2024 Trends in Height Adjustable Workstations for the Healthcare Industry
Standing desks and sit-to-stand workstations have been a staple in the healthcare industry for years. The mobile nature of these computer workstations allows clinicians to easily move them from room to room while they help patients. Clinicians are afforded the ability to serve patients with more speed, empathy, and a higher level of care with the help of these carts than with a traditional desk.
The longer these height-adjustable workstations have been around, the more features they have, and the more to watch out for. Below Atlus lists all the top trends in height adjustable medical carts to watch out for in 2024 and beyond to improve patient experience in healthcare.
Hospital leadership continues to buy into computer carts
Since computer carts on wheels first gained popularity, it truly has been clinicians who are the biggest advocate for them. The ergonomic design allows staff to be comfortable when working, even when they change from sitting to standing. In recent years, hospital leadership has seen the benefit of mobile PC carts and started to implement entire fleets into their facilities rather than one or two.
Part of the reason leadership in healthcare is buying into computer workstations on wheels, even more, is they can see how much their clinicians like quality carts. The healthcare industry is ever-changing and clinicians experience constant physical, mental, and emotional demands every shift. Mobile workstations help ease the burden by lowering the physical strain. Clinicians are able to be comfortable while working and aren’t concerned about going without important patient information - which also lowers the mental demands.
Healthcare leadership also noticed these benefits and have sought to implement fleets of medical computer carts into their facilities to assist their employees. They want their staff to feel better while working both for the employee and the patient’s benefit. Throughout 2024, this trend will continue as hospital officials look for ways to keep their staff both happy and healthy.
Increased use of powered carts
When height-adjustable computer carts first appeared on the market, they were mostly manual-lift laptop carts. These workstations needed to be manually cranked to reach the needed height, and had no power source for technology. This method worked great 10 years ago, but since technology has expanded having a direct power source has become a necessity.
In 2024 and beyond, the use of powered computer carts will continue to increase to meet the growing need for direct power sources. Clinicians need to be able to use their computers for a full shift to input EMR data, access patient records, and more. Not only do these battery powered workstations offer a direct source of power for clinician computers, they also have height adjustability at the touch of a button.
This technology can equip healthcare workers to do their jobs efficiently while reaping the health benefits of a standing desk.
A bigger focus on mobility
Healthcare workers are on the go for their entire shifts. In fact, nurses walk an average of 4-5 miles per shift. With the on-the-go nature of their jobs, they need their computer cart on wheels to match their mobility needs.
Nurses rely on their computer carts in every patient room they walk into from start to finish. They record all information about a patient, including vitals, and put the information into their EHR. During the appointment, they may want to show important information to the patient, and it’s fastest on the computer that is at their fingertips, and then they end the appointment with final notes. With having to do all of these things, having a computer cart that is as mobile as they are is a must.
Gone are the days of lugging around a large laptop, making frequent trips to a stationary desk, and even struggling to push a workstation. 2024 is bringing lighter computer carts on wheels than ever before. Now clinicians and nurses can easily push or pull the powered cart with ease, and easily change the height of the desk using a lightweight padel. With no more fatigue from moving the equipment, nurses can focus on more efficient and engaging patient visits.
Conclusion
Computer workstations provide countless benefits to healthcare professionals. Their ergonomic design allows clinicians to be comfortable while working and keeps them from experiencing pain associated with their tasks, such as typing, grabbing supplies, and inputting data.
The trends medical computer carts will see throughout 2024 and beyond are here to stay, and will only encourage hospitals to employ more carts to offer much-needed help to their clinicians. Contact Altus to learn more about how our powered carts fit into these trends.