customize automation systems to align with its needs and resources.

Assess Your Retail Pharmacy’s Automation Readiness

You can evaluate the automation readiness of your retail pharmacy by assessing current processes, staff capabilities, known risks, business growth initiatives, and technological infrastructure.

Analyze Current Workflow and Bottlenecks

Analyzing your current workflow and identifying bottlenecks – especially delays that cost extra steps, time and labor – is crucial for optimizing your pharmacy’s efficiency. Begin by mapping out each step in the medication dispensing process. Identify areas where delays or inefficiencies occur, such as manual data entry, hand-counting, will-call bin searching, or pharmacists correcting mistakes such as the wrong strength or quantity of an order.

Once you identify the bottlenecks, consider automation solutions that alleviate these challenges. It can enhance overall performance to provide more streamlined and timely pharmacy services.

The Importance of a Pharmacy Automation Checklist

A pharmacy automation checklist is a valuable tool for assessing gaps. Consider the following ways to organize and prioritize your most pressing problems or opportunities for growth:

• Operational hurdles such as manual pill counting, inefficient or infrequent inventory management, Rx filling errors, staffing shortages and hiring difficulties, and verification software underutilization
• Security concerns encompassing dispensing errors, drug diversion, and recommended risk mitigation technologies in your pharmacy insurance plans
• Business growth challenges, including your focus on value-based care, prescription volume escalation, Tax Code Section 179 benefits, local competition, and central fill or mail order transition

If your pharmacy faces these issues, tailored automation can help save time, reduce costs, and reassign staff for higher-value tasks and patient care. Identifying such challenges can help you explore specific automation solutions to streamline processes.

Identify Repetitive Tasks Suitable for Automation and Reallocate Staff

In pursuit of operational excellence and expert care, identify repetitive tasks suitable for automation. Plus, look at the talents and interests of your team members. Then, redistribute and assess again. Here are some tips to guide the process:

1. Evaluate whether pharmacists perform tasks that pharmacy technicians can perform competently.
2. Scrutinize areas causing frustration, congested movement, or stress among your pharmacy team.
3. Identify tasks prone to human error or delays that hinder productivity and patient care.
4. Seek opportunities to reallocate responsibilities to the appropriate roles; maximize the skillset and interests of each team member.
5. Regularly assess local competitive pressures and changing market dynamics.
6. List the value-based initiatives or revenue-generating ideas you have been interested in but have yet to enact. 
7. Explore how automation can provide a competitive edge through faster service, improved accuracy, or expanded services. 

By systematically addressing these challenges, your pharmacy can determine the repetitive tasks best suited for automation, empowering your team to focus on higher-value initiatives and primary care.

Staff Acceptance and Change Management Strategies

Installing automation will change some workflows, even for the simplest technologies. Involve your team members in decision-making to ensure a smooth transition. Communicate clearly to help them understand the benefits of pharmacy automation. If needed, demonstrate the positive impact of automation on efficiency, competitive advantages, and patient care. Provide comprehensive training and continuous support. Also, encourage staff to suggest process improvements to empower them.

A phased implementation can help you gradually introduce automation and ease the adjustment process. Assess the impact of automation at each stage and adjust strategies as needed. These strategies foster staff acceptance and ensure the successful integration of pharmacy automation. 

Cost Analysis and Return on Investment Considerations

Conduct a thorough cost analysis and return on investment (ROI) assessment to evaluate your pharmacy automation readiness. Assess initial and ongoing expenses, labor savings, inventory control improvements, and patient outcomes. Also, consider the competitive edge it may provide. Recognize its role in risk mitigation, scalability, and non-monetary benefits such as pharmacy morale, stress reduction, and patient satisfaction. A comprehensive cost analysis will help you make an informed decision about pharmacy automation, weighing its financial and operational advantages.

The Evolution of Retail Pharmacy Automation

Pharmacy automation traces back to the 1960s. It began with new digital pill-counting machines to replace the labor-intensive practice of manually counting pills using a plastic tray and spatula. The technology helped save significant time and reduce the risk of errors.

Since then, pharmacy automation evolved into a realm that extends beyond robotic drug dispensing systems. Current technology uses various systems that streamline processes and make them repeatable for employees with any skill level, enhance predictability, provide metrics and records for past activities, and reduce the manual workload of pharmacy staff for improved efficiency and patient-centric service.

At its core, pharmacy automation seeks to eliminate manual, repetitive tasks and streamline operations. It leverages technology to optimize inventory levels, ensuring that prescription medications are always available without a large stockpile sitting on the shelves. It also includes state-of-the-art robotic systems designed to reduce human intervention in dispensing and packaging medications. Pharmacies can integrate various automated modules with existing pharmacy management systems for valuable insights to improve operational efficiency. Whether automation takes the form of a small device or an overarching software program, the outcome is usually the same: Improvement in the pharmacy’s operation, staff satisfaction, and patient care.

Embrace the Future of Retail Pharmacy With Smart Automation

If your retail pharmacy is ready for automation, learn more about operational enhancement and explore the transformative potential offered by Capsa Healthcare’s innovative pharmacy automation solutions. Discover how our pharmacy automation technology can help you move toward a more efficient, profitable, and error-free future as a complete healthcare and wellness destination in your community.

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