1. There is no single best solution

Every charting station manufacturer wants to sell you their product, and we are no different. To say that a wall-mounted solution is always the best would be disingenuous, however, so we’re not going to go there. Truth be told, there is no one best product solution that works for everyone in every application.

2. Patient room charting vs hallway charting

One of the big issues you will face in your patient room environments is whether your patient care staff should chart in the patient room or in the hallways and nursing stations. Charting in the room makes staff more accessible to patients, and they feel better informed. It seems like there are fewer secrets. It also can lead to non-stop questions and increase charting times, as well as create uncomfortable situations where separation is better. Charting in the hallways creates congestion and can require double data entry (once for notes, once into the computer). It can also require purchasing fewer charting stations and technology. Hospitals are doing it both ways, and there does not seem to be convergence on one location over another.

3. Wall-mounted vs mobile (COW’s) stations

Walls can be crowded, and adding another large cabinet can seem a bit much. But, having technology secured and out of the way is also helpful. And, you never have to worry if the last shift plugged in your wall-mounted station or not. The mobility of a system helps make charting more immediate and personal, but they can also get in the way when you need to access a patient. Staff always knows where a wall-mounted station is, and they don’t have to be pushed around. One rule of thumb is that the more stable patient population is in an area, the more a wall-mounted system probably makes sense. In reality, there is probably a need for some combination of both wall-mounted and mobile stations in any facility - it’s just figuring out where they best support the work being done.

4. The technology dimension

Wall-mounted charting stations can accommodate just about any kind of technology your hospital may choose to use. A home can be created for CPU’s, for notebooks, or for tablet PC’s. COW’s are usually tied to notebook PC’s, and battery charge life is always a major issue.

5. The user dimension

Gumbo medical products is all about the user, about reducing the stress and strain associated with patient care. There is a reason that nurses and other care staff can be hard to find, and minimizing their potential for injury from long-term exposure to poor postures is a great way to reducing staff injuries and loss. These costs tend to be hidden, but are very real and burdensome.

5. Making the switch

If your facility is new to the whole idea of electronic patient charting, the psychological changes are probably more difficult on your staff than learning how to do it. Underestimating the effect of these changes can through your whole switch into a state of chaos. Go slowly, offer redundant systems for a while, create incentives to change. Everyone is for change until the have to do it, so while you are planning out the technology and equipment, plan out how to help your staff make the move as well.

6. Show me the money!

In the end, much of the wall-mount vs COW decision comes down to the money. A couple of things to consider: (1) You know where your wall-mounted systems are, and you know they will always be available for use. (2) Charging COW’s are useless COW’s. (3) Cabinets can cost from 50% to 70% less than COW’s. (4) Replacing COW batteries is big bucks – be prepared in your budget! (5) If you can predict what technology will look like in 2-4 years, buy a COW. If not, cabinets are pretty adaptable.

7. There’s never time to do it right...

but there is always time to do it over. Take your time to make the best informed decision for your facility. At Gumbo, we try to take everyone’s needs into consideration in designing our products. Careful planning during the decision-making phase of your project can reduce the amount of time (and money) spent in correcting your early mistakes. Create the set of solutions that works best for your facility, not what worked in the next city.