Cory Ezell, North America Sales Director for Belintra, partnering with O&M HALYARD shares insights on selecting surgical case carts for the Sterile Processing Department as part of the Healthcare Purchasing News article “The case for conformity, collaboration in managing case carts.” Below are excerpts from the article.
Considerations for selecting case carts
Case carts come in many shapes and sizes with different features and designs. Selecting the right carts for the healthcare organization or specific use can help speed efficiency, enhance safety, and make life easier for both CS/SPD and OR teams.
“Finally, don’t forget about involving your physician community,” said Cory Ezell, North America Sales Director for BELINTRA, partnering with O&M Halyard. “They can help you decide the must haves versus the specialty items for particular cases. You only have so much space in any type of transportation device and overcrowding it can lead to issues such as contaminated supplies or compromised instrument trays.”
Procedural volumes and cart capacity
Understanding the facility’s case mix and procedural volumes will help the CS/SPD and OR teams select the right carts to meet their needs.
Ezell recommends healthcare organizations take a “fleet approach” to case cart selection. He states:
“Case cart selection should match the types of procedures your facility is performing. For smaller cases like ENT and ophthalmology, there is no need to have a large case cart that is half empty. Conversely, not having a cart large enough to accommodate robotics and revision cases could result in multiple carts for those procedures. Understanding where loaners are being staged can also help you differentiate the need for either a closed or open case cart.”
Physical space
When determining how many case carts to purchase, be sure to assess the size of the staging area as well, as Ezell explains: “Case scheduling ahead of procedures allows for time to accurately pick cases
and stage carts in the appropriate location. Sometimes the staging area can be limited. Allowing for access to that area at designated times improves the flow of smaller or shared spaces. Consistent auditing of the case cart process ensures the floor plan can accommodate as many carts that are needed for a given day.”
Published in Healthcare Purchasing News
July 22, 2022
Full article: https://www.hpnonline.com/sterile-processing/article/21274323/the-case-for-conformity-collaboration-in-managing-case-carts
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