Tips to Invest in the Right Hospital Furniture

We all know that a multi-specialty hospital treats all diseases and ailments under the same roof with an expert team of specialists and doctors. While furnishing a healthcare facility, the search for the right furniture will surely be a daunting task as there are so many parameters one has to analyse before investing. The furniture must be of good quality and suit the requirements of a particular business. So, are you wondering where to start and how to find the best hospital furniture manufacturer and supplier? This article will help you shortlist and invest in the right hospital furniture according to your needs.

Different Types of Hospital Furniture

Furniture in a hospital may include hospital beds, stretchers, operating tables, blood donation chairs, bedside tables, etc. All these pieces of furniture are designed to meet the needs of the medical staff and patients with an appropriate design adopting the latest technology. Hospital furniture must always be safe and sterile, while rendering comfort. Let us discuss some of the widely used hospital furniture in detail below.

Tables

A hospital table is a table that provides bedside assistance for patients to have their meals and administer medicine. The hospital table must be adjustable in height to become compatible with the bed. Most of these tables have multi-positioning adjustments making it easy to change the angles and tilt them accordingly. If you get a hospital bed, you have to ensure that the material does not get scratched easily as with patients around, it can quickly breed germs and give way to various infestations. Besides bedside tables, a few other hospital tables are used widely in multi-specialty hospitals. They are:

• Examination table
• Operation table
• Delivery table
• Over-the-bed tables
• Birth tables

Tables with wheels aid with portability, and birth tables support the expecting mothers at every stage of childbirth, including the recovery period.

Trolleys

Hospital carts in medical centers are called trolleys. They have numerous functions like transporting hospital supplies from one place to another without hassle. Trolleys in hospitals can carry items like keratometers, anesthetist equipment, and hand accessories like surgical gloves. There are two kinds of trolleys: stainless-steel dressing trolleys and mayo trolleys.

• Stainless steel dressing trolleys are the most common ones used for cleaning and dressing a patient after any surgical procedure. It has a bowl or bucket made of aluminum or stainless steel with wheels fitted to move from one place to another.
• Mayo trolleys are used in almost all healthcare centers and nursing homes. It is used in the operation theatre to place the medical instruments so that it becomes easily accessible at the time of treatment.

Beds

Hospital beds play a significant role in helping patients feel comfortable and recover fast. They are available in various sizes and shapes and use numerous innovative technologies to help people with various health ailments. The essential features that every hospital bed should possess are discussed here.

• Hospital beds like paediatric beds, ICU beds, semi-fowlers, and ward beds are always created from high-grade materials as they are durable and last longer.
• Mechanical and electrical ICU beds are a huge investment, and retaining them for many years is always the goal of any healthcare facility. Thus, based on the regulations of the medical field, these beds are made of corrossion-free material with a pull-down facility.
• A semi-fowler bed is a hospital bed designed according to medical parameters with an adjustable backrest to provide great comfort for the patients.
• Advanced technology hospital beds have a button to change the position, flexible sidebar, etc.
• Small storage compartments or cup holders in hospital beds will provide better comfort.

Also Read: An Ultimate Guide on Various Types of Medical Trolleys

Chair

A hospital chair must be strong to suit various medical needs. The most basic purpose of hospital chairs is to allow patients and visitors to sit down on them for longer duration. Therefore, the hospital chairs must be comfortable, withstand weight, support the motion, etc. Hospital chairs are of various sizes, shapes, designs, and materials and range from adult to baby chairs. As patients are the integral part of any healthcare facility, hospital chairs are usually designed for patients with medical conditions. The different types of hospital chairs are:

• Stretcher chairs
• Gynaecological chairs
• Shower chairs
• Lift chairs

Important Factors in Choosing the Right Hospital Furniture

The choice of hospital furniture depends on the patient and medical facility‘s needs. When furnishing any healthcare facility, there are four essential factors to be considered, and they are:

Safety

Safety is the most vital factor to consider while producing or designing healthcare furniture. This factor analyses how safe the furniture is for use. A chair with arms must have a padded armrest to add comfort and better grip. A hospital chair must be able to bear the weight of any patient while they get up and sit down, ensuring 100% safety. Armless chairs are ideal for overweight patients who do not prefer using a bariatric chair. Avoid furniture that has welting as it increases the risk of bacteria growing on them. Beware of pinch points, and look out for seating with waterfall edges as it minimizes the bacterial growth on catch points. If the furniture is going to be around kids, use piano hinges to ensure better safety.

Easy to Clean

Furniture that is easy to clean and maintain, is widely preferred by any hospital or clinic. When the furniture has non-porous surfaces, cleaning with mild cleaning agents is enough to keep the furniture hygienic. Therefore, wood and veneer furnishings are not recommended for healthcare use as they are porous. Instead, you can try laminates that give the same look like wood and are also easy to clean. Other examples of non-porous materials are:

• Glass
• Hard plastics
• Stainless steel

Any healthcare seating must have a clean-out space between the backrest and the seat. The bigger, the better, as it does not let the bacteria grow or bedbugs breed and makes the furniture easier to maintain and clean.

Durability

The hospital space has to be equipped with furniture made of durable materials like metal. The seating area must be resistant to moisture and withstand various wear and tears. If the furniture is going to be in a waiting room or examination room, it is important to invest in furniture made of tough metal that can reduce maintenance costs or withstand external trauma. However, if the furniture is going to a desk with countertops, try to get ones that are resistant to scratches.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is important in providing better comfort for patients and employees. As the medical staff and professionals work for an extended period, good ergonomic furniture will help the furniture adapt to every posture and prevent health problems. By investing in ergonomic furniture, the employees will feel valued.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics is a crucial factor but is the last factor to be considered while setting up a healthcare facility. The need for good aesthetics arises because it will help boost people’s morals and calm uneasy emotions. An attractive hospital with better colour and visual appeal help in improving patient satisfaction.

The Bottom-line

The best way to improve the patient experience of hospitals is by investing in appropriate new hospital furniture. Inspace Hospital Furnitures is a leading hospital furniture manufacturer and supplier in Tamilnadu using cutting-edge technology to meet the growing needs of every healthcare industry. We are well-known for our ergonomically designed, durable hospital furniture of various shapes and sizes.