Moving medical equipment and supplies is serious business. If you’re moving your medical practice, a person with serious medical issues or living with a disability, a lot of care and precaution is needed.
Not only is medical equipment sensitive in terms of fragility, but there are also sanitary concerns to think about, making it a unique type of move unlike any other.
For this reason, it’s usually best to work not just with any professional mover, but a licensed local moving company experienced in handling medical moves.
Packing Medical Equipment Depends on Equipment
What makes medical gear even trickier is its variety. Medical tools come in all shapes and sizes that fall under specific categories. It could be something as simple as medical syringes, to more complex hardware like large CT scans.
If you’re thinking about packing medical tools like CT scans, X-ray machines, ultrasounds, MRI scans and others of similar magnitude, there are no two ways about it: it’s best to hire a professional mover versed with those types of moves.
You see, these are not just large, heavy and unwieldy items to handle by yourself. They also cost a fortune and are too sensitive to gamble with.
It’s also good to highlight the fact that the packing will depend on the exact type of items we’re speaking about:
Packing diagnostic medical equipment
These include equipment like:
- CT scans
- X-ray machines
- Ultrasounds
- MRI scans
We do not recommend packing machines of this scale on your own. Hire commercial movers that specialize in moving them.
Packing durable medical equipment
These encompass long-term reusable equipment. Devices under this category could include:
- Wheelchairs
- Hospital beds
- Different medical mattresses
- Oxygen tanks
- Kidney machines
- Traction equipment
- Crutches
- Walkers
These are items that can be found in homes of people with disabilities or living with medical conditions.
If you plan to pack them yourself, it’s important to understand how items like wheelchairs and walkers are folded. You can find boxes large enough to fit them or use several layers of bubble plastic to wrap them. All loose parts should be secured to prevent damage.
In the case of oxygen tanks or kidney machines, it’s best to leave these to professionals.
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Packing treatment medical equipment
These are equipments used to treat certain medical conditions. They include, among others:
- Medical lasers
- Surgical machines
- Infusion pumps
These are also complex machines that are also costly and sensitive, so it’s better to let experienced pros handle them.
Packing equipment for surgical procedures
Items that fall under this category include:
- Diagnostic scopes
- Surgical gloves
- Gauzes
- Gowns
- Drapes
- Caps
- Glasses
If you have items for surgical procedures that need to be moved, always make sure to observe the necessary sanitary precautions.
Moving is a dirty process and dust and dirt will be all over, so it’s important to shield your supplies. You’ll need sterile storage bags for this.
Packing life support equipment
These include:
- Dialysis machines
- Medical ventilators
- Heart-lung machines
- Incubators
This is complicated hardware that should not be moved by anyone other than professional medical equipment movers experienced in handling them.
Packing medical lab equipment
The lab is home to a host of analyzers and systems that vary in size.
Depending on the size of the machine or device in question, packing can either be done DIY or you can hire professionals to do it.
Materials Needed for DIY Medical Equipment Packing
In the instances that you’ll be packing the medical equipment yourself, you need to learn how the particular equipment should be handled.
A manual guide can be handy here, so that’s a bonus if you have it. You can also reach out to the company or medical practice that supplied it to you for guidance.
All the same, regardless of the type of medical equipment you need to pack and move, there are particular packing materials you’ll need:
- Cardboard boxes
- Bubble plastic (ideal for packing medical gear)
- Sterile bags (for surgical equipment)
- Plastic bags (for smaller items)
- Moving blankets
- Packing tape
When moving medical equipment, always consider what you’re moving to determine if you should do the packing yourself or hire experienced hands.
Hi, I’m the Founder and Developer of Paramedics World, a blog truly devoted to Paramedics. I am a Medical Lab Tech, a Web Developer and Bibliophiliac. My greatest hobby is to teach and motivate other peoples to do whatever they wanna do in life.