subject: Transport Chair | A Transport Wheelchair Needs To Do Its Job Effectively [print this page] Not all wheelchairs are created equalNot all wheelchairs are created equal. Nor, in fact, should they be. In fact, there should actually be different terms to separate chairs built for the personal use of their owner and that of the transport wheelchair, intended for the assisted movement of a patient or traveler from one place to another within a hospital, other treatment facility, airport, shopping mall, or the like.
Unique Wheelchairs to Meet Different Needs
At first glance, there seems to be no difference between a "standard" wheelchair and a transport wheelchair, there is actually a world of difference. This term in and of itself is outdated as transport chairs are designed for multiple uses and are not always immediately identifiable under this single rubric.
One is designed with the necessary and vital purpose of facilitating the independence of persons with significant and long-term mobility issues. The other follows the same pattern, but might be better served by a change in design, as independent travel is not always helpful, healthful or within regulations in institutional settings.
Wheelchairs Designed For Institutional Use
What exists now in the realm of patient/customer movement is a chair that is designed to be moved most easily by its occupant's arms. It can be folded up easily and placed in a vehicle. However, it is somewhat difficult to store despite the aforementioned foldability and very often lacks any way to effectively attach needed accessories such as oxygen tanks and IVs. This is not a complete list of the limitations, but merely some of the biggest.
The problem is that design aspects which may work well as a base model for a vehicle that will almost always be customized for the individual user's needs, do not work as well in an institutional setting. Thankfully, an excellent solution already exists, which not only solves design-related problems, but also will lead to long-term monetary savings for the facilities that purchase them.
Transport Chairs with a Better Design
One of the biggest hurdles that wheelchairs face in an institutional setting is that many patients/customers fail to comprehend that there are reasons for transporting them in a wheelchair with an attendant. These reasons have far more to do with the health and safety of the client than they do with any desire to hamper a person's movement.
This leads to stubborn and/or well-meaning people taking off on their own accord in the transport wheelchairs, which can expose them to injury and the facility to legal liability.
This new form of transport wheelchair prevents this by being designed so that the occupant cannot move the chair. Not only does this reduce accidents and liability, it also prevents theft in that, not only can the wheelchairs not leave under their own power, but this same design prevents them from being easily transported in a car.
The monetary savings listed above are added to by the fact that this new wheelchair design is also geared to be easier on the attendant - and the passenger -- as far as moving, loading, and unloading the occupant is concerned. This reduces injury and lost man-hours.
Additionally, this new design can be equipped with the means to hold luggage, oxygen tanks, IV stand, and even umbrellas. These features are more than convenient when the time comes to use them. It should also be noted that these are simply a few of the advantages of this unique and amazing vehicle.
