In today’s busy healthcare environment, efficient space optimisation is paramount. However, the need for proper storage of medications and vaccines, whilst ensuring easy access and compliance with strict regulations is even more crucial. This makes selecting the right medical fridge an important decision for healthcare professionals.
When looking at space optimisation in a healthcare setting, two popular options for efficient storage are under-counter and countertop medical fridges. These types of medical fridges are perfect for pharmacies or small GP surgeries that do not have the luxury of space. Additionally, for locations that do not need to store high levels of stock countertop and under-counter medical fridges can be used as a way to save space and can be a great way to reduce costs too.
Below, we’ve highlighted all of the advantages of under-counter and countertop medical fridges, and how you can make the best choice for your occupational needs.
The importance of proper medical refrigeration
Choosing the correct medical storage tools is important in the healthcare industry to ensure medical products can be stored safely. Medications, vaccines, and certain other health supplies require precise storage conditions and temperature control to maintain their efficacy and safety.
This is where medical fridges play a crucial role, providing a controlled environment to keep these items within recommended temperature ranges. These conditions are more commonly known as the cold chain and range from +2oC – +8oC.
Under-counter medical fridges: An efficient use of space
Undercounter medical fridges are designed to fit beneath countertops or workspaces. They come in various sizes, from compact models to larger options, making them versatile for the needs of different healthcare settings. These fridges are an excellent choice when space is at a premium but easy access to medical supplies is necessary.
In some healthcare facilities, under-bench medical fridges are used to maintain a clean and uncluttered workspace, so can be useful in spaces such as laboratories or pharmacies, where professionals make regular use of workbenches.
What are the benefits of under-counter medical fridges?
Undercounter medical fridges provide maximum space efficiency as they are specifically designed to fit under standard countertops, making the most of any available space. As a result, they also provide easy access to vital medications and vaccines that may need to be distributed quickly, reducing the time and effort required to retrieve them.
Further, the appearance of a medical fridge can also be a useful consideration when looking to optimise space. More modern designs of under-counter medical fridges are designed to blend seamlessly with other equipment and fit flush against a wall or a cabinet. This construction ensures that the fridge cannot impose on any floor space or obstruct any installed areas, allowing you to make better use of floor space.
Countertop medical fridges: compact and convenient
Countertop medical fridges are designed to sit on top of a counter or workbench. While they can sometimes offer less storage capacity than a large under-counter medical fridge, they are highly convenient in certain healthcare scenarios.
Advantages of countertop medical fridges
Similarly to under-counter medical refrigerators, countertop fridges have a compact design and are ideal for space optimisation in the healthcare industry, particularly for facilities with limited floor space. This makes them a great tool for use in small examination rooms at GP surgeries, nurse’s stations, and in cosmetic clinics where quick access to medications and cosmetic injections may be needed.
Another advantage to countertop medical fridges is that they can easily be moved to different locations. Unlike under-counter fridges, countertop refrigerators can be particularly useful for clinics that frequently adapt their layout and therefore need to transport vaccines or medications to different areas within the facility.
Improved traffic flow is also a benefit of small countertop medical fridges. Laboratories and other health facilities can become extremely crowded during busy periods, making free traffic flow vital for better productivity and comfort in these environments.
In these instances, standard upright medical fridges aren’t favourable due to the amount of space they command and how they can interfere with movement around a room. However, with a countertop medical refrigerator, space is no longer a concern as it can fit conveniently on any worktop without consuming a lot of space.
Other benefits of countertop and under-counter medical fridges
Glass door options for enhanced visibility
At CoolMed, we offer both under-counter and countertop medical fridges with glass door options. Undercounter glass fridges and countertop glass fridges provide enhanced visibility of the contents inside the fridge chamber, which can be beneficial for the quick identification of medications and vaccines. Alternatively, if visibility is not an issue, our solid door countertop and under-counter fridges are particularly useful for protecting heat and light-sensitive medications from natural sun exposure, helping to preserve their integrity.
Temperature Consistency
Both our countertop and under-counter medical fridges are equipped with temperature control features, such as built-in temperature probes that can accurately monitor and stabilise vaccine temperatures, and automatic temperature data logging with min/max temperature readings.
These features ensure that any medications and vaccines that are stored consistently remain within the cold-chain temperature range and maintain their integrity ready to be safely distributed to patients.
Wall mounting options
As well as being able to fit seamlessly in both under-counter and countertop locations, some of our medical fridge models come equipped with mounting brackets, allowing medical fridges to easily be mounted to any wall.
These models will allow you to eliminate obstructions from both your floor and bench space, meaning your staff can work and manoeuvre around their workspace with ease. Both the CMS29 and CMS59 come in glass door and solid door variations.
Improved stock management
When using under-counter and countertop medical refrigerators, medical staff can store frequently used stock for daily use in these fridges. This makes accessing these medications much more efficient, helping to improve the productivity of employees.
The use of these small medical fridges also prevents problems occurring in larger fridges, for example, overcrowding. Medical fridges that become overfilled often face issues relating to a lack of consistency when it comes to temperature due to air not being able to circulate throughout the chamber properly. This can potentially lead to wastage and the distribution of unsafe products to patients. Small countertop and under-counter medical fridges help to prevent this problem.
Cost-Effective
Countertop and under-counter medical fridges are often more budget-friendly than their larger counterparts, making them a practical choice for smaller healthcare facilities. At CoolMed, we also offer an extended 5-year warranty on all of our medical fridges. During this period, if your medical refrigerator becomes faulty due to a broken component, we will send an engineer to replace the component and resolve this issue for you at no additional cost.
How to choose the right medical fridge for your healthcare setting
Selecting the right medical fridge is a decision that should not be taken lightly if space optimisation in your healthcare facility is a priority. Before purchasing, you should consider the available space, the quantity of medical supplies that need refrigeration, and the level of access required.
Whether you opt for an under-counter or countertop fridge, it is also essential to consider temperature control, as this is a crucial feature for maintaining the integrity of medications and vaccines.
To speak to a member of our team about our under-counter and countertop medical fridges, you can contact us at info@coolmed.co.uk or call us on +44 161 772 5666. Our team will be happy to help!
