Digital Workspace

Connected Workstations: Transforming Fleet Management and Patient Care

Ergotron’s workstation solutions enable healthcare IT teams to make data-driven decisions about their fleets, better supporting care delivery.

Donna Marbury

Donna Marbury is a journalist and award-winning social media and content strategist specializing in healthcare, technology, smart cities and culture.

Healthcare systems are under constant pressure to find ways to stretch IT resources, ensure staff have essential tools and balance cost control with the demand for advanced technology. For many organizations, one asset is critical: mobile workstations.

As hospitals expand across multiple sites and often rely on hundreds of these carts daily, keeping them functional, accessible and secure becomes a massive challenge. That’s where connected workstations with integrated software are changing the game. By offering real-time visibility, proactive maintenance and streamlined workflows, these solutions are helping health systems redirect valuable time and resources back to patient care.

“Healthcare IT teams have long struggled with a lack of centralized visibility when it comes to mobile workstation fleets,” says Jessica Grenwis, senior director of healthcare product management at Ergotron. “Traditionally, if a cart went missing or wasn’t working properly, someone had to physically search for it. That’s not just time-consuming, it’s frustrating and inefficient.”

DISCOVER: Ergotron delivers premium, ergonomic workflow solutions that transform healthcare.

Powering Data-Driven Decision-Making in Healthcare

Connected mobile workstations generate a lot of performance data, but often those insights remain out of reach. Grenwis says that without software tools, IT teams are left reacting to maintenance problems as they pop up, creating disruptions for both staff and patients. Fleet management solutions such as Ergotron’s RhythmConnect bring those insights into focus.

“Fleet management software enables IT, field service or help desk resources to remotely locate, configure, troubleshoot and control assets from their desks,” Grenwis says. “Instead of drowning in data, hospitals get turnkey reporting that translates information into actionable insights.”

Those insights range from predicting when batteries will need to be replaced to anticipating when assets will go off warranty. They are critical notifications for planning budgets and avoiding surprise downtime. IT leaders can also track workstation usage to redeploy underused carts, reducing unnecessary purchases and ensuring devices are where caregivers need them most.

The efficiencies add up. Baptist Health, in Jacksonville, Fla., used RhythmConnect to better understand fleet usage and right-size its inventory. An 830-bed North Carolina hospital system used the tool to reduce costs and improve asset planning through predictive analytics.

“These organizations no longer have to guess,” Grenwis says. “They can make data-driven decisions that directly support both caregivers and IT.”

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Better Tools Equal Better Care

For hospital staff, the benefits of connected workstations are immediate. Nurses and physicians can’t afford delays caused by malfunctioning carts or inaccessible equipment. With connected technology, issues are reported automatically or logged by the user in just a few taps on the workstation’s display.

“Caregivers now spend less time on administrative work or troubleshooting issues and more time focused on patients,” Grenwis says.

Features such as radio-frequency ID badge tap and single sign-on integration also streamline access to secure systems, eliminating the need to juggle multiple passwords.

Even small details make a difference. Fast-charging USB ports allow staff to power their devices during a shift. If a computer needs a reboot, caregivers can restart it directly from the workstation’s display rather than waiting for IT. Video tutorials can be pulled up on the spot, supporting training without slowing down workflow.

According to Grenwis, these changes ultimately reduce frustration and free up valuable time.

“If IT can address a cart issue the moment it arises, downtime is limited,” Grenwis says. “That means caregivers can quickly get back to what matters most, which is delivering care.”

Connected Workstation Implementation and the Road Ahead

Adopting new technology at scale can come with hurdles. Healthcare leaders may worry about security, network load or the complexity of real-time location systems. Ergotron has worked to address those concerns by building connected workstations with secure, government-grade encryption, minimal bandwidth requirements, and preconfigured Bluetooth low energy mesh networking to eliminate the need for separate tags or complicated setup.

For IT leaders evaluating deployment, Grenwis recommends weighing the level of vendor support provided.

“Healthcare systems should ask how much of the implementation they’ll need to resource internally versus what the vendor will handle,” Grenwis says. “The best solutions minimize complexity and make the out-of-box experience as straightforward as possible.”

If IT can address a cart issue the moment it arises, downtime is limited. That means caregivers can quickly get back to what matters most, which is delivering care.”

Jessica Grenwis Senior Director of Healthcare Product Management, Ergotron

Looking forward, Grenwis sees connected workstations as the key differentiator in a mature market.

“The physical workstation itself has limited ability to evolve,” Grenwis says. “True innovation now comes from how well these devices integrate with software to deliver insights, efficiencies and long-term value.”

She adds that the industry is still early in the adoption curve, but the trajectory is clear.

“Healthcare systems want tools that ease the burden on IT teams and improve caregiver workflows. Connected assets are essential for unlocking that potential,” Grenwis says.

More Time for What Matters in Healthcare

As hospitals navigate rising costs, workforce shortages and complex technology ecosystems, solutions that combine efficiency with improved patient care will become indispensable. Connected workstations are proving to be a strategic asset for healthcare delivery.

“The value goes far beyond making sure a workstation turns on,” Grenwis says. “It’s about empowering IT teams, reducing downtime and giving caregivers more time with patients. At the end of the day, that’s what healthcare is all about.”

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