Hospital Material Movement Archives

Technology is Changing the Face of Property Management

Times sure have changed since the typical property management equipment consisted of little more than a mop, broom, and screwdriver. Today, software runs the show behind the scenes.

According to a recent Cre.tech article about the most successful real estate apps, 88% of property managers are using cloud-based software. Apps can handle online rent collection, tenant requests for repair, new tenant screening and applications, vacancy listings, and more.

Cre.tech highlights three property management apps with various selling points:

• AppFolio, an enterprise level property management software-as-a-service

• Buildium, with an owner portal packed with financial reports plus a tenant-facing portal

• Cozy, a property management app aimed at landlords and small businesses

Venture funds and public offerings have injected hoards of cash into these tech companies, with the market’s most popular apps becoming extremely profitable. With costs as low as a dollar per tenant per month, this is technology that any size landlord can adopt.

Does Your Property Need More Software… or More Hardware?

The value of such apps mostly comes from small increases in efficiency thanks to reduced paperwork, streamlined rent payments, and digital record keeping.

Property management equipment can bring an immediate impact to your productivity and profits, too. A battery-powered cleaning supply cart can help condo staff do daily chores a little faster. With motorized dumpster movers, you can use one employee instead of two to handle waste collection — while also reducing the risk of worker injury claims.

DJ Products has the property management equipment solutions you need to achieve the profitability that is now possible with modern technology. Check out our WasteCaddy and other efficiency-boosting products for more info.

Mexico Hospital Holds US Citizen Hostage Over Unpaid Bills

Despite the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, the United States has continued to struggle with the problem of spiraling healthcare costs. For one woman from Idaho, the issue crossed international borders and has taken on nightmare proportions.

Medical Care or Extortion?

During a vacation to Mexico with her sister-in-law, 67-year-old retired high school teacher Vikki Moormann began experiencing uncontrollable vomiting. Doctors at the Hospital San Javier Riviera Nayarit diagnosed Moormann with a urinary tract infection and the initial stages of pneumonia.

The story took a bizarre turn when Moormann claimed that the hospital wouldn’t allow her to leave until she paid her bill, which had risen to $40,000. A hospital representative denied the accusation, blaming the media and Moormann’s son Ryen for sensationalizing the situation.

The Situation Escalates

While Ryen attempted to raise the funds by setting up a GoFundMe page, Moormann was able to pay only $6,000 of the total charges. Moormann offered to make monthly payments, and her family contacted both the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Consulate, but nothing has been resolved.

In a conversation posted on his Facebook page, Ryen Moormann was told by another hospital representative that his mother would not be released until the bill was paid in full. When Fox News contacted Vikki Moormann, the phone cut in and out until they were informed that she was “busy.”

The Solution to Moving Heavy Hospital Carts

Whether your hospital cart needs are foreign or domestic, ask yourself if your employees struggle with moving hospital carts through busy hallways and tight quarters? Visit our website for information about electric tugs and pushers such as the CartCaddyLite from DJ Products.

Take a Quick Review Before You Sub Out Your Hotel’s Laundry Service

Businesses that strive to make quality first impressions thrive on delivering efficient hospitality. In the hotel/motel industry, the difference between a returning customer and a bad review could rely on something as seemingly insignificant as having freshly laundered linens. For the best customer satisfaction, having a quality regimen of machinery at your disposal is a wise business investment.

Real Estate or Mistake?

Hotel owners continue to improve and update their facilities with amenities that keep current with customer demand. Quality products like powered linen carts turn a “must have” business model, like subbing out laundry services for better efficiency, into a “maybe” option. Workout facilities, indoor pools, and other popular additions can attract customers, but powered linen carts allow your hardworking employees to improve their overall experience behind the scenes.

More Time with DJ Products

DJ Products allow those in the hospitality industry to take a breath, step back and review what makes the services they render worthy of a return visit. Is a linen service option right for them? Is investing in powered linen carts a wise solution? Our linen carts can extend the timeline you have to decide on what’s next for your guests.

Airing the Laundry

Ensure your linens are fresh and your bottom line stays in focus by utilizing products that facilitate the simple pleasures of hotel hospitality. Durable, long-lasting machinery can create a better experience for you and your guests, and put your worries to bed, sleeping comfortably. Test the benefits of powered linen carts and smell the fresh scent of success permeate your investment savvy.

Try DJ products today and find out why our safe, well-built products continue to impress long after the last linen of the day has been laundered!

Tips to Improve Hospital Staff Productivity

As the healthcare industry moved to value-based payments, hospitals and other healthcare systems began searching for innovative ways to reduce costs and improve productivity. Powered carts for hospitals are a valuable solution to increase staff efficiency.

Here are five more tips to save time and money while maintaining high-quality job performance from your hospital staff.

1. Secure Commitment from Leadership

Buy-in of workplace initiatives starts at the top. Make sure your leadership team has the tools needed to monitor operations and uses the data to reduce costs while improving outcomes.

2. Establish a Data Governance Team

Your managers are dependent on timely and accurate data in order to make informed decisions that will achieve positive results. A data governance team ensures a high quality of reporting that is consistent and accurate.

3. Create Clearly-Defined Financial Targets

Without measurable goals, directions to improve productivity or reduce costs are meaningless. Once departments know their specific goals and have the appropriate resources, they can develop sound plans to accomplish them.

4. Foster Transparency

When team members don’t know how or where they fit into a system, they have a difficult time staying motivated. Encourage an atmosphere where everyone understands how they contribute and they feel comfortable asking questions.

5. Maintain Balance Between Productivity and Quality

Lowering costs without regard for maintaining quality standards is counterproductive. Find the sweet spot where both measures are at optimum levels.

DJ Products: The Top Source of Powered Carts for Hospitals

Visit our website to learn why electric powered carts for hospitals from DJ Products are your solution for safely increasing productivity while effectively reducing costs.

The Impact of Concierge Practice on the Face of the Healthcare Industry

Concierge service has long been a popular perk at upscale hotels. This high-end concept has made its way into the healthcare industry, where so-called “boutique medicine” has been raising questions about ethics and legality.

What Is Concierge Care?

With concierge care, patients pay an annual retainer fee ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. In return, they receive an elite level of service that can include same-day appointments, longer examination times and 24/7 access to their physician.

The business world views concierge service as a brilliant opportunity, but other reactions have been mixed. Some physicians and healthcare advocates fear the practice will shift resources to the wealthy at the expense of the underprivileged, while others claim that it’s a logical outgrowth of a socioeconomic structure that is already class-based.

The Legal View of Concierge Care

So far, the government has not been on the side of concierge care.

In 2003, the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services declared that concierge care agreements violate the state’s requirement prohibiting network healthcare providers from discriminating against any individuals. Carriers were put on notice that all such agreements “should be terminated immediately.”
The New York State Department of Health followed suit in 2004 with an official statement denouncing concierge medicine within HMOs.

Lighten the Load with Our Hospital Equipment Cart Mover

Improve your patient service with a hospital equipment cart mover from DJ Products. Employees can quickly and easily move loads weighing up to 1,000 pounds, allowing for efficient housekeeping and clear hallways.

Call 800.686.2651 for more information about why our hospital equipment cart mover is the solution for your busy workplace.

Hospital Administrators Face Cyber Data Threats

As the potential pitfalls of cyber security have evolved over the years, hospital administrators have more to worry about than ever. In addition to the protection of highly sensitive medical data, hospitals also face a constant threat of data ransom and even weaponized WiFi-enabled devices.

What your hospital does now to add protections and educate employees could make the difference when a cyber attack does eventually happen.

HealthcareDive runs down the top four data threats in hospitals:

• Negligence ranging from unencrypted data to employees using shared passwords

• Internal threats including intentional harm and accidental loss of personal devices

• Internet of Things vulnerabilities, with Internet-enabled medical devices becoming a target for hackers and DDoS attacks

• Ransomware attacks wherein hackers seize control of a network and demand payment

What Can Hospitals Do to Improve Cyber Security?

IT experts and healthcare experts must look to technology to play a strong defense, while also teaching good practices to employees at all levels.

• Always use data encryption

• Establish an employee protocol for bring-your-own devices

• Practice good password hygiene with frequent changes

• Self-audit to prevent internal fraud and inappropriate access

• Vet medical devices and equipment for hacking protection

Handling Hospital Materials the Right Way

Everything hospital staff do can impact your bottom line. A hospital equipment cart mover lets nurses and janitors stay productive and efficient, with less strain and injury risk. Run a tight ship when it comes to daily tasks like material movement, and management can spend more time overseeing the strategic decisions instead.

Follow our blog for healthcare news, and read about the hospital equipment cart mover for boosting efficiency and reducing injury claims.

What Are the Top Challenges for Hospital Administrators?

The new century has brought more changes in healthcare than any other period in history. Competition is also fiercer than ever, making it imperative that hospital administrators keep pace with the latest trends and developments.

What are the top challenges you’ll face over the next 12 months and beyond?

1. Incorporating Advanced Technology

Technology has changed the landscape for all businesses, but none more so than healthcare. Some of today’s urgent issues are:

Adapting wearable tracking devices for patient care
Using social media to engage patients and nurture relationships outside the hospital
Continuing meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs)
Complying with HIPAA requirements for effective security of patient records

2. Population Health Management

Although population health management is a hot topic, there’s no standardized definition at the moment. In its broadest sense, PHM refers to aggregating data and creating policies and programs to affect the health outcomes of a group of people. “Group” can be defined by any shared characteristics such as geography, demographics, or even place of employment.

3. A Focus on Collaboration

As the industry shifts to value-based healthcare, providers will find increasing benefits in partnering with other companies both inside and outside the healthcare industry.

Save Time and Labor with Powered Hospital Carts from DJ Products

You can’t afford to have patients burdened by crowded hallways and inefficient housekeeping. Our powered hospital carts allow employees to move loads of up to 1,000 pounds safely and efficiently, even in the tightest quarters.

Visit our website and use our handy online chat feature to let our knowledgeable sales engineers help you find the best solution for your needs.

2017 Healthcare Marketing Trends for Hospital Administrators

New Healthcare Trends Means New Advanced Ways to Help Patients

Healthcare is a constantly evolving industry. Medical technology becomes more advanced while doctors and other healthcare professionals adapt to the changing needs of patients. In turn, healthcare marketing faces the challenge of shifting gears to accommodate these changes.

Here are some of the more significant healthcare marketing trends of the upcoming year that you should incorporate in your program.

2017 Healthcare Marketing Trends to Watch

Consumers have become more active participants in covering their own healthcare costs, sending them online in search of information. Relevant and compelling content is the biggest factor that will set you apart from the competition.
As consumers become more knowledgeable, they are less likely to respond to generic, broad-based advertising. Digital marketing puts an unprecedented amount of data at your fingertips for use in personalizing your message for specific targets.
While “old school” computers are still widely used, Americans make the majority of their connections via smartphones. If your online presence isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re seriously behind the curve.
If a picture tells a thousand words, then video speaks volumes. YouTube, Facebook Live, Instagram and other platforms give you the opportunity to share video and streaming content that immediately captures interest.
Everyone’s lives are full with jobs, families and other commitments, so people have become less willing and able to bend their schedules. As a result, they look for prompt and convenient healthcare service, much like they do with retail businesses.

Powered Hospital Carts from DJ Products

Our powered hospital carts such as the CartCaddyLite let your employees move heavy loads safely and quickly without inconvenience to patients. Visit our website for more information.

Highlighting the Dialysis Cart Mover for Hospitals and Clinics

At hospitals and other health facilities, a better environment leads to better care and working conditions. When health workers are empowered with tools to accomplish their tasks more efficiently, everyone benefits.

For administrators, improved conditions can also contribute to reduced operating expenses and better profitability. Injuries due to physical tasks are a major source of increased costs and absences.

Worker injuries can happen even with smaller, lighter equipment such as dialysis carts. That’s because repetitive motions can build up stress and lead to severe musculoskeletal injuries. For nurses and other health care workers who frequently maneuver and move dialysis carts, the risk of wrist, shoulder, and back injuries is significant.

Our Dialysis Cart Mover addresses the most pressing needs of health workers in terms of reducing the weight, difficulty, and repetitive stress related to moving swiveled carts:

• Turn and maneuver dialysis carts in tight spaces

• Reduce stress on arms and back when pushing carts down hallways

• Variable speed for safety and comfort

• Emergency braking switch

With a battery life of 16 hours, the Dialysis Cart Mover can last well beyond a standard work shift. The machine is ready to go when needed, operates quietly, and can be used by virtually any employee because it requires minimal physical strength.

We designed the Dialysis Cart Mover with a white body and sleek design so it blends in neatly with the hospital environment. It has the power of motorized industrialized equipment, and is right-sized for the needs of hospitals and clinics.

Protect your health workers and lower injury risks by requesting a demo or brochure for DJ Products’ Dialysis Cart Mover today.

OH&S’ Top Tips for Workplace Safety for Healthcare Employees

Caring for the sick unfortunately puts healthcare workers at a high risk of getting ill or injured themselves. It’s a stressful line of work with plenty of hazards, ranging from exposure to pathogens to the hazards of working with heavy equipment.

Everyone in a medical facility should be aware of proper safety practices. They include orderlies, nursing aides, and maintenance staff — who face the greatest risk of physical injury from musculoskeletal disorders.

When your healthcare organization discusses safety and injury prevention, be sure to include ergonomic concerns and repetitive task injuries. These issues rank up there with the top healthcare injuries according to OH&S Online:

1. Bloodborne pathogens can be controlled with proper handwashing and wearing safety equipment, along with proper equipment cleaning.

2. Sharps injuries usually occur when storing or transferring the instrument. Use locked safety boxes for storage and pass them in basins.

3. Musculoskeletal injuries are caused by high-effort and repetitive tasks. Common factors include lifting patients from beds and pushing equipment carts. Use powered hospital carts to move equipment and maintenance supplies, and use slings and hoists to move patients whenever possible.

4. Chemical risks require constant vigilance — have safety sheets handy and make sure workers are using protective equipment and safe practices.

5. Fire risks are higher in hospitals than many other workplaces because of the chemicals present. Regularly review your fire response protocol with all workers.

Injury risks for healthcare employees cannot be eliminated, but they can be managed. Automated equipment is a big part of the solution, including powered hospital carts to help move equipment and maintenance supplies. Contact DJ Products for more info about our cart movers.