No medical practice can run in a state of chaos. How can you treat a patient if the last time you saw their file it was in the clinic kitchen, next to the peanut butter? Aside from the confusion it causes, there are also legalities to consider. Patient privacy is one of the last bastions of trust people can believe in. That trust must be maintained through careful handling of sensitive patient information.

If your practice is large enough to have a central filing room, like in a hospital, open shelves and a locked door are usually sufficient. Though once a doctor checks out a file, that locked door is no longer enough. Offices should be equipped with cabinets that have sliding covers that can be locked when you are not in the room – either out with a patient or gone for the evening.

Comprehensive charts that incorporate codes and colors are ideal for grouping files together. Yellow for oncology, red for “contains x-ray” – these are little ways to make file retrieval more efficient for yourself and your clerical staff. It also helps you note at a glance if an item or bit of information is missing from the chart. X-rays are best kept in special envelopes that prevent bending and creasing, and that can be easily attached within the patient chart.

Wall mounted chart holders by your exam room door allow for your clerical staff to leave the chart handy for you as you move between patients. In addition, once you are done with the file, leave it in the pocket for your assistant to complete and re-file.

Storage of small equipment, such as syringes and scissors, as well as pharmaceuticals, is another consideration for clinics and hospitals. As with patient charts, items like needles and drugs need to be kept under lock and key for safety reasons. Most of the time drugs are locked in the pharmacy in a steel cabinet. Yet in a hospital, nurses may go from room to room dispensing medication. For that moment when his or her back is turned to deal with a patient, the integrity of the remaining medications must be maintained. Multi-purpose carts with a locking option can provide that integrity and peace of mind.

Hospitals may use the color system to differentiate their medicine storage carts from their crash cart or isolation cart, making it easier on orderlies in an emergency. Slotted cassette carts are used for moving multiple x-ray and CT results from the radiology department to nurses’ stations. Stainless steel carts insulated to contain heat or cold are necessary for food delivery in an in-patient environment. Stainless steel surgical carts ensure that a surgeon’s equipment is organized and at hand when needed. And because it is so easy to clean and sterilize, stainless steel maintains the sterility of surgical equipment.

There is so much more than just pens and clipboards necessary for running an efficient medical practice or hospital. These are just a few examples of items that can improve the way you work and provide a simple, safe and efficient environment for all your staff and patients.