Off-Loading Devices

Darco International, Inc.

Website: www.darcointernational.com
Contact: (800) 999-8866, jauvil@darcointernational.com
Location: Huntington, WV
Founded: 1985
Product Lines: OrthoWedge Forefoot Offloading Shoe, HeelWedge
Offloading Shoe, Wound Care Shoe System, Square Toe Medical Surgical
Shoe w/ Peg Assist Offloading Insole, Ultra Closed Toe Offloading Shoe.
Company description: Darco International is a leading manufacturer and distributor of postoperative footwear, wound care products, walkers and cast boots. The company has an extensive network of distributors around the world serving all segments of the healthcare community. Founded in 1985, Darco prides itself on providing quality, innovative footwear to assist in the healing process.
Advice for Clinicians:The company’s advice would be to contact Darco for detailed product information on how their products can assist patients in the healing process and to request free samples of products so they can evaluate them in their specific clinical setting.
  Darco is always happy to accommodate any requests doctors may have. Once the clinician has determined which Darco products they would like to use, they will provide the names of distributors in their area to help service their facility.

Joerns Healthcare

Website: www.joerns.com
Contact: (818) 427-1779, terri.greulich@joerns.com
Location: Stevens Point, WI
Founded: 1889
Product Lines: Heal/Ankle Protector. Foot Prop Splint, Foot Prop Positioner, Foot Protector
Company description: Joerns Healthcare is an emerging leader in the wound care industry. With products such as Joerns® and BioClinic® therapeutic support surfaces, the BioLogics® Auto Vector® “Dolphin” mattress and Medela® negative pressure wound therapy, Joerns Wound Management Solutions program focuses on customer-oriented, clinical wound care solutions.
Advice for Clinicians: For more information visit www.joerns.com.

DM Systems, Inc.

Website: www.dmsystems.com or www.heelift.com
Contact: (800) 254-5438, (847) 328-9540, info@dmsystems.com
Location: Evanston, IL
Founded: 1979
Product Lines: Heelift® Suspension Boot, (Standard, Petite and Bariatric) Elbowlift®, Heelift® AFO
Company description: Founded in 1979 by orthopedic surgeons, DM Systems prides itself on delivering quality, affordable solutions to healthcare providers. The Heelift Suspension Boot is used in thousands of facilities nationwide and all over the globe. The Elbowlift Suspension pad protects against friction on the elbows, and our newest product, the Heelift AFO is a new kind of ankle foot orthosis, providing support and control of the ankle while offloading the heel and protecting the legs.
Advice for Clinicians: Call, e-mail or fax DM Systems today to find out how you can test the Heelift Suspension Boot, the Elbowlift, or the brand new Heelift AFO at no cost. The company also offers clinical educational materials to help understand both the need for and the value of the Heelift family of products, and a variety of tools to help clinicians, administrators and patients prevent and treat pressure ulcers.

Lavin Lift Strap (division of Lavin Inc.)

Website: www.lavinlift.com
Contact: (888) 545-5438, inquiries@lavinlift.com
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Founded: 2000
Product Lines: Lavin Lift Straps, Lavin Lift Strap Adapters
Company description: The Lavin Lift Strap product and process allows one caregiver to safely change and clean both incontinent bedridden patients and patients with wounds. Caregivers no longer turn and lift their patients to clean and treat, thus avoiding injuries. Patients are changed more often, avoiding pressure ulcers and skin breakdown. In instances where limb suspension (offloading) is recommended or required in order to treat injuries such as pressure ulcers or diabetic ulcers, the Lavin Lift Strap provides a secure suspension allowing the caregiver to treat these without having to hold up the limb or have another caregiver assist in the process.
Advice for Clinicians: Lavin Lift Strap would advise the clinician, where limb suspension (offloading) is recommended or required, to allow the patient lift to do the lifting when suspending a limb while treating wounds such as pressure ulcers or diabetic ulcers. The Lavin Lift Strap, when used with any patient lifter will suspend the patient’s limb safely and securely. The clinician will then be able to concentrate on treatment, and not be required to perform two tasks at once, (lifting and treatment), or require another person to lift the limb during treatment.

Ward Medical Innovations, LLC, a Division of The House of Ward, LLC

Website: www.wardmedicalinnovations.com
Contact: Universal Medical is Ward Medical Innovations Exclusive Nationwide Sales Distribution Network. Toll-Free (877) 520-7873, Chris McCloud at CMcCloud@universalmedreps.com
Location: Brentwood, TN
Founded: Ward Medical was founded in 2008 by Sandra Ward, RN, CNS
Product Lines: HAWK C-Braces - Off-Loading 100 percent of the entire foot and ankle from the entire foot bed. No other brace can make this claim, according to a company representative.
Company description: Ward Medical Innovations is a privately owned enterprise dedicated to creating products for individuals of all ages, abilities, and levels of fitness. A leading designer and engineer of orthopedic bracing, the company’s various programs are targeted to the specific needs of distinct patient groups, and the goals are identical—to maximize the ability of each patient allowing them to successfully perform activities ranging from normal daily living to extreme sports.
Advice for Clinicians: According to a company representative the HAWK C-Brace is the new cutting-edge Gold Standard Offloader—the Quintessential - the most perfect embodiment that does what no other brace can do—unweight 100 percent of the entire foot and ankle from the entire foot bed. Studies show that TCC's by design don’t eliminate weight, and studies prove that wounds don't heal properly, and have a high return rate, according to the company. Ward Medical Innovations, LLC guarantees in writing that the HAWK does what they say it will do, and insurances companies will reimburse you. HAWK C-Braces are patented.

Sundance Enterprises, Inc.

Website: www.sundancesolutions.com
Contact: (877) 560-9871, info@sundancesolutions.com
Location: White Plains, NY
Founded: 1992
Product Lines: Z-Flo Positioners, Heel Protection, Specialty Mattresses
Company description: Sundance designs products to be the best in their category. The company improves the value of every product by adding clinical options to improve outcomes. Their goal is to help reduce the cost of patient care while improving desired clinical outcomes.
Advice for Clinicians: As a leader in the development of new product technology, the company says that they realize that research and development is the key to improving patient care. According to a company representative fluidized positioners are some of the most unique products available on the market today. Sundance focuses on immersion, pressure reduction and pressure relief. They possess all the support characteristics that are best at patient positioning and off-loading.

Sage Products, Inc.

Website: www.sageproducts.com
Contact: (800) 323-2220
Location: Cary, Illinois
Founded: 1971
Product Lines: Prevalon Heel Protector
Company description: Innovative healthcare company focused on manufacturing simple, low cost interventions, which yield extraordinary outcomes
Advice for Clinicians: For more information on Sage Products, Inc. contact customer service at (800) 323-2220.

MedEfficiency, Inc.

Website: www.medefficiency.com
Contact: (866) 357-7755, info@medefficiency.com
Location: Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Founded: 2004
Product lines: TCC-EZ Total Contact Cast
Company description: MedEfficiency, Inc. is a medical products company that is focused on the development, manufacturing, and marketing of medical devices for treating chronic wounds and lower extremity injuries. MedEfficiency specializes in total contact casting (TCC) products, which are considered the gold standard for off-loading diabetic foot ulcers. MedEfficiency has developed innovative new products using advanced technology to change the ways these conditions are treated and result in improved clinical outcomes and more cost effective treatments.
Advice for Clinicians: According to a company representative, Total
Contact Casting is the gold standard for off-loading diabetic foot ulcers. Randomized control trials support that on average, 88% of patients heal in about 6 weeks when off-loading with a TCC. When compared with the published randomized control trials for several active wound treatments, TCC had better outcomes in terms of days to healing and percentage of wounds healed. TCC is a reimbursable procedure and is a cost-effective option when compared to active wound treatments. TCC-EZ has little to no learning curve and requires only about 2 minutes for the physician application time. Evidence-based medicine supports total contact casting.

Editorial Note: The March issue of Today’s Wound Clinic will feature
a product round up section covering EMR Systems.

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