Telehealth kit or cart: how to choose (2025)

When a healthcare organization decides to adopt telemedicine, the first technical question is often: should we get a telehealth kit or a telehealth cart? The answer depends on your clinical context, not your budget.

This guide compares the three MedConnect equipment formats — kit, cart and backpack — to help you choose the right hardware for how you actually practice.

The right equipment depends on context, not budget

A cart is not "better" than a kit. They are two tools designed for different environments. A home-visit nurse does not have the same needs as a nursing home installing a fixed teleconsultation station. And a screening program in a rural area does not have the same requirements as an urban teleconsultation center.

The MedConnect software platform is identical across all three formats. The same features — encrypted video, AI scribe, French e-claims (FSE) billing, Omnidoc tele-expertise — are available whether you use a kit, a cart or a backpack. What changes is the medical hardware and the form factor.

Quick comparison

Criterion	Kit	Cart	Backpack
Weight	~8 kg (~18 lb)	Varies (depends on model)	<3 kg (<6.6 lb)
Screen	Tablet or laptop	Built-in 21.5" IP65	Tablet or smartphone
12-lead ECG	Yes	Yes	No
Connected stethoscope	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dermatoscope	Yes	Yes	No
Otoscope	Yes	Yes	No
Ultrasound	Optional	Yes (cart exclusive)	No
Mobility	Fits in a car	Rolls within a building	Backpack, ultra-mobile
Main setting	Home visits, primary care networks, field work	Nursing homes, centers, hospitals	Screening, entry level

When to choose the kit

The telehealth kit is designed for mobility. All the equipment fits in a car trunk: 12-lead ECG, connected stethoscope, dermatoscope, otoscope, vital signs monitor, thermometer, bioanalyzer. The nurse travels to the patient or between several consultation points.

Typical use cases:

• Home-visit nurses: the physician joins by video during the visit. Diagnosis happens on the spot, not days later.
• Primary care networks (CPTS) with several consultation points: the CPTS Nord-Yonne deployed 6 mobile kits across its territory. A nurse travels from one health center to the next with the same kit.
• International field deployments: kits have been used in Côte d'Ivoire to screen 150 patients per day in asynchronous mode.

The kit provides a complete clinical exam. If you need an ECG, auscultation and a dermatological exam on the move, it is the right choice.

When to choose the cart

The telehealth cart is designed for fixed or semi-fixed installations. The built-in 21.5-inch screen (IP65, splash-resistant) offers greater consultation comfort. The cart holds all of the kit's devices, plus the portable ultrasound scanner — an exam that comes standard only with the cart format.

Typical use cases:

• Nursing homes: the cart rolls from room to room. The nurse examines the resident in bed while the physician assesses remotely. This model has made it possible to avoid 85% of emergency transfers. Native Netsoins integration automatically syncs the resident record.
• Teleconsultation centers: a fixed station in a dedicated practice. An equipped center can perform up to 30 consultations per day per station.
• Hospitals and clinics: specialist opinions without moving the patient between departments.

More than 14 cart models are available, from the Compact Cart to the motorized Movelec Cart. The choice depends on the configuration you want: built-in screen or laptop, motorized or manual, screen size.

When to choose the backpack

The telehealth backpack is the entry-level option. It weighs less than 3 kg (6.6 lb) and contains the essentials: connected stethoscope, vital signs monitor (blood pressure, SpO2, pulse, temperature) and pulse oximeter. It does not include a 12-lead ECG, dermatoscope or otoscope.

Typical use cases:

• Quick nursing rounds: when a full exam is not needed but vital signs monitoring is useful.
• Mass screening: in public health programs where volume matters more than diagnostic depth.
• A first step into telemedicine: start with a light investment, then move up to a kit without losing any data.

The backpack uses the same MedConnect platform as the kit and the cart. When needs evolve, moving to a full kit is seamless — patient data is already in the system.

What the platform provides across every format

Whatever the hardware configuration, the MedConnect platform offers the same features:

• End-to-end encrypted video (AWS Chime SDK, latency <150 ms)
• AI scribe: automatic transcription and SOAP note generation
• Elara AI agent: voice commands, patient creation via OCR, case summaries
• Tele-expertise via Omnidoc (110,000+ specialists)
• Automated billing (Stellair, DESMOS, FSE — France's electronic claims)
• Complete patient record with automatic archiving of device data
• Asynchronous mode for areas without a stable connection
• Multilingual interface: French, English, Arabic, Italian

Financing models

Financing adapts to the format you choose:

• Leasing: monthly payments over 24 to 48 months, the most common option
• Outright purchase: for local authorities or grant-funded projects
• French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie) support: €350/year for video equipment and software, €175/year for connected devices
• Regional health agency (ARS) funding: for CPTS and regional health programs

For a detailed equipment comparison, see our kit vs cart comparison page.

FAQ

Can you start with a backpack and move up to a kit?

Yes. The MedConnect platform is the same across all formats. Patient data, consultation history and user settings are kept. You simply add new connected devices to your existing configuration.

Is the cart mobile or fixed?

The cart is on wheels and moves easily within a building (from room to room in a nursing home, for example). But it is not designed to be transported by car or used in the field — that is the kit's job.

Does the kit include an ultrasound scanner?

Ultrasound is available as an option with the kit, but it comes standard in the cart configuration. The wireless portable ultrasound scanner connects to the platform over Wi-Fi.

Which format is recommended for a nursing home?

The cart, for its mobility within the building (room to room), its large screen and its ability to hold the full set of diagnostic devices, including ultrasound. Native Netsoins integration is an added advantage in French nursing homes.

How much does the software subscription cost?

The MedConnect subscription starts at €150/month excl. VAT for a standard package (software + maintenance + 5 users). Physician/specialist plans and international licenses are also available. See the pricing page for details.