Utility carts are essential for moving equipment, materials, and supplies across various industries. While they improve efficiency in many settings, in the medical field, they play a crucial role in patient care and outcomes. That’s why it’s so important for procurement officers in hospitals and clinics to choose the right carts with care.
The Big Question: What Should You Look for When Choosing Medical Utility Carts for Your Facility in Canada? Here’s a simple breakdown of everything you need to know to make an informed choice.
6 Key Considerations for Selecting the Appropriate Utility Carts for Your Healthcare Environment
Corrosion Resistance
Even with constant cleaning and sanitation, medical environments expose lower-quality utility carts to corrosion. Iron, oxygen, and water create the perfect environment for this to happen—especially in hospitals and clinics where biofluids come into contact with cart surfaces. Corrosion not only shortens the lifespan of equipment but also affects uptime and, more importantly, can impact patient health.
That’s why stainless steel or polymer are a top choice for medical utility carts. Their corrosion resistance makes it safe for use in sensitive areas while also protecting a facility’s budget with durability and long lifespan. At Forsyth Healthcare, we provide polymer and stainless steel carts from trusted brands to meet these needs.
Durability
Corrosion resistance is just one part of the durability equation—there’s more to think about. When you choose utility carts from Forsyth Healthcare, you can customize their strength and durability to fit your exact needs. For example, options like all-welded construction and angled legs offer greater stability and support.
Take the Pedigo Heavy-Duty Utility Cart: it’s fully welded and can handle up to 250 lbs on the top and middle shelves, and 400 lbs on the bottom—supporting a total load of 900 lbs! Forsyth Healthcare also offers a range of off-the-shelf post and shelf sizes so you can further tailor your carts for added durability.
Spill Containment
In fast-paced medical settings, transporting liquids on utility carts can increase the risk of spills. To prevent floor contamination and reduce slip-and-fall hazards, carts should have raised edges on the shelves (with embossing on the bottom) to help contain spills while still allowing for air circulation.
At Forsyth Healthcare, our utility carts like Metro’s deep ledge and myCart utility carts come equipped with raised edges for added safety. We’re setting a new standard for spill-resistant carts in Canada.
Customizable Casters
Caster wheels are essential for smooth movement in medical environments. Since every facility has different needs, it’s important to have the flexibility to customize caster wheels to suit your staff’s requirements. Forsyth works with manufacturers who offer a wide range of options, including variations in mobility, strength, corrosion resistance, element resistance, and weight capacity.
Whether you need specific casters for heavy loads or to prevent electrostatic discharge, we’ve got you covered. For example, the Metro Inhalation Therapy Utility Cart features conductive caster wheels that safely conduct static electricity to the floor, preventing electrostatic discharge. At Forsyth Healthcare, we think of everything when it comes to outfitting your utility carts.
Shelving Options
Shelf style is one of the most common requests we get from clients looking for multiple utility carts. Whether you need solid, wire, adjustable, or galvanized shelves—or a mix of them all—Forsyth Healthcare has you covered. With top brands like Lakeside, Blickman, Adriano’s, Rubbermaid, Quantum, Pedigo, and Metro, we offer the widest variety of shelving options in Canada.
Take the Metro MW Series 3-Shelf Utility Cart, for example. Its Super Erecta Shelf design allows for quick and easy shelf relocation. It features two chrome wire shelves and one stainless steel solid shelf, with chrome handles that can be easily positioned to fit your needs.
Accessory and Ergonomic Options to Better Support Your Staff
While everything we’ve covered ensures better patient outcomes, it’s equally important to consider your staff’s needs. We encourage you to take it further by consulting with your team to find out what additional accessories or features would improve their experience. Forsyth Healthcare can meet most requests, including carts that offer 50% more legroom, different push handle styles for more comfortable, ergonomic grips and even height adjustment.
Have a conversation with your staff to understand what features would make their jobs easier. Once you’ve collected their input, reach out to Forsyth for a custom solution that keeps everyone happy.
Whether you already know what you need or have more questions, we’re here to help. Contact Forsyth Healthcare for a friendly, no-pressure conversation. We specialize in providing tailored solutions for healthcare facilities across Canada.
