Whether it is a hospital or a dental center or a drug testing clinic or a blood collection center, vehicles are required to transport patients and medical equipments on a regular basis. The healthcare vehicles, however, need to have extra space and facilities to provide the necessary safety and comfort to the patients and other travelers. Some of these vehicles need to be equipped with certain medical equipments like a bed or oxygen facilities etc depending on the purpose for which they are to be used. Did you know that ambulances in the US are categorized into three with the type I based on the chassis cabs of light duty pick up trucks and type II based on modern passenger or cargo vans. The Type III ambulances are based on the chassis-cabs or light duty vans.
Considerations in Manufacture and Design of Healthcare Vehicles
Healthcare vehicles are manufactured keeping in mind the specialized needs of the customers and to provide the maximum ease of use for both the organizations owning and the customers traveling on them. If a vehicle is to be used just for transporting patients from one health center to another, it may be equipped with a couple of beds and comfortable seats.
But if the vehicle is to be used as a testing center or a blood collection center, it has to be designed accordingly with adequate space provided for keeping the necessary medical equipment. The healthcare vehicles need to be vibration and temperature tested to meet the specifications set by various medical equipment manufacturers. The floors of the vehicles should also be designed to maximize patient volume while keeping in mind the comfort factor. The seating capacity is decided in accordance with an individual organization’s requirements.
Some commonly used types of healthcare vehicles are:
- Versatile mobile medical units for health examination purposes, immunizations, X-rays or any medical procedures that can be performed on the go. These vehicles are equipped with the latest technology and built to last for a long time.
- Ambulances that have several beds to carry patients to hospitals and other health centers in case of emergencies, accidents or natural calamities.
- Vehicles or vans having a two-station screening room, a four bed collection clinic and enough power for all the lights and technology needed. These vehicles are used for normal checkups.
- Dental vans having fully equipped dental examination rooms, an ultrasonic cleaning machine plus a bathroom, microwave oven.
- Mobile Blood Donor Offices having the necessary instruments and facilities to take blood and store it in appropriate temperature.
- Mobile eye clinics with facilities for eye check ups
