Ready for Anything You Put On It

Every patient EMS providers see deserves special attention and care. With bariatric patients that’s of even more importance, as handling them properly can mean the difference between their safety and yours.

Mac’s Lift Gate, Inc. has been manufacturing lifts for commercial and wheelchair use for over 57 years, and the Mac’s Bariatric Ambulance Lift maintains that tradition of function and ease of use.

With a 1,300 pound weight capacity Mac’s Bariatric Ambulance Lift is prepared for any job EMS providers can roll on it. The platform is universal and will accommodate whatever equipment providers choose to use, meaning there’s no need to update an agency’s current cot equipment to fit the lift.

Portsmouth (OH) Emergency Ambulance Service, Inc. has had four Mac’s Bariatric Ambulance Lifts in service since late October/early November 2013, and they’ve been nothing but pleased, says Judy Boggs, safety and compliance officer.

“We looked at a lot of different lifts, and to be honest the expense was a big factor,” Boggs says. “But there was also something else we really liked about the Mac’s Bariatric Ambulance Lifts. We have bariatric patients and they’re already self-conscious about their weight – there’s a feeling like everyone’s watching them when they’re being loaded onto an ambulance. We thought a winch type system would cause more embarrassment for the patient. With the Mac’s Bariatric Lifts there’s no winch involved. We can just put the stretcher onto the lift and it’s lifted into truck, like a wheelchair lift. It doesn’t seem to draw as much attention to the patients and that helps them retain a little bit of modesty. Plus, not only do they feel more comfortable, they seem to feel more secure.”

Boggs says another big advantage that comes with the Mac’s lifts is they free up other units. “Typically when we got a bariatric patient we would have to send two or three additional units to get that patient into the truck safely. Now two people can do that, versus four or six. That frees up two or three crews we could be utilizing on other calls or transfers. And it seems to have helped reduce our injuries, too.”

Visit www.macsliftgate.com.