The Real Reasons to Stop Buying Cheap Medical Computer Carts

Supplying your hospital with medical computer carts to improve workflows is a necessity in today’s world of electronic medical records (EMRs). Mobile carts allow for ergonomic workspaces and better, more efficient patient care. These types of workstations come in at several different price points, but with one purchase of a cheap medical computer cart, it’s clear to see why cheaper does not mean better.

There are innumerable reasons to stop buying cheap medical computer carts and invest in quality carts. Below we’ve outlined the reasons to stop opting for cheaper medical carts and why quality computer workstations matter.

Overseas supply chain and long wait times

Many facilities buy their medical computer carts from overseas companies. But when buying overseas, you risk experiencing disruptions with the order, or not receiving it at all. Many overseas manufacturers rely on a single supplier of parts or materials. If an issue arises with their supplier, the effects trickle down, affecting those trying to buy from them.

In addition to supply chain issues, political unrest, environmental factors, and economic instability in overseas markets are not uncommon. When the manufacturer is affected, you will experience it as well in the form of long product wait times. The extended wait times can lead to headaches and harder workflows for clinicians when offering patient care.

These issues from choosing an overseas supply chain can be solved by choosing a domestic workstation partner. By choosing a domestic manufacturer, you are able to stay updated on what is happening with the supply chain and know they will not experience unexpected crises.

Cheap product materials

One of the top factors that influence purchases, especially in the healthcare industry, is cost. If a hospital or facility can find a product that does the same job for cheaper, the choice will almost always be to save money on the front end and choose the least expensive product.

The key phrase here is “the front end.” One of the most common experiences with cheap products is that they aren’t built to last. When a medical computer cart is purchased at a low price point, they often are made from low-quality materials and are unable to handle the demanding healthcare environment.

While there are a lot of factors that influence cart costs, especially in an overseas market or in manufacturers who use cheap materials, the fact is, that the low price point comes at a cost. Somewhere along the line, sacrifices have to be made. Whether that’s in ethical production practices, the durability of the product, or even the customer service.

Poor customer service

When a company produces cheaply made medical carts, chances are, they aren’t passionate about the product’s quality or the customer experience. More than likely, they’re trying to move inventory as quickly as possible with as little effort as possible. As you’re shopping for medical computer carts, the price can be a huge indicator of the kind of customer service the company provides. Extra low prices can be an indicator of low quality and thus less effective customer service. Before purchasing from any computer workstation supplier, check to see how much they care about their customers, and how easy it is to find their customer service portal.

Dealing with multiple businesses

Shopping for medical carts—and focusing on the cheaper options—often means working with multiple businesses. One business might meet half of your hospital’s needs, but in order to meet the other half, you may need to work with a second company. The process of working with multiple businesses and trying to find one that offers everything your hospital needs in a workstation is time-consuming, frustrating, and ultimately hurts the quality of care you are able to provide.

The best way to avoid having to deal with multiple businesses is by choosing a domestic partner that specializes in medical computer carts. These types of businesses, like Altus, engineer workstations to fit every need a hospital may have. They take out the need to work with multiple businesses and work with you to make sure every need is met. While these carts may be more expensive than other companies, knowing they have everything your hospital needs and not having to work with multiple businesses makes the investment worth it.

The seller does not service the computer cart

If you buy a cheap medical computer cart, it’s almost certain that the seller will offer no follow-up service. This means that when the computer workstation inevitably breaks, you’ll have to find an additional third-party repair service to come to fix the issue. These third-party repair services will likely charge high rates to service the workstation, and are likely to make it cost the same as if you bought a more expensive and reliable computer cart.

Having a full-service workstation on wheels provider allows them to not only service the carts, but also determine what the issue is faster than using a third party. They know their workstations better than anyone, so troubleshooting can be performed in a fraction of the time, some even can be performed automatically.

Working directly with a healthcare mobile cart manufacturer can also save you money in the long run with warranty options. Warranty options can range from parts, labor, and maintenance to keep your hospital’s fleet of medical PC and laptop carts running for years to come. Altus offers comprehensive service and warranty options to keep your workstations moving for many worry-free years.

Altus is your full-service computer workstation manufacturer

The benefits of buying a quality medical computer cart from a respected manufacturer far outweigh those of buying from a cheap supplier. Working with a distinguished supplier means working with just one business, and their workstations come with functions that cannot be found elsewhere.

Each computer workstation designed by Altus is built with healthcare workers in mind. They are engineered to meet every need a hospital can have, and meet the needs cheaper workstations can’t. Choose from powered carts, non-powered carts, telehealth equipment, and laptop carts.

Contact Altus to learn more about our mobile computer cart options, and what features they offer that cheap workstations don’t.