CME Insider's Blog Posts

Equipping a pharmacy laboratory isn’t about buying equipment - it’s about building a safe, compliant, and efficient environment. Whether you’re setting up a new lab or upgrading your existing space, understanding what equipment is essential - and how to choose the right options - can make a difference in both day-to-day operations and long-term success.

This guide will walk through the critical equipment every pharmacy cleanroom needs, highlight what to look for before making a purchase, and share practical insights into compliance, budgeting, and laboratory equipment distributor selection.

The stethoscope is arguably one of the most iconic and fundamental diagnostic tools in medicine. From the earliest days of listening to internal body sounds, it has been an indispensable partner for healthcare professionals worldwide. This simple yet powerful instrument allows us to auscultate - listen to the internal sounds of the body. Listening to the body’s internal sounds can offer critical insights into the health of the heart, lungs, bowels, and blood flow. Over centuries, the stethoscope has evolved from a basic wooden tube to sophisticated electronic devices engineered to improve patient care and diagnostic accuracy.

The healthcare industry is a cornerstone of our society, but its environmental impact, particularly from new construction and renovations, has historically not been fully addressed. As hospitals, clinics, and medical office buildings grow and evolve, they generate a significant amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. This waste poses unique challenges that can be mitigated by specialty healthcare equipment distributors. Yep, that’s right, healthcare equipment distributors.

When it comes to laboratory safety, two pieces of equipment often come to mind as essential safeguards: fume hoods and biosafety cabinets.

Both are designed to protect lab personnel and the environment from hazardous substances, but they serve different purposes and function in unique ways.

Whether you're a researcher, lab manager, or safety officer, understanding the key differences and similarities between these two is essential for choosing the right equipment to maintain a safe and efficient lab environment.

So, what sets a fume hood apart from a biosafety cabinet? Let’s dive in.

Picture this: a patient in a wheelchair arrives for a checkup. The clinical team needs their weight, but the only available option is a standard standing scale. What should be a simple, routine vital suddenly turns into a stressful scene - staff scrambling to find workarounds, the patient feeling vulnerable or embarrassed, and precious time slipping away.

From patient care and staff workflow to healthcare equipment acquisition, in the world of healthcare, efficiency and cost-effectiveness are almost always top of mind. For many years, the "prime vendor" model has been the gold standard for managing the sometimes-complex acquisition of medical equipment and supplies. The prime vendor relationship is a strategic partnership where a healthcare organization agrees to purchase a significant majority of its healthcare equipment and supplies - often 80% or more - from a single, dedicated distributor.

These days healthcare administrators and decision makers are working to make every dollar count. From managing tight budgets to justifying major capital expenditures, the pressure to be financially prudent is constant. When it comes to purchasing healthcare equipment, the ‘tried and true’ approach can, and often does, overlook a powerful tool that can lead to significant savings: Computer-Aided Design (CAD).

These days it seems we are all seeking workplace equipment that blend aesthetics with optimal performance and durability. In healthcare environments, this challenge is amplified by stringent demands for hygiene and patient well-being. This is where polymers, often overlooked in favor of more "traditional" materials, are revolutionizing the landscape of healthcare equipment and furniture by offering unparalleled advantages to both functionality and the overall design narrative.

For busy healthcare facilities, every piece of equipment, including workstations, has a defined purpose. Workstations are an essential component of a dynamic ecosystem that can directly impact patient care, staff well-being, infection control, and operational efficiency.

While traditional materials like wood and metal have long been the standard for medical furniture, advanced polymers offer superior performance. Metro’s Starsys® system of workstations and healthcare storage solutions is a prime example of how polymer is giving healthcare equipment a boost.

Designed specifically for healthcare facilities, the Metro Starsys mobile and stationary workstation leverages the power of polymer to meet the dynamic challenges of hospital, clinic, and lab environments. In addition to aesthetics, these workstations offer practical advantages that improve workflow, support infection control, and translate into long-term value.

Keep reading for a deeper look into the many benefits of polymer workstations for healthcare facilities.