[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/stationary-vs-mobile-storage\/"},"description":"Both stationary and mobile storage options are available for healthcare facilities. Examine the advantages and disadvantages of fixed and mobile storage options and provide examples of how each may help to protect facility assets, provide safe patient care, and maximize efficiency.","datePublished":["2023-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","2023-04-17T00:00:00Z"],"inLanguage":{"@type":"Language","name":"English","sameAs":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_English","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#English"},"about":{"@type":"Thing","url":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q9158768","name":"wiki-storage","@id":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q9158768"},"copyrightYear":"2023.0","isFamilyFriendly":true,"subjectOf":{"@type":"Blog","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/","name":"News","description":"News about InnerSpace healthcare storage solutions. Offering medical carts, cabinets, and casework that change with your needs.","inLanguage":{"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#English"},"isFamilyFriendly":true,"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/"},"wordCount":712,"isAccessibleForFree":true,"timeRequired":"P0Y0M0DT0H2M59S","citation":["https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK2633\/","https:\/\/www.hfmmagazine.com\/articles\/1539-designing-for-hospital-efficiency","https:\/\/www.jointcommission.org\/standards\/standard-faqs\/ambulatory\/environment-of-care-ec\/000001275\/"],"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/stationary-vs-mobile-storage-article-image-final-01.jpg","name":"Examples of Stationary and Mobile Storage","height":"1152","width":"2048","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/stationary-vs-mobile-storage-article-image-final-01.jpg"},"author":{"@type":"Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cindy-blye.jpg","name":"Cindy Blye","height":"884","width":"885","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cindy-blye.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/web-based-security-system-benefits\/","name":"Cindy Blye","description":"Cindy Blye, BSN, RN, CCM is a Registered Nurse and Certified Case Manager. She is an Alumni of West Virginia University School of Nursing (BSN), and a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and The Authors Guild.","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/cindy-blye-rn-bsn-ccm","honorificSuffix":["BSN","CCM","RN"],"alumniOf":"https:\/\/nursing.wvu.edu\/","jobTitle":"Registered Nurse and Certified Case Manager","affiliation":["https:\/\/authorsguild.org\/","https:\/\/healthjournalism.org\/"],"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/author\/cindy-blye\/#person"},"dateModified":["2023-04-17T00:00:00Z","2023-04-17T00:00:00-04:00"],"articleBody":"Anyone working in healthcare knows that a clean, well-stocked, organized storage system can feel like a ray of sunshine during the most hectic days. Both stationary and mobile storage options are available for healthcare facilities, but how do you decide which type of storage solution fits your needs?\u00a0  Stakeholders, from facility architects to nurses, should be involved in deciding what storage solutions work best for each unit. Patient safety may be the most critical factor that impacts how and where facilities store medical supplies.\u00a0  Decision-makers may also want to consider the type of unit, typical staff workflows, traffic patterns, and any applicable manufacturer\u2019s storage instructions.  This article will examine the advantages and disadvantages of fixed and mobile storage options and provide examples of how each may help to protect facility assets, provide safe patient care, and maximize efficiency.  \n\nPermanent Storage  \n\nAdvantages of stationary storage:\u00a0  \n\nControlled storage  \nHumidity and temperature-controlled storage rooms or cabinets provide a stable environment for supplies and medications. For example, endoscope drying cabinets offer a controlled environment that can be located near or in procedure rooms.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\n Controlled access  \nLocked stationary cabinets or rooms provide a safe place to store controlled substances or hazardous materials.\u00a0  \n\nClean environment  \nSupplies can be stored in closed cabinets, drawers, or on shelving in sterile supply rooms, reducing the risk of contamination. \n\n Vertical storage  \nFixed storage cabinets configured to fit available wall space keeps extra supplies from taking up valuable floor space.\u00a0  \n\nAdjustable organization  \nFlexible interior storage allows staff to arrange supplies for optimal efficiency, while clear doors and labeling increase visibility and reduce time-consuming searches.\u00a0  \n\nDisadvantages of stationary storage:  \nHigher cost  Built-in cabinetry typically costs more than mobile units.\u00a0  \n\nImmobile  \nRelocating fixed storage cabinets involves extensive renovations.  Traditionally, hospital units revolved around a central nursing station and storage room where nurses retrieved supplies and charted. Large units centered around one supply storage area require nurses to travel long distances, limiting time spent on direct patient care.\u00a0  Today, it is more common to have decentralized nursing stations spread around the unit. Placing storage cabinets near each nursing station can reduce the time nurses spend locating and transporting supplies while increasing the time nurses spend monitoring and caring for patients.  \n\nMobile Storage  \nWhile fixed cabinets provide a customizable, consistent, and safe way to store frequently used supplies, mobile carts, and cabinets provide flexibility to meet changing patient care needs.\u00a0  \n\nAdvantages of mobile storage:  \nFlexibility  \nStocked medical carts provide a quick and easy way to transport situation-specific supplies to patient rooms, exam rooms, and procedure rooms.\u00a0  \n\nAdaptability  \nRooms that adapt to different patient acuity levels can reduce the number of patient transfers. Supply carts can be exchanged to accommodate a change in patient status rather than a lengthy transfer to another unit. Limiting patient transfers may reduce confusion, hallway traffic, and noise and result in fewer errors.  Safer medication administration  Save time transporting medications and reduce errors by dispensing medications at the bedside.  Free up floor space  Situation-specific carts, such as casting or IV carts, reduce the need to stock extra supplies throughout the unit.\u00a0  Less clutter can lower the risk of patient and staff falls.  Can be accessorized  Mobile carts with added functionality accomplish multiple tasks, such as a cart that allows for charting, monitoring, and simple procedures.  \n\nLower cost  \nMobile carts and cabinets typically cost less than mounted cabinets.  \n\nDisadvantages of mobile storage:  \nSecurity  Carts are at risk of being moved by unauthorized personnel or misplaced unless equipped with tracking.  Exposure to environmental changes and contaminants  Supply carts may become contaminated when moved to different areas and require more frequent cleaning.  Color-coding supply carts according to use can make them more visible to staff and reduce the time spent locating carts.  \n\nRegulations Matter  \nThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the World Health Organization encourage storage and maintenance procedures that protect patients from harm.\u00a0  How supplies are stored can also impact hospital accreditation and participation in federally funded insurance programs. CMS hospital surveys inspect whether supplies are stored safely and per the manufacturer\u2019s instructions.\u00a0  Consider using a team approach to choose the optimal storage solutions for your healthcare facility. Keeping patient safety at the forefront of the decision-making process will help inform all other considerations, such as traffic flows and current space constrictions.","name":"Stationary vs Mobile Storage: Which Should You Choose?","headline":"\"Stationary vs Mobile Storage: Which Should You Choose?\"","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/stationary-vs-mobile-storage\/","mentions":{"@type":"Thing","url":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q7817","name":"wiki-world-health-organization-who","@id":"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q7817"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/innerspace-healthcare-storage.png","name":"InnerSpace Healthcare Storage","height":"119","width":"460","acquireLicensePage":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/innerspace-healthcare-storage.png"},"address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","name":"InnerSpace Postal Address","postOfficeBoxNumber":"PO Box 2808","addressCountry":"US","addressLocality":"Grand Rapids","addressRegion":"Michigan","postalCode":"49501","streetAddress":"PO Box 2808","@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#PostalAddress0d149542-0d37-4313-a7a4-aacb6a045936"},"url":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/","alternateName":"InnerSpace Healthcare","location":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#PlaceOrPostalAddress","faxNumber":"+1 616-743-5944","name":"InnerSpace","description":"InnerSpace Healthcare offers a complete line of stationary and mobile storage solutions for healthcare facilities including catheter labs, radiology, central supply and surgical services. We offer a cohesive system of medical carts, medical cabinets, and medical casework that work together for improved staff and facility efficiency","email":"cs@solairemedical.com","telephone":"+1 888-435-2256","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/innerspace-by-solaire-medical\/","brand":["https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#PaceBrand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#RoamBrand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#EvolveBrand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#Brand","https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#InnerspaceBrand"],"contactPoint":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/contact\/#CustomerService","legalName":"Solaire Medical, LLC","foundingDate":"2011-10-01","areaServed":["https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#canada","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/United_States"],"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/#Organization"},"@id":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/stationary-vs-mobile-storage\/"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Stationary vs Mobile Storage: Which Should You Choose?","item":"https:\/\/innerspacehealthcare.com\/news\/stationary-vs-mobile-storage\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]