HCMC and Ergolet Team for Safe Patient Transfer
Minneapolis, February 9, 2011—Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis has selected Ergolet as its partner to implement a safe patient handling program for patients who need assisted lifting or transfer to bathrooms, beds or wheelchairs. Ergolet, with North America headquarters in Minneapolis, manufactures overhead lifts, sit-to-stand aids and mobile lifts to assist in patient transfers that are safe and comfortable for the patient, with improved safety for hospital staff. “HCMC is committed to enhancing patient and staff safety through a Safe Patient Handling program and is excited to partner with Ergolet,” said Kathy Wilde, HCMC Chief Nursing Officer. “The equipment and education they provide will help us minimize manual lifting and improve safety for both our patients and staff.” The program will include ceiling-based lifting units with in-room overhead tracking, plus portable lifts that will assist HCMC staff as they transfer patients.
“At Ergolet, we’re particularly eager to assist HCMC with staff education and training,” said Marsha Medlin, the company’s Director of Medical Products. Medlin, an R.N. with extensive experience in safe patient handling programs, said, “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. In order for caregivers to be available for their patients, they need to take care of themselves by avoiding lifting injuries.”
In addition to the benefits of enhanced safety for patients and staff, HCMC expects to achieve savings from decreased worker compensation claims and lost work days due to injuries. Medline said the Ergolet lifting products are user-friendly for nurses and other caregivers, pointing out that hospital staff people are significantly more likely to use much-needed patient transfer devices if they are easy to use.
About HCMC
Hennepin County Medical Center is a nationally recognized Level 1 Adult Trauma Center and Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center with the largest emergency department in Minnesota. The comprehensive academic medical center and public teaching hospital includes a 469-bed acute care hospital and primary care and specialty clinics located in downtown Minneapolis, five primary care clinics in Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Richfield and South Minneapolis, and retail clinics in Bloomington and Eden Prairie. For the fourteenth year in a row, Hennepin County Medical Center is listed in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of the top U.S. Hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” report.
About Ergolet
Ergolet is a global company dedicated to the safe and comfortable transfer of individuals who require mobility assistance. Mobility solutions manufactured by Ergolet include overhead lifts, sit-to-stand aids and track systems that deliver safety and ease of use in all care situations. The company, founded in Denmark in 1973, is owned by Minneapolis-based Liberty Diversified International. More information about Ergolet is available at www.ergolet.com, 1-888-374-6741.