After Mobile Cath Labs rentals we spend a lot of time going over each lab – cleaning, refurbishing, updating and reconditioning. We do this to make sure the entire lab and all of the installed systems are updated and in great working order.
We’re proactive about this not only because it’s our policy and part of our post-lease quality assurance procedure, but also so we can have lab options available at a moment’s notice in the event of an emergent need. ust recently we had a hospital call needing Mobile Cath Labs rentals ASAP, and we were ready jump right in to help. This busy facility near Houston, TX was getting ready to start renovating one of their four in-house cath labs and realized that their case load was simply too high to accommodate in their remaining 3 labs. We often help hospitals plan for projects like this but what made this one stand out from the others is that the hospital realized this at the last minute, less than a week before they were scheduled to begin removing their old lab.ThursdayWe were contacted early on a Thursday morning, and identified an available lab (one that had already been thoroughly checked out and packed up) that would meet their needs for both cardiac and peripheral vascular procedures – a Mobile GE Innova 3100 Lab. Because of the urgent nature we arranged a flight to meet on-site with their team later that same afternoon.
On short notice, the hospital pulled together about 15 people, and we were able to survey the site and put a plan together for immediate delivery. While this was going on we had already informed our team back at the office and began planning the logistics of the driver, route, timeline, etc. At the meeting, we firmed up plans and were ready to put our delivery plans in motion.
Friday-Saturday
Jim Wall, our transportation specialist, departs with the mobile lab on a two-day trip to Texas.
Sunday
Security cleared out the parking spaces where the mobile lab was to be placed. Doctor’s parking spaces – seems like doctors’ parking spaces are always the closest to the hospital and are the ones that need to be cleared out to make way for Mobile Cath Labs. Jim arrived with the cath lab on schedule, and got the lab sides pulled out and physically set up.
Monday
Jim remained on-site and Andy, our field engineer, arrived to help with set-up and to be present all week for applications training and to view live cases. This was supposed to be the day to make all the connections between the hospital and Mobile Cath Labs, but the main hospital power was not available. To make this site work the hospital needed to run a new power feed to the site, but the electrical contractors weren’t able to get this arranged until Tuesday morning.
Tuesday
With just a one-day delay in getting power connected, the electrical contractors got power to the site and what followed was a flurry of activity! Once power was on we fired up the HVAC units to get the interior environmental stabilized inside the mobile lab. The hospital network team began connecting the GE MacLab, PACS, Pyxis Medstation, workstation, phones, and computers. Equipment and supplies were brought down to the Mobile Cath Labs. Andy started training and orientation with the nurses and staff.
Wednesday
The first cases were originally planned for Wednesday, but with the delay in getting power to the site the hospital decided to push back their first scheduled cases in the mobile lab to Thursday. Andy continued with orientation and training for the physicians and staff.
Thursday-Friday
Staff started using Mobile Cath Labs full-time and got off to a great start. The hospital staff was familiar with working with a GE Innova x-ray and GE MacLab hemodynamic system, so the equipment was nothing new- just in a different location and a different “room”. Andy remained on-site through Friday to view live cases and to ensure that everyone was completely happy with the lab.
It’s amazing to see what people are capable of accomplishing on a short schedule, and how important it is to have a motivated team working together with a “can-do” attitude. What we were able to do with this group at the hospital within a week’s time was nothing short of remarkable. While it’s always best to have ample time to plan a lab renovation project we understand that things don’t always work out that way-and in those situations we’re ready to race into action.
