An anesthesia cart may not seem like a complex piece of equipment, but the right cart can improve the efficiency of your workflow, your response to an emergency, the security of your drugs and the management of your inventory. Our multi-specialty center sees patients from pediatric to elderly and from healthy to seriously ill. We needed carts with enough storage space to let us handle any type of case in any OR, and to supply a day of surgery without interrupting the schedule to restock. Here's what you need to consider when shopping for these fixtures that stand at the head of every surgical table, keeping medications and supplies at the ready.

• Customize to standardize. Customizable drawers, bins and drawer dividers let you standardize the locations of carts' contents for efficiency and safety. While organizing the layout, however, remember that a cart that can supply any case scenario must be usable by all of your anesthesia staff. Since some staffers may be shorter than others, selecting a cart with a top shelf too high to reach at a moment's notice is of questionable value.
• Secure access. Medication security used to mean lock and key, but electronic equipment lets you track who accesses the cart. That's an increasingly valuable and necessary feature that balances the security regulations federal and state agencies impose over drug storage and use, the need to prevent employee drug theft and the need for convenient access during surgery. We chose a cart that was accessible via badges and ID codes. It also featured specially accessible medication drawers that staff tasked only with restocking supplies couldn't enter.
• Wireless connectivity. An electronic cart with wireless connectivity can further simplify your life by tying into your practice management or EMR systems while remaining portable. That way you can automate inventory recordkeeping or update the list of staff users you're tracking without having to individually count or update each cart.
• Locking mechanisms. Current cart technology also offers automatic timed lockouts and simple pushbutton locking used when exiting the room, so the anesthesia provider no longer has to divert their attention from the patient during the critical moments of emergence to lock the cart.

Final decisions come down to who has the technology you're looking for at a cost that your budget can bear. Cost is always a major concern to administrators, but be sure to select something that gets your anesthesia staff's approval. For this, an on-site trial is always recommended.

Capsa Solutions
Artromick Series Anesthesia Carts
(800) 437-6633
www.capsasolutions.com
List price: $1,200 to $5,000, depending on model, lock system, configuration, accessories and security upgrades
FYI: Keyless entry is standard on every model of Capsa's Artromick series of carts. Seamless drawers with integrated divider systems or removable drawer trays make organization easy. The exclusive CartWatch Remote Management System lets a supervisor at a computer workstation monitor and control the security and user access of individual or all carts, and to generate customizable reports on demand or automatically.

Harloff Manufacturing
Mini Line Anesthesia Workstation
(800) 433-4064 x101 or x109
www.harloff.com
List price: $2,389
FYI: The Mini Line's lightweight aluminum construction, narrow design with a compact footprint and pontoon bumpers for stability make it a space-efficient choice. Keyless entry and electronic locking make it a security-conscious choice. The electronic access enables medication and supply tracking, can be programmed for up to 250 users and records the last 1,500 transactions by user name, time and date. The cart is battery operated, with a low-battery indicator.

Herman Miller Healthcare
Procedure/Supply Cart
(866) 443-4357
www.hermanmiller.com/healthcare
List price: $1,000 to $1,500
FYI: The plastic body of Herman Miller's procedure cart (pictured at rear) makes it lighter and easier to move than steel carts. Its surfaces can be washed without the risk of rusting, they resist dents and they have no paint to flake or peel. The drawers can be reconfigured without tools and components and can be interchanged with other products from the company's modular casework line. A variety of lock options are available for security.

McKesson Automation
Anesthesia-Rx Cart
(724) 741-8000
www.anesthesia-rx.com
List price: not disclosed
FYI: Each Anesthesia-Rx cart is specially designed and configured to meet a surgical facility's unique workflow to ensure fast, easy and reliable dispensing as well as secure medication and narcotic storage. Its reporting functions support end-of-day accountability and automatic processing of use, inventory and charge capture details for pharmacy personnel. An optional color syringe label printer enables rapid medication identification.

MPD Medical
Select Series Carts
(877) MPD-CART
www.mpdmedical.com
List price: From less than $1,000 to $3,000, depending on material and lock style
FYI: Available in E-Z Push aluminum construction or steel, Select Series carts are offered in 3 heights with a choice of 3-, 6-, 9- or 12-inch deep drawers in your choice of configuration. Locking choices include keys, mechanical pushbuttons, electronic and proximity reader options. Carts have double-wall construction, a durable plastic top and full-extension, ball-bearing drawer slides, plus they open and close quietly.

Omnicell
Anesthesia Workstation G4
(800) 850-6664
www.omnicell.com
List price: $35,000
FYI: Redesigned with a more compact form to improve ergonomics and workflow, the Anesthesia Workstation G4 allows for automated drug dispensing, secure storage, convenient access and documentation of use while relieving the anesthesia provider of the tedious task of counting medications. Waste is tracked automatically and staff users are prompted regarding unreconciled items at the end of the case.

Pedigo Products
P-7202-C Cardiac and Anesthetist Cabinet
(800) 822.3501
www.pedigo-usa.com
List price: $2,733
FYI: Designed for cardiac and emergency uses, the P-7202-C can also serve as a large anesthesia cart. It includes an IV rod, push handle, oxygen tank holders, a 25-foot cord with an electrical outlet and a cabinet locking rod. Its all-stainless-steel construction is welded and polished, and its cabinets provide ample space for drugs and supplies. The cart features 4-inch, double-ball-bearing, swivel casters for smooth mobility. All Pedigo products are American made.

Stanley InnerSpace
Harmony Carts
(800) 467-7224
www.stanleyinnerspace.com/small-carts
List price: $1,100 to $4,800
FYI: These compact carts are available in 4 frame sizes and include standard 5-inch plate casters, a central key lock and a pullout writing surface. The company's Build-a-Cart option lets buyers configure products to their specific needs, choosing from a full complement of cart accessories, colors and security options, including an intelligent wireless locking system that allows cart access programming and user credentialing via the internet.