Hospitals considering patient lifts face challenges

Retrofitting rooms with ceiling-mounted lifts would increase staff use of assist equipment


Retrofitting patient rooms with permanent overhead lifts can be difficult and expensive for healthcare facilities, according to an article on the Modern Healthcare website.

Hospitals are more likely to consider installing permanent lifts in new facilities rather than existing ones. Most healthcare facilities have mobile lifts, but nurses typically move average-sized patients themselves rather than taking the time to get an assistive device. 

The sparse use of mobile lifts is the main reason why healthcare workers have one of the highest rates of occupational musculoskeletal injuries in the U.S., the article said.

Permanent overhead lifts cost an average of $16,000 per room to install. Mobile devices cost an average of $6,000.

Read the article.

 

 



July 2, 2015


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Grounding Healthcare Spaces in Hospitality Principles

Thoughtful design can establish the calm of a spa and the restorative feeling of a resort in healthcare spaces, bringing benefits for patients and care providers.


UC Davis Health Selects Rudolph and Sletten for Central Utility Plant Expansion

Work is already underway with substantial completion anticipated in the fall of 2027.


Cape Cod Healthcare Opens Upper 2 Floors of Edwin Barbey Patient Care Pavilion

The first two floors opened for patients in May 2025 and house the Davenport-Mugar Cancer Center.


Building Sustainable Healthcare for an Aging Population

Traditional responses — building more primary and secondary care facilities — are no longer sustainable.


Froedtert ThedaCare Announces Opening of ThedaCare Medical Center-Oshkosh

The organization broke ground on the health campus in March 2024.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.