A common question we often get asked is if there’s a bathroom in mobile medical vans. While a bathroom in mobile medical vans can add some convenience, it can also limit your space and take up valuable room that could be used for medical equipment. A bathroom can also increase your resource consumption, including water usage and waste disposal needs.
For over ten years, our team at AVAN Mobility has been making mobile medical vans. Our past clients might tell you that we are industry leaders focused on saving lives by making healthcare reach everyone, everywhere. Even though our vans are just vehicles, they’re also lifelines to those needing healthcare.
In this article, we delve into whether our mobile medical vans are equipped with bathrooms. Let’s explore this aspect in more detail to help you understand the considerations involved.
Are there bathrooms in mobile medical vans?
No, there are no bathrooms in the mobile medical vans we manufacture at AVAN Mobility.
Why are there no bathrooms in mobile medical vans?
If you came to this article wondering why there’s no bathroom in mobile medical vans, let’s break it down.
When we manufacture a mobile medical van, think of it somewhat as packing for a big trip. You want to bring everything you might need, but there’s only so much space in your suitcase. For a mobile medical van, that “suitcase” needs to fit all the medical tools and supplies that doctors and nurses in your organization need to take care of people.
So, that means we have to make some tough decisions about what to include in the vans.
Imagine if we put a bathroom in the mobile medical vans. It might seem like a good idea at first, but then your organization would have less room (and we’ll talk more about this later) for important things like:
- An exam bed for patient care
- Office space to do administrative tasks
- Storing your equipment
It’s like if you were going on a camping trip and packed a big fluffy chair instead of your tent. Sure, the chair is nice, but where will you sleep without the tent?
Think of a hypothetical example of Diane, a nurse who travels in a Mobile Clinic Van to help people in remote areas. Without a bathroom in the van, Diane wouldn’t have enough room for all of her medical supplies. That means someone might not get the best help they need because we chose a bathroom over more space for healthcare tools.
How do you get around not having a bathroom in a mobile medical van?
A bit of extra planning makes everything go smoothly when you bring your mobile medical van to a new town or community. It’s similar to the example we talked about earlier about getting ready for a long car ride.
You’d look at a map and mark the spots where you can stop for bathroom breaks, right? Well, it’s pretty much the same with mobile medical vans. You can choose spots to park where there are bathrooms nearby, like at community centers or at schools, if you’re providing medical care to students.
For example, imagine you’re in a city like Dallas and setting up a mobile medical van there every few weeks. You can strategically pick a spot right next to a community center on purpose. This is a clever choice because the community center has clean, easy-to-use bathrooms that patients and the van’s crew can use at any time.
Before anyone even arrives for their appointment, you can give them a friendly reminder like: “Just so you know, our van doesn’t have a bathroom inside, but the community center right next to us does. Feel free to pop over there if you need to.” It’s like having a handy rest stop nearby when you’re on a long drive.
How does the lack of a bathroom in mobile medical vans support your work?
The decision not to include bathrooms in our mobile medical vans opened up space for so many other important features that will help your healthcare team provide excellent care on the move. Let’s take a closer look at how your patients can benefit from some of these features in the Mobile Clinic Van.
Extra room for health checks and treatments
Comfortable exam bed: This bed is perfect for patients to lie down on during exams or treatments. If the van had a bathroom, it would be difficult to squeeze in enough room for a bed.
Plenty of storage for medical supplies: With extra space underneath the exam bed, your healthcare team can store all the necessary medical supplies right where you need them. This wouldn’t be as straightforward, with a bathroom taking up space that could otherwise be used for storage.
In addition to under-bed storage, slide-to-open cabinetry stretches from the floor to the ceiling. Keeping your medical supplies, documents, and equipment safely tucked away ensures your van stays organized and tidy.
An office for administrative tasks
Desk space: We’ve included a spacious desk so your healthcare team can perform administrative tasks. This workspace makes it easy to schedule appointments, jot down notes while analyzing patients, and conduct telemedicine appointments.
Office chair: The secured rolling office chair allows healthcare professionals to easily move around inside the van without having to stand up every few seconds. This makes it easier to care for and treat patients. A bathroom would’ve cut a chunk of that space off where you could move to.
Refrigerator and sink
Refrigerator for medications: Keeping medications and vaccines at the right temperature is necessary to ensure their safety and quality. This is important so your team can continuously provide the best care for your patients.
Sink: The sink is a key feature for hygiene and is a smarter use of space than a bathroom because it ensures cleanliness in patient care.
Choosing not to include a bathroom in our mobile medical units has allowed us to equip our vans with these critical features above and enhance the care we provide. It’s all about bringing exceptional healthcare directly to those who need it and using every inch of space for the greater good.
Your next steps with AVAN Mobility
You came to this article wondering if there are bathrooms in mobile medical vans.
Now that you’ve learned that our mobile medical vans at AVAN Mobility don’t include a bathroom, you have extra space to explore a myriad of other customization options to enhance your patients’ mobile healthcare experience. Take a look at our article on mobile health clinic customization to learn more about what you can get in these vehicles.
As we’re already on the topic of what’s in a medical van, you’ll probably also be interested in reading our article on how to solve space constraints in mobile medical clinics.
At AVAN Mobility, we’re passionate about making healthcare accessible to all through our innovative mobile solutions. With our Mobile Clinic Vans, we put patients first, ensuring comfort and care every step of the way.
Ready to take your healthcare services to the next level? Click the button below to reach out to our friendly team of commercial mobility experts today for personalized guidance and discover the AVAN Mobility difference firsthand.
