Purchasing storage cabinets for your healthcare facility may seem like an easy task. Make a list of what needs to be stocked in each area and choose cabinets that fit and look nice.
However, the healthcare storage cabinets you purchase should do more than add to the aesthetics of your facility. Storage cabinets help healthcare facilities meet safety, efficiency, and cost-saving metrics.
Read on to learn the five most important features to look for when choosing healthcare storage cabinets.
Adapts to Change
As the saying goes, the one constant in healthcare is change. New procedures, upgraded supplies, shifting priorities, and structural rearrangements occur daily in healthcare facilities.
It seems that as soon as a space is running efficiently, the needs of the unit change. Flexible, movable, and reconfigurable storage cabinets provide a better ROI for your facility.
Look for adjustable shelves and modular units. Cabinet configurations that accept various-sized baskets and trays fit more supplies in a smaller space.
When evaluating storage cabinets, ask a few questions. Will interior components be available to retrofit the cabinet for a different purpose? Can interior lighting be added at a later time?
Provides Security
In 2023, the average hospital spent 10.5 % of their budget on supplies. Maintain control of your assets by investing in storage cabinets with the latest security technology.
Consider purchasing healthcare cabinets with integrated locks. Keypads and proximity locks provide fast access to critical supplies.
Look for locks that can link to a cloud platform for even better security. A robust WiFi system allows managers to monitor a fleet of cabinets and carts from a central computer. InnerSpace Cloud services provide audit trails, maintenance and outage alerts, and the ability to upload lists of user access information.
Contributes to Infection Control Measures
Hospitals, patients, and insurance companies spend at least $28 billion each year treating healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Each day, approximately 1 in 31 hospital patients is being treated for an HAI, although this number is likely much higher.
Choosing storage cabinets that meet infection control guidelines can contribute to a facility’s infection control efforts.
The International Health Facility Guidelines (iHFG) indicate that healthcare surfaces, particularly those in operating rooms, intensive care units, and labor and delivery units, should be constructed such that routine cleaning will be effective and efficient. The iHFG encourages using storage cabinets and carts designed with sealed joints and surfaces that are smooth and impenetrable to liquids or chemicals.
Materials such as stainless steel and Innerspace’s AireCore resist chipping and cracking, withstand cleaning with medical cleaning agents, and stand up to water and resist corrosion. AireCore cabinets do not have seams that can attract and hold onto dirt and bacteria, making the surfaces easy to clean.
When choosing storage cabinets for sterile or critical supplies, such as endoscopes, look for cabinets designed with ventilation systems. Moisture in an endoscope cabinet can lead to biofilm build-up and the spread of infectious organisms through scope use. Endoscope storage cabinets with HEPA-filtered air ventilation keep scopes dry and may include positive-pressure air delivery through the scope channels.
Contributes to Efficient Patient Care
Consider cabinets with interior lighting and tempered glass doors so that staff can see the supplies they need before opening cabinets. Visual cues save time and keep staff from needlessly opening the cabinet doors.
Further improve efficiency by choosing cabinets with shelves, baskets, and trays that accept labels. Labeling supplies limits the number of times staff members need to open the cabinet doors. The contents stay cleaner and neater.
Is Durable
Choose healthcare cabinets that stand up to repeated use, chemical cleaning, and liquid spills. Look for materials resistant to liquids, chemicals, and corrosion. Check countertops and doors for visible seams or glue lines that can collect dirt and bacteria.
InnerSpace offers AireCore cabinets manufactured without seams. AireCore won’t chip, scratch, or collect dirt. With no cracks or crevices in which pathogens can hide, AireCore and stainless steel cabinets are easier to clean than wood cabinets.
Remember that healthcare storage solutions are not just where your staff stores supplies. Healthcare storage cabinets and carts must help the facility accomplish its goal of providing safe, cost-effective, efficient patient care.