CME Insider's Blog Posts

Transport units are not to be underestimated in healthcare facilities. From basic utility carts to specialty carts for anesthesia and hospital emergencies, a cart that is durable, reliable and functional can make providing optimal care significantly more efficient.

InterMetro® (Metro®) has been the world’s leading manufacturer and supplier of storage and transport units for healthcare facilities for more than 80 years. With carts, shelving, cabinets, worktables and security storage, Metro offers the latest innovations backed by a reputation of customer satisfaction.

As more and more healthcare facilities plan for and initiate upgrades and renovations, it has become increasingly apparent that in order to maximize patient outcomes, updating storage and transport technology must be a factor considered in renovations.  

Though the hospital industry has made great strides over the last few decades, more needs to be done going forward when it comes to patient safety and ambulation. One of the major problems regarding this issue—aside from the lack of proper equipment for patient ambulation—is that there is a great deal of inconsistency when it comes to protocols across hospitals; there is no concrete, streamlined process to rely on.

Continuous improvement is built into the DNA of healthcare as medical practice capabilities advance each day with new research, technologies and treatments. As medical facilities age, more and more healthcare facility managers are focused on improving their spaces to keep up with practice advancements and create an optimal environment for patients.

Combating Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) is a multi-faceted effort that involves almost every aspect in each facility, from staff to equipment and policies and procedures. A CDC study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, regarding HAI found that 25.6 percent of all HAI occurrences were linked to contaminated medical devices.

As the healthcare landscape has evolved, convenience and customer service have become a top priority for healthcare providers. Quality of care is often measured using a combination of patient outcomes and patient satisfaction according to API Healthcare.

The CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) states that before an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) can share in any savings generated, it must demonstrate that it met the quality performance standard for that year. One of the quality measures within those performance standards is ACO-3 CAHPS: Patients’ Rating of Provider.

Many factors go into a patient’s rating of a provider, but most certainly the patient needs to have a positive experience. This includes not only their interaction with the physician and staff but their experience with the devices and equipment used during the exam.

If a patient has an uncomfortable experience with a piece of equipment, it may reflect poorly on their provider rating.  Providers should ensure their equipment has no safety hazards, is easy to maneuver and makes the patient feel comfortable.

A retrospective study showed that Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) were the fifth-leading cause of death at U.S. acute care hospitals. With tens of thousands of deaths each year, HAI are no small matter, and while many hospitals are taking steps to prevent these deadly infections, the problem continues and patients remain at risk.