Ergolet, Minneapolis, Minn, has reportedly been selected to partner with the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), also based in Minneapolis, to implement a safe patient handling program for patients who require assisted lifting or transfer to bathrooms, beds, or wheelchairs. 

According to the news release, the program will encompass ceiling-based lifting units with in-room overhead tracking, in addition to portable lifts that are designed to assist HCMC staff in transferring patients.

Kathy Wilde, RN, MA, HCMC chief nursing officer, reports in an Ergolet news release that, “HCMC is committed to enhancing patient and staff safety through a safe patient handling program and is excited to partner with Ergolet.” Wilde adds that Ergolet’s equipment and education will assist HCMC in minimizing manual lifting and maximizing safety.

Marsha Medlin, RN, Ergolet director of medical products, echoes Wilde’s sentiment regarding the partnership, voicing Ergolet’s eagerness to assist HCMC in staff education and training, “In most patient care facilities, we see too many people getting injured while caring for others. We will be teaching HCMC staff how to lift safely, and how to train their peers in each unit,” Medlin says. 

The news release also notes that HCMC hopes to achieve savings from decreased worker’s compensation claims and lost workdays that result from injury. 

Source: Ergolet