Medical personnel need the right tools to perform their duties. Unfortunately, some, like paramedics and rural providers, do not have large hospitals with roomfuls of the latest medical devices and equipment immediately at their disposal. Today's article covers mobile medical equipment and how it is used by healthcare staff to provide care and service on-site, whether at a crash site or in tiny medical clinics in remote, out-of-the-way places.
Mobile Medical Equipment - A Brief Definition
Mobile medical equipment refers to medical devices and equipment found outside traditional healthcare offices and hospitals. Many are found in vehicles such as ambulances. In them, paramedics use the equipment to diagnose, treat, and stabilize sick and injured victims until the ambulance reaches proper medical facilities such as the Emergency Department.
Mobile medical vehicles, often called mobile medical clinics, medical coaches, or healthcare vans, are the most common users of mobile medical equipment. They have been specifically designed to provide medical services ranging from patient care at remote locations to providing CAT and X-ray scans at smaller hospitals lacking the large and expensive equipment.
Challenges Faced by Mobile Medical Equipment
Mobile medical equipment faces unique challenges compared to those used in regular medical offices, facilities, and hospitals. Three of those challenges - and their solutions - include:
Limited space: Interior space in a typical mobile medical vehicle is at a premium. Every nook and cranny has to be crammed with equipment and devices because medical personnel don't always know what they'll need at a site. The remaining space shrinks even further because the staff needs enough room to work within the vehicle, whether caring for the patient, setting up tests, or updating an electronic health record (EHR).
Mobile medical equipment, such as medical box PCs, is built with this limited space in mind. Many have a small form factor or portable design, making them easy to store and carry. Yet they have the same power, capacity, and function as their larger counterparts. Users can rely on them the same way as hospital personnel rely on their own medical equipment.
Power limitations: Mobile medical vehicles power their equipment and devices through onboard power generators. If allowed, they may plug into the site's powerlines. Many, if not most, vehicles also carry backup power generators to ensure functionality in emergencies.
Mobile medical equipment is built to function with the limited power from generators. While some leave out advanced functions found on their larger, site-bound counterparts, other equipment is built from the ground up to use less energy. Medical-grade computers with fanless design are an example of this type of mobile medical equipment.
Harsh environment: Since mobile medical vehicles are expected to function at numerous locations, they—and their medical devices and equipment—are sometimes subject to harsh environments: rough roads, extreme temperatures (e.g., snow storms, heavy rains, sweltering heat), and unique conditions like airborne dirt and dust found at certain worksites.
Staff can use secure and tight packaging to ensure the mobile medical equipment is not affected by its environment. Using the equipment only inside the vehicle, indoors at the site, or under canopies also shields it. When given the option, the best way to protect equipment is to purchase rugged enough equipment to handle such environments.
Selecting the Right Mobile Medical Equipment
The equipment list of a mobile medical vehicle will vary depending on its intended purpose and the services offered. An ambulance will carry vastly different mobile medical equipment than a healthcare van used primarily to take CAT scans at job locations.
Provided here is a sample of the most common equipment and features for you to consider when equipping your mobile medical vehicle:
Examination room equipment:
- Examination table
- Medical chairs or stools
- Patient examination tools (stethoscope, otoscope for hearing, ophthalmoscope for eyes, blood pressure cuff, weighing scale)
- Vital signs monitoring tools (blood pressure monitor, thermometer, pulse oximeter)
Sterilization and infection control:
An autoclave for sterilizing medical instruments like scalpels and specific waste disposal containers for disposing of biohazardous materials.
Medical Supplies:
- Bandages and dressings
- Disposable gloves, masks, and gowns
- First aid kits
- IV equipment for administering fluids
- Medications and vaccines
Communication and Documentation:
Computers and medical tablets update the patient's data and EHR. Built-in features like Wi-Fi make telehealth consultation with off-site providers a breeze, while RFID readers aid in keeping patient data secure. Finally, all the computers are medical grade to protect patients from possible shock while not interfering with the medical devices and equipment packed in the vehicle.
Advanced mobile medical equipment like portable radiology devices, mobile laboratory equipment, and ultrasound machines can also be found in more specialized mobile medical vehicles.
Keep Your Mobile Medical Equipment Running with Cybernet
Mobile medical equipment is healthcare tools and technologies used in facilities outside traditional medical offices and hospitals. Many are found in vehicles such as healthcare vans, which provide medical services and care for clients at their locations.
Mobile medical equipment includes advanced electronics like computers. If your healthcare organization needs them for its vans or similar vehicles, contact the team at Cybernet Manufacturing. Our team members will happily discuss the special features of our extensive medical computer and tablet lineups, built from the ground up to work in the most trying healthcare settings. And if you can't see exactly what you're looking for, let them know. As an Original Equipment and Design Manufacturer, Cybernet can customize virtually any aspect of our computers for our customers' wants and needs.
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