The Therapy Car, designed by physical and occupational therapists, was developed to help patients who have undergone hip or knee surgeries to safely practice getting into and out of cars.
During a yearlong process, a five-person team from Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle—including a physical therapist, occupational therapist, patient care technician, hospital transporter, and a specialist from Virginia Mason’s Kaizen Promotion Office—created a prototype car that would help patients practice car entry and exit prior to discharge from the hospital, and put it through clinical and patient trials.
Feedback from the trials gave the team input to improve the prototype and add features such as adjustable seat heights to match the patients’ specific cars, a reinforced roofline, an armrest on the left side of the seat for support, and cushions that met infection control guidelines.
The therapy car is now licensed for commercial production by Texas-based MJM International, and distribution by Performance Health and Medline.
Additional features include a 450-pound weight capacity and various cushion color choices.
[Source: Virginia Mason Medical Center]
