Buying the Right Transport Stretchers
If you are considering buying a patient transport stretcher, there are several things which need to be kept in mind. There has been a major advancement in the design of stretchers. These have actually come a long way from the simple stretchers of the past. These days stretchers are designed to provide ease and comfort not only to the patient being transported but the medical staff who is using the stretcher.
There are certain things which you should know before you purchase stretchers for the medical facility:
- The first thing which needs to be considered is what purpose the stretcher is being used for. Initially stretchers were simply used for transporting patients and that’s just about it. However, these day’s stretchers are quite functional and are used for a variety of purposes. So the stretcher that you are about to buy should fulfill the purpose which it is being bought for.
- The size of the medical facility needs to be kept in mind as well. Bigger facilities can do well with comprehensive stretchers with added features.
- There is a whole lot of difference between usual stretchers and specialized stretchers. The specialized ones are either trauma or emergency stretchers. There is also an option of choosing between manual or automated stretchers. Automated strechers have features like patient positioning which allow the user to manipulate the seating of the patient lying on the stretcher.
- However what needs to be kept in mind is that automated or powered stretchers are on the expensive side. Despite all the feature which these have, handling the cost y be too much for a mall medical facility. On the other hand if budget is not an option these trenchers are often pretty useful and can suite the medical facilities purposes.
- Another thing which needs to be considered is the weight carrying ability. Usually the capacity is anywhere from 300 to 350 pounds. However, there are certain instance when it should have an additional weight carrying ability.
- Also the braking system of the stretcher plays an important role. However, it should be kept in mind the braking system can differ in two ways. The location of the brakes can vary for different stretchers. Also there are designs in which a single break activator can impact all the other breaks while in some designs, specific breaks work at different times.
- Stretchers these days come with a fifth wheel. This is located in the center. This improves the maneuverability of the stretcher. This in turn helps make the ride less bumpy for the patients thus keeping their comfort as the top priority.
- The caster on the stretcher would have a major impact on it price. High quality casters make it easy to use and provides better movement. On the other hand a cheap caster can drastically lower the price but would cause issues later on.
- Last but not the least make sure the design of the stretcher railings is such that it offer zero transfer gap. This features makes life so much easier for the staff employed at the medical facility.
