Making the right choice
Being fiscally responsible.. while maintaining a safe and clinically therapeutic environment for your patients, can sometimes feel like a dichotomy of interests. Going with the lowest possible cost may seem like a logical solution…but from a clinical outcome perspective, that house of cards may inevitably come crashing down in the form of complaints, citations and bad press.
Making sure that staff know when it is appropriate to order certain seating systems is imperative to over or under-use, optimal patient outcomes and managing the balance sheet.
The golden rule is: Right Patient, Right Product, Right time….
So assessment, and correct product selection is vital.
To help guard against falls from the chair and from pressure injuries that arise from being seated on inappropriate cushioning products, choose Geri Chairs and High-Back Wheelchairs with Posture-Mate seating systems on them, for when patients will be spending long periods of time seated out of the bed, are at risk from falls and pressure injuries, or have existing wounds, and/or require positioning support to prevent falling from the chair or to maintain correct posture.
Selecting simple comfort only seating products is old fashioned thinking, and cannot address all patient needs, or the skin integrity of high acuity or high-risk patients. Don’t put them at risk by choosing non-evidenced, low acuity product, just because it costs less.
Value based purchasing for evidence-based care…. is the new mantra.
The long-term financial benefits of avoiding facility acquired pressure injuries, and transportable falls, far outweigh the moderately higher cost of standardizing on evidence-based solutions like Posture-Mate throughout your facility.
Indications for use of Posture-Mate:
- Poor posture / weakness and inability to maintain sitting position without slumping, sliding or leaning
- Inability to self-propel in a standard wheelchair
- Fall risk, or risk of falling from the chair
- Existing pressure injuries
- Medium to high risk of developing new pressure injuries
- Non-compliant patient
- Long periods of time seated out of the bed
Patient benefits include:
- Clinically evidenced solution with peer reviewed published outcome study
- Increased comfort raises patient satisfaction and compliance
- Posture-Mate WC & HB models have solid seat insert to eliminate sling seat hammocking and prevent slumping & sliding
- Level seat base stabilizes the hip region & optimizes pressure redistribution and offloading
- Proper thigh support reduces weight load on pelvic region and increases comfort
- No migration or sliding out of the chair
- Improved neck and head alignment for optimal swallowing and eye gaze level, as well as optimal position for chest expansion, pulmonary and GI function
- Heel off-loading for pressure injury prevention and healing
- Armrest accommodation for smaller individuals using Geri Chair
- Maintains correct spinal alignment
The long-term financial benefits of avoiding facility acquired pressure injuries, and transportable falls, far outweigh the moderately higher cost of standardizing on evidence-based solutions like Posture-Mate throughout your facility, and the benefits for your staff, patients, and your reputation will speak for themselves.
Call us now for more information, and to try these products for yourself. You can read the clinical outcome study, HERE, as published in Ostomy Wound Management
CALL: 855-994-4325
