Patient-Centered Care

A Mobile Workstation Evolves to Meet Urgent Clinical Needs

Improved mobility, security and functionality give users the power to enhance care delivery and support their own well-being.

Donna Marbury

Donna Marbury is a journalist and award-winning social media and content strategist specializing in healthcare, technology, smart cities and culture.

As demands on doctors and nurses grow and evolve, mobile workstations can be an essential tool to help make their important jobs easier.

Not only do the wheeled carts — which include keyboards and screens — provide necessities for clinical and administrative tasks, but they also help ease the physical stress many practitioners face during long shifts.

“Mobile workstations are now preferred by healthcare staff for several reasons,” says Steve Torbett, senior product manager for Capsa Healthcare, whose Trio Computing Workstations are designed to help users manage a wide range of duties more efficiently.

A major perk: maneuverability.

“As opposed to a fixed workstation, mobile workstations really provide the maximum opportunity for patient engagement,” Torbett says, noting that the Trio workstations’ ease of transport — whether it’s being taken from room to room or across a large medical complex — enhances care delivery at the bedside.

That function was gaining in importance before the COVID-19 pandemic, he adds, “but now, showing patients information on the computer screen is a necessity.”

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Improved Communication for Patients and Caregivers

Equipped with intuitive functions and cloud-based software, Trio mobile workstations supply a vital link in connecting patients to caregivers and loved ones via videoconferencing — a benefit as visitation restrictions continue during the pandemic.

“There have been many cases where a patient was in an isolation unit and not allowed to have visitors,” Torbett says. “That’s where Trio’s telehealth integrations can be impactful to connect patients with their caregivers and loved ones.”

As the practice of virtual rounding grows, allowing more clinicians to check in with patients remotely, the Trio workstation can streamline and expedite these communications for users.

“They can visit patients more frequently and earlier in the day by using our remote technology,” Torbett says.

Power to Track and Streamline Workflows

Just as important as the carts’ many functions is an enhanced ability to monitor them. Trio’s patented embedded technology connects with Capsa’s N-Sight Fleet Management to configure and manage a fleet of Trio workstations remotely.

The system includes analytics and tools to improve key functions — including asset utilization, keeping carts operational and deployed where they’re most needed, extending runtimes and monitoring their use and charging behavior.

A simple touch screen controls the cart and gives clinicians access to view battery life, adjust light settings to work in dark rooms without waking patients and watch training videos for optimal use.

“It also includes the ability for nurses to save their personal preferences, such as height presets, which automatically transfer to all other carts in the fleet,” Torbett says.

The Trio workstations’ ease of transport enhances care delivery at the bedside.

Trio also supports single sign-on, often called “tap and go” by nurses, where they can tap their badges to log in to the cart and open drawers. For added security, a “do not disturb” notification light allows other carts to receive an alert when a practitioner is administering medication or performing other tasks that could be harmful if disrupted.

N-Sight Fleet Management integrates with other software systems, including help desk for service requests, sending IT alerts and monitoring cart locations, providing further benefit for support teams.

“It saves IT unnecessary trips to check on and update carts, which is especially valuable when carts are deployed at remote and smaller locations,” Torbett says. “From a nursing perspective, it helps IT keep the carts ready and available where they are needed, which saves the nurse time instead of looking for carts that are operational.”

Designed with Caregivers in Mind

Trio’s slim design makes storage efficient while minimizing the push-pull force for users. It combines an adjustable work surface, monitor and keyboard heights, with the ability to tilt and position the monitor and keyboard ergonomically for all user heights.

The Trio model features Capsa’s N-Stride steer assist system, which is trigger operated to reduce strain when driving carts through hallways and turning corners.

And it can be customized with storage options, including drawers and bins that lock electronically. A high-capacity flexible storage system called MaxBins offers more storage higher on the cart without needing to bend over. Both standard and upgraded storage options feature remote security management.

“Storage can be configured many ways with nonlocking, locking and even dual-locking drawers for controlled medications,” Torbett says, and additional features can be applied to support scanner and printer mounting, and to carry medical items and supplies.

“The same cart platform can be customized many different ways for different units’ needs throughout the facility and health system,” he says.

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