White Paper CompuCaddy Keep Your EMR Moving On The Right Path Selecting The Ideal Mobile Cart & Power System 4 Steps To Customizing The Best Mobile Cart For Your Healthcare Facility TollFree 800.264.4734
4 Steps To Customizing The Best Mobile Cart For Your Healthcare Facility Mobile computing carts have become a fixture in most hospitals as a primary means clinicians to capture patient inmation at the point of care. As such, there is no shortage of mobile cart options on the market. Several vendors large and small offer a variety of mobile cart solutions. The healthcare industry has become so inundated with mobile cart choices that differentiation becomes difficult. Many hospital leaders now feel that a cart is a cart and spend less time evaluating their technology options. In addition, many vendors have begun to categorize their carts into packaged solutions in an eft to simplify the selection process. While this practice may make it easier hospitals to ultimately purchase the technology, it truly is an injustice to the end user. A mobile cart is not a onesizefitsall proposition. No two hospitals will use a mobile cart in exactly the same way. Each facility will have slightly different requirements that can have a dramatic impact on the effectiveness, longevity, and TCO (total cost of ownership) the mobile cart solution provides. A mobile cart purchase is a significant investment a healthcare facility, and like other technology implementations, customizing the solution to the precise needs of your environment is the best way to optimize your ROI. This white paper outlines four critical steps necessary to build the mobile cart solution best suited your facility and your staff. 1. Selecting The Computer A mobile cart is essentially a means to make computer equipment transportable. However, more often than not, the purchase of mobile carts and the computers to be used on them are not made in tandem. In fact, oftentimes one decision is made completely independent of the other. For example, many hospitals have direct relationships with computer manufacturers, and buy their computer equipment in bulk from these vendors in order to receive optimal pricing. There is nothing wrong with purchasing your computer equipment directly from the manufacturer. However, selecting the best computer to use a mobile cart initiative should not be made in a vacuum nor should you depend solely on the advice and guidance of your computer partner to make this decision. Careful consideration must be given to the mobile demands that will be placed on these computers. Some computer models are definitely better suited use with mobile carts than others. For example, a larger m factor with a monitor is likely more applicable a desktop environment. Many of these devices consume a lot of power and get very little runtime on a mobile cart. Conversely, other computers are specifically designed mobile applications and will maximize the effectiveness and uptime of your mobile cart solution. Oftentimes, the computer vendor is not aware of how well their different models perm with a mobile cart. Or perhaps the vendor you work with may not have a powerefficient device that is ideal a mobile cart application. The same holds true computer peripherals such as printers and scanners. Some are wellsuited a mobile cart application, while others are not. To avoid being led astray or investing in the wrong computing devices, it is important to consult your mobile cart vendor bee purchasing the computers and peripherals your carts. CompuCaddy has detailed inmation regarding how well different computers TollFree 800.264.4734
perm in mobile applications. We can help you weigh your options and select the best computer your mobile needs. 2. Choosing The Power System A mobile cart is of little or no value to a hospital if it is not functioning as expected when a clinician needs to use it. For this reason, choosing the proper power configuration your specific operational workflows is the most important decision when building your mobile cart. The goal is to select a cart that has the power capacity to fulfill the amount needed each application. As much as you don t want a cart to die during a shift, you also don t want to invest in unnecessary extras and upgrades that aren t essential an application and theree won t be utilized. Again, careful selection of the components in a power system (like battery chemistry & capacity, charging method & capacity, etc.) is paramount to optimizing the outcome. Battery Type You want to be sure you have a choice when it comes to the battery type you use with your mobile cart solution. CompuCaddy offers its customers the two different battery chemistries that they feel work best in mobile applications... lithium iron phosphate LiFePO4 ( and 57.6 amp) and sealed lead acid battery SLA (35 amp and 55 amp). Lithium iron phosphate is a newer battery chemistry. These batteries cost more than their sealed lead acid counterparts, but they provide much faster charge times. Where it might take five to six hours to recharge a sealed lead acid battery, it may only take two or twoandahalf hours to recharge a lithium iron phosphate battery. Lithium iron phosphate batteries also have a longer lifespan than sealed lead acid. A sealed lead acid battery may have to be replaced after 12 to 18 months of continual use, whereas a lithium iron phosphate battery can last from three to five years bee being replaced. Hospitals with large fleets of mobile carts can do the math and realize it is actually more cost effective to spend more upfront on lithium iron phosphate batteries and reduce the associated maintenance and battery replacement costs. Another attractive reason to invest in lithium iron phosphate batteries is the ability to achieve the uptime that an end user requires. Conversely, there are other medical facilities that have ample downtime during offhours to recharge their mobile carts. In these instances, sealed lead acid batteries can provide a sufficient and costeffective solution. It all comes down to matching the battery chemistry with the power needs of a specific application. Charging Method Beyond batteries, the charging method you choose your mobile carts can also have a significant impact on the overall runtime of the solution. CompuCaddy offers both DC (direct current) and AC (alternating current) power configurations on its mobile carts. A DC powered configuration experiences a 90% level of efficiency by eliminating energy losses with fewer conversions. The power to provide runtime your computer starts with DC power coming from the cart battery. Using a DC to DC adapter, the power from the cart battery is then converted into acceptable and streamlined power the computer. This conversion results in a minimal loss of 10% of power. On average, a DC power system will provide almost double the runtime of an AC power configuration on a mobile cart. One thing to be considered with a DC power system is that in the event the original computer equipment changes, a different DC adapter may need to be purchased. An AC power configuration is only 40% energy efficient because more power conversions are needed. Just like a DC computer, the power your AC computer also starts with DC power coming from the cart battery. However, the power must then be converted into AC power via an AC inverter. This required conversion depletes approximately 30% of power from your cart battery. Next, it is necessary to plug the computer s AC Adapter into the AC inverter (which turns the AC power back into DC power) This final power conversion results in another 30% loss of power, which significantly reduces the runtime an AC power system. While an AC powered system provides much less runtime, it does offer the users TollFree 800.264.4734
with flexibility and convenience because any type of computer can be plugged into an AC powered cart. You ll need to give careful consideration to determine which is most critical to achieving your project s objectives; overall maximum runtime your cart or future flexibility of equipment with your cart. Figures I through III that follow provide a runtime comparison between a DC and AC powered cart used with an allinone computer, laptop, and PC with monitor. The best power configuration your facility will be based on your specific runtime and workflow requirements. Figure I: DC Vs. AC Runtime Comparison For An AllInOne Computer CompuCaddy DC Power AC Power DC to DC Adapter 90% Efficiency AllInOne Computer DC to AC Inverter AC to DC Converter AllInOne Computer CompuCaddy DC Power Method AC Power Method Power Used in DCDC Conversion (10% Energy Loss) 46 Watts ALLINONE Power Used in DCAC Conversion 138 Watts 415 Watts 11.86 Hours 323 Watts ALLINONE LAPTOP AllInOne Power Consumption 35 Watts Power Used in ACDC Conversion 97 Watts 6.45 Hours 226 Watts Laptop AllInOne Power Power Consumption 35 Watts Figure II: DC Vs. AC Runtime Comparison For A Laptop CompuCaddy DC Power AC Power DC to DC Adapter 90% Efficiency Laptop DC to AC Inverter AC to DC Converter Laptop CompuCaddy DC Power Method AC Power Method Power Used in DCDC Conversion (10% Energy Loss) 46 Watts LAPTOP Power Used in DCAC Conversion 138 Watts 415 Watts 9.22 Hours 323 Watts LAPTOP LAPTOP Laptop Power Consumption Power Used in ACDC Conversion 97 Watts 5 Hours 226 Watts Laptop Power Consumption TollFree 800.264.4734
Figure III: DC Vs. AC Runtime Comparison For A PC & Monitor CompuCaddy DC Power AC Power DC to DC Adapter 90% Efficiency PC Computer & Flat Panel Monitor DC to AC Inverter AC to DC Converter PC Computer & Flat Panel Monitor CompuCaddy DC Power Method AC Power Method Power Used in DCDC Conversion (10% Energy Loss) PC & FLAT 46 Watts PANEL MONITOR 415 Watts 10.24 Hours Power Used in DCAC Conversion 138 Watts 323 Watts PC & FLAT PANEL MONITOR LAPTOP PC & Flat Panel Monitor Power Consumption Power Used in ACDC Conversion 97 Watts 5 Hours 226 Watts PC & Flat Panel Monitor Laptop Power Consumption Power Consumption 3. Determining The Cart s Specifications Once you ve selected your computer equipment and power system, it s time to determine the specifications your mobile cart. Carts are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are manufactured using different materials. Furthermore, carts are available with a number of ergonomic options to suit your needs. The following are a few important questions you ll need to answer to determine the configuration that s best you: What types of computer hardware (e.g. laptops, allinones, PCs with monitors, etc.) will you be using with your carts? What are the dimensions of this computer equipment? How much work surface area does the end user need? Are there any environmental limitations (e.g. Are the exam rooms small? Are hallways narrow? etc.)? Are there any specific workflow requirements (e.g. Will the carts remain stationary or will they need to move from exam room to exam room? Will staff members use these carts while standing, sitting, or both? etc.)? How much cart maintenance is acceptable to you? What are your budget limitations? CompuCaddy can help you answer the questions above and provide you with a cart that aligns best with your responses. For example, if you require a cart to navigate in and out of patient rooms, then we d recommend our Fusion Series. The Fusion Series was designed with a compact, lightweight base design, making it optimal maximum maneuverability. 4. Deciding On The Extras While the cart and the computer is the core of any mobile computing cart solution, there are several extra features that can be added to the cart to enhance workflow efficiency. These extras can be instrumental in helping clinicians deliver faster and more accurate care to patients. Common mobile cart extras include: Storage and shelving options Equipment mounting solutions Caster options Various power accessories Security devices Additional work surface space Cable management Wrist support Steering handles Preventative maintenance programs Extended warranty options Various color options TollFree 800.264.4734
These extras are the finishing touches on your mobile cart investment. CompuCaddy has the expertise and experience to ensure your cart is designed to your exact specifications from the power system to the shelving configuration. As a valued healthcare provider, you should demand nothing less. About CompuCaddy Unlike many of its competitors, CompuCaddy focuses solely on meeting the pointofcare needs of healthcare providers. The company specializes in manufacturing mobile computer cart, workstation, and wall mount solutions healthcare facilities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. CompuCaddy s products are proudly made in the USA, and the company has built a reputation building innovative, highquality pointofcare solutions customized to fit the needs of any healthcare environment. Learn more about our products and services including Fusion and Cynergy mobile computer carts, OmniCenter workstations, and the full line of LCD wall mounts by visiting www. compucaddy.com. TollFree 800.264.4734