Transport Wheelchair | Hospital Patient Transportation Benefits From Improved IT And Design

Hospital patient transportation can be a cost center for institutions, even when staffed by volunteers. Judicious application of information technology, coupled with improved medical transport design, can reduce costs (and costly errors) while simultaneously improving patient experience. How many patients in an average year are given tests intended for a different patient? How many needless blood draws happen because the phlebotomist doesn't know that someone else already took the sample? How often are patients transported from one department to another, only to find that the procedure was ordered for someone else? In a modern hospital environment, these errors can be reduced. When the patient is admitted, he or she is issued a hospital ID band. ID bands may be bar coded, as is the patient's chart. In some hospitals, this technological advance is taken further. Patient caregivers carry wireless barcode reader units. Before each blood draw or other procedure, the patient's barcode is scanned and verified against a central bar coded medical records database. By verifying medical orders against the central system, costly and potentially dangerous duplication of tests and administration of medicine may be avoided. Further, wireless barcode readers may be fitted with label printers. When blood or other samples are taken, the barcode is printed and added directly to the sample container, ensuring that the pathology department carries out the physician's instructions correctly. Similarly, the computerization of hospital patient transportation can benefit from information technology infrastructure. Systems may be put into place to track patients from admitting to discharge. Using a computer to manage patient trips, particularly in large institutions, means minimizing wasted trips and maximizing utilization of attendant staff, whether they are paid contractors or volunteers. Recent innovations in wheelchair design may also be utilized to lower the overall cost of hospital patient transportation. These design improvements also improve the patient's experience. As supplies age and require replacement, hospitals should consider replacing standard wheelchairs with purpose-built transport chairs. Models are available which allow no-lift transfer from wheelchair to exam table or hospital bed. In addition to being more comfortable for the patient, a no-lift transport wheelchair is easier on attendant staff or volunteers, who will have an easier and less stressful job transitioning patients. Transport chairs also provide a lower cost of ownership. With individual serial numbers and non-folding designs, transport chairs are less likely to be stolen than standard wheelchairs. Some chairs, such as the stacking transport chairs, take up as little as 11" of floor space when not in use and may be used indoors or outdoors with virtually no maintenance required. Combining improved information technology infrastructure to track treatment and patient flow through the hospital with better designed medical equipment will pay off quickly. Costly and invasive duplicate procedures can be avoided. Patients will be where they need to be, when they need to be there. Reducing unnecessary trips with attendants will both reduce costs and improve patient experience. Using modern, well-designed transport chairs will allow patients greater comfort while also helping to reduce the risk of injury to hospital staff and volunteers.