What should a medical trolley comply with? The 6 key requirements

A medical trolley is more than a cart with a computer on top. The mobile workstation rolls from room to room every day, is used by changing colleagues and must withstand disinfection. Yet trolleys differ widely. In this article we list the six most important requirements, so you make a well-considered choice.

1. A battery that lasts the shift

Nothing is more disruptive than a mobile workstation failing halfway through the medication round. Pay attention to battery capacity and technology. LiFePO4 batteries, such as the 40 Ah battery in the Athena AMT160 and AMT200, last longer and age more slowly than regular lithium-ion batteries. A status indicator belongs on it: the team sees at a glance whether the trolley needs charging.

2. Height adjustment for every user

A trolley is shared by colleagues of different heights, seated and standing. Stepless height adjustment is therefore a must. That can be done with a gas spring, as on the Athena AMT500, or motorised at the touch of a button, as on the AMT200. A motor is more comfortable with a heavily loaded trolley; a gas spring is more affordable and virtually maintenance-free.

3. Hygienic design

In healthcare the trolley is cleaned and disinfected several times a day. Choose closed surfaces and materials that withstand cleaning agents: aluminium, stainless steel, ABS plastic or MDF with a medical-grade coating. Avoid open seams and hard-to-reach corners where dirt accumulates.

4. Stable and safe rolling

Four castors with a generous diameter roll smoothly over thresholds and cables. At least two castors must be lockable, so the workstation stands still during use. A front transport handle gives control in narrow corridors and at the lift.

5. Electrical safety and certification

A trolley with a power system and battery is electrical equipment in a medical environment. Therefore check the certification. The Athena trolleys comply with CE and RoHS and are built according to NEN/EN/IEC 3140 and NEN/EN/IEC 62353, the standard for recurrent testing of medical electrical equipment, with class 2 double insulation.

6. Modular expansion

Your workflow changes; the trolley must grow along. DIN rails make it possible to add or move drawers, device holders and scanner holders. That way a documentation cart later grows into a complete medication workstation with a barcode scanner and all-in-one PC.

Which medical trolley suits you?

For documentation with a laptop, a compact laptop cart suffices. For medication rounds with a PC, drawers and scanner you choose a full trolley with a strong battery. See our complete range of medical trolleys from Athena and Ergotron, or request advice via our contact page.

Frequently asked questions