Mobile workstations and medication management systems along with crash carts, procedure carts, equipment carts, isolation carts, and MRI-compatible carts are all hugely important for physicians, nurses, and medical staff to provide optimal patient care. There are other categories that can’t be pinpointed quite as easily, but are just as integral for hospitals, private clinics, and other medical facilities. These are commonly known in our field as specialty carts. They’re often curated for casting and splinting, malignant hyperthermia, IntraOcular lens storage, pediatric care, and suturing, but there are plenty of other uses that can apply to this classification.
Nearly all medical facilities require some form of specialty carts, but thanks to a diversity of needs, staffing, and budgets, there’s no single go-to solution. This is where our carefully handpicked selection of specialty cart brands steps in to suit the requirements of hospitals and clinics across Canada. If you’re already clear on what you need, feel free to reach out and discuss your needs right here, or read below for brand comparisons if not quite sure what’s best for your space.
Cost-Benefit Comparison of Specialty Carts for Medical Facilities of Varying Budgets and Requirements 2023
I. METRO SPECIALITY CARTS FOR PREMIUM CARE
Metro’s product line is among the best-reviewed in Canada, and the verdict is the same for their specialty carts. While priced higher, they offer premium convenience and effectiveness for staff and patients alike.
Premium Configuration
The Metro Starsys series serves as an excellent example for the entire line of specialty carts. The Starsys line is analogous to modular storage and transport. They’re designed to be a fully-integrated and fully-adaptable system based on single, double, and triple-wide configurations. Specialty units are available as open shelving, open carts, or as enclosed storage or transport units. These basic modules can be configured quickly and easily with interchangeable system components. For instance, hinged doors are available in multiple heights and with locking or non-locking features. In addition, specialty accessories are available to properly store supplies, while the system design provides special access for kneeholes and other special requirements. All of these features allow administrators and staff to create room layouts and configure alternative scenarios to effectively leverage facility space for optimal patient outcomes.
Premium Construction
Metro’s dominance in the Canadian market doesn’t end at configuration functions. Their specialty carts’ polymer construction abates denting, chipping, rusting, and corroding risk. Moreover, countertop materials, including laminates, solid surfaces, and stainless steel, are available to accommodate just about any environment.
Enhanced Cleaning
Metro specialty carts incorporate key elements in product design to support a facility’s critical cleaning protocols. These include the following:
- Microban® antimicrobial protection to help prevent the growth of bacteria
- Advanced polymer and proprietary finishes provide corrosion resistance
- Smooth surfaces and rounded corners for easier cleaning
Modern Aesthetics
Equipment should look good, especially for private clinics. It’s important for clinic branding, and also implies a sense of professionalism and cleanliness of a medical facility. Metro’s specialty carts have been thoughtfully designed to consider aesthetics, delivering premium features without sacrificing visual appeal, no matter the age of the cart.
Premium Securement and Security
Metro specialty carts offer industry-leading parts and accessories securement for optimal patient outcomes and protection from malicious intent. Among these important features are:
- Passive locking with plastic seals to provide visual security without compromising access
- Keylocks that only allow authorized user access
- Electronic locks with optional upgrades that include audit tracking, access reports, and card reader entry.
Summary
It’s hard to top Metro specialty carts when it comes to key criteria, but the “complete package” does come at a premium, and can also require more dedicated knowledge and experience for quick integration into a medical environment. This isn’t necessary for all clinics given budgetary and staffing constraints. That said, we know that the people in charge of procurement have no intention of sacrificing flexibility and quality. For you, Harloff specialty carts could be a solution. Read below for a succinct breakdown of this mid-market yet highly flexible option.
II. HARLOFF SPECIALTY CARTS FOR FLEXIBLE CARE
Flexibility Found in Specialization
Medical facilities operating with a mid-level budget desire dedicated specialty carts as a part of their flexible network of equipment to serve patients. Harloff specialty carts are distinctly tailored to special requirements, making them the easy choice for medical facilities with mid-level budgets in need of flexible equipment networks
For example, Harloff’s MR-Conditional carts are independently tested to meet ASTM International MR-Conditional criteria for safe use in MRI environments of 3-Tesla or less. Similarly, their Malignant Hyperthermia carts comply with industry best practices by keeping all supplies needed for treating MH in one place and at the right temperature. They even offer a choice of refrigerator brands.
Harloff’s casting and splinting carts provide a convenient way to store instruments and supplies for the treatment of strains, sprains and fractures, while their pediatric medical carts employ a multi-coloured drawer labelling system for storing children’s medical supplies.
In offering carts that are explicitly designed for casting and splinting, malignant hyperthermia, IntraOcular lens storage, pediatric care, suturing, and more, Harloff is able to offer flexibility without having to over-customize and over-accessorize the carts.
Flexibility Without Sacrificing Superior Construction
Procurement personnel may be concerned about sacrificing quality when purchasing mid-level carts, but make no bones about it – Harloff doesn’t cut corners in construction. For example, their Suture Cart features 20-gauge powder-coated steel with steel-framed acrylic doors and is backed by a 12-Year Manufacturer’s Warranty on shipments to and within Canada. Or look to their Deluxe Cast cart, featuring a sturdy stainless steel folding side shelf, side storage cabinet, bucket holder, and 5” ball-bearing casters and corner bumpers to protect the cart.
Flexibility (and Sophistication) in Aesthetics
Harloff specialty carts are designed to look slick, and they offer the widest range of colour options in Canada. Their Malignant Hyperthermia Treatment Cart, for example, is available in 18 colours while their IntraOcular Lens storage cart is available in over 20 colour options. Harloff is also one of the only specialty cart manufacturers to offer furniture-style carts that are significantly more aesthetically comforting to patients.
Summary
You’ll love Harloff carts for their innate specialization and design flexibility. Their products are also reasonably flexible in drawer configurations and they offer the security features (locking systems) that you expect from a major contender in the medical supplies market. However, if your hospital, clinic, or facility is on an especially tight budget for the period, InnerSpace has been extremely popular with its affordable pricing and fast lead times. See the details on Innerspace carts below.
INNERSPACE SPECIALTY CARTS FOR AFFORDABLE QUALITY CARE
Preconfigured for Cost and Convenience
Don’t have the time to be concerned with custom configurations? Does your staff need to use your new specialty carts immediately upon arrival and assembly? InnerSpace’s Roam series includes specialty medical carts that are pre-configured to address the specific storage needs of departments throughout your healthcare facility. Suture carts, scope carts, catheter carts, and ECP carts provide excellent functionality.
Preconfigured Yet Adjustable
There’s a common misconception that pre-configuration locks users into a single system. Roam helps buck this trend by leaving room for your staff to adjust shelving as necessary. The Roam Open Suture Cart features 8 adjustable shelves on each side of the cart. Their Closed Suture Cart which is accessible from the front and back provides a flexible, reconfigurable system for trays, shelves, and baskets while slatted side panels accommodate a variety of accessories.
Dependable Construction
Low cost doesn’t come at the expense of dependability when it comes to the InnerSpace Roam series. The Open Suture Cart is encased in lightweight yet sturdy aluminum and features a durable bumper and lockable 5-inch medical-grade casters. The Closed Suture Cart has two trusty sets of tempered glass doors and each shelf holds nine suture boxes that can manage a load of up to 15 pounds. Some other great features and benefits of InnerSpace Carts are:
- AireCore construction provides the rigidity of metal without dings or scratches.
- This includes infection-prevention measures such as being resistant to water, chemicals & corrosion. Pace carts feature anti-microbial top worksurfaces, smooth surfaces and minimal seams for improved cleaning.
Simple, Professional Aesthetic
The InnerSpace Roam series cuts away the unnecessary bells and whistles to deliver a clean and simple aesthetic that conveys professionalism and sanitary appeal, which is very important to hospitals and several specialized facilities.
Summary
The InnerSpace Roam series of specialty carts are reconfigured to offer optimal convenience at an affordable price point. Let’s talk about customizing your new specialty cart/s today. Contact Forsyth Healthcare to begin with a friendly non-committal conversation about your budget and needs.
