A controlled access anesthesia cart has at least one drawer or compartment for storing general-use anesthesia items, and at least one drawer or compartment for storing controlled substances, e.g., narcotics. A key card reader on the cart is sensitive to an authorization code to unlock the compartments in the cart for access. The anesthesiologist needs to enter a pass code for access to the controlled substances compartment(s). The compartments then remain unlocked so long as the anesthesiologist remains present. A sonic sensor, e.g., an ultrasonic rangefinder device, communicates with the computer of the cart, and when the anesthesiologist is outside a given beam volume in front of the cart, the cart automatically re-locks the compartments either immediately or after a predetermined short delay period.
