Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | TransitFlow Powered Portering Chair
Background
A brand new Diagnostic Centre is soon to open at Yeovil Hospital, run by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Ahead of the new centre opening, the Portering Team at Yeovil Hospital was faced with the challenge of how to transport patients from the main hospital building to the new centre while navigating several slopes on the journey.
By implementing a TransitFlow Powered Portering Chair, the team is enabling patients to be transported in a way that is safe, comfortable, and easy for staff.
Challenge
Before implementing the TransitFlow chair, the department faced several challenges with transporting patients to the new Diagnostic Centre:
- Several slopes to navigate: There are a number of slopes on the journey between the hospital and the diagnostic centre, making patient transport difficult with the existing portering chairs.
- Outdoor journey: The journey between the hospital and the diagnostic centre is partially outdoors, so a chair that is tough enough for outdoor use was required.
- Unsuitable existing equipment: The existing fleet of portering chairs, while suitable for indoor use, was unsuitable for the outdoor journey. There was also no powered option from the manufacturer, which was a requirement due to the slopes to be navigated.
These challenges resulted in the team needing to find a solution before the new Diagnostic Centre opens.
Solution
The team at Yeovil Hospital addressed these challenges by implementing the TransitFlow Powered Portering Chair, a hospital transport chair with a power drive function to effortlessly transport patients with little physical input from the porter.
The team opted for the bariatric version of the chair, which has a wider seat and a higher safe working load of 250kg. This enables them to also use the chair for bariatric transfers when needed.
Key features of the TransitFlow Powered Portering Chair:
- Powered drive assist function: Propels the chair at the twist of a handle, making transporting patients effortless for porters.
- Wide, comfortable seat and backrest: The TransitFlow’s wide, padded seat and backrest ensure a comfortable patient experience.
- Sliding footrest: The auto-locking sliding footrest is an easier alternative to folding footrests and can be stood on with the chair tipping, allowing easy transfers.
- Folding armrests: This feature allows side access and easy transfers for patients, porters, and nursing staff, and the folding design is easier and quicker to use compared to drop-down rests
- High safe working load: The high 250kg SWL means the chair is suitable for a broader range of patients, including heavier individuals.
- Epoxy-coated stainless steel frame: Ensures durability and reliability in indoor and outdoor hospital settings.
Watch the TransitFlow in action:
Video coming soon…
Learning and Conclusions
By implementing the TransitFlow Chair, the Portering Team at Yeovil Hospital has:
- Improved patient outcomes by enhancing comfort and safety during transfers
- Reduced the risk of staff injury from pushing patients on unsuitable equipment
- Ensured there is suitable equipment in place for transporting bariatric patients at the hospital
How to implement this in your hospital
Seeing the positive impact of this project at Yeovil Hospital, how could your hospital benefit from similar improvements?
We can collaborate with you to develop a tailored solution that addresses your specific needs, enhancing efficiency and patient care at your hospital. From initial project scoping to implementation and monitoring, we are here to support you every step of the way.
To start the conversation, please call us at 01473 741144, email us at customerservices@felgains.com, or contact us using the form below.
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