Patient Positioning Factors That Improve Imaging and Therapy Success, Part 3: Efficiency and Accessibility

This is the final installment in a 3-part series on patient positioning factors that improve imaging and therapy success. Part 1 discussed how patient positioning impacts image quality. Part 2 detailed how patient positioning influences comfort and safety. In Part 3, we’ll cover how patient positioning contributes to efficiency and accessibility.

The right approach to patient positioning not only optimizes imaging, it also increases hospital efficiency and accessibility. That drives better therapeutic outcomes for patients and hospitals. Here’s how.

Procedural flexibility

Rail extenders with quick-change accessories allow caregivers to quickly switch from minimally invasive to open procedures. Arm boards, table extenders, interchangeable tabletops and other patient positioning aids allow hospitals to use the same operating room or therapy room for multiple types of procedures and image-guided therapies, saving time during and between procedures and increasing hospital efficiency.

Stabilize patients without limiting caregiver access

The right positioning aids make it easy to image patients without limiting caregiver access. For example, arm boards cradle arms so physicians can access veins. They also keep patients from accidentally interfering with imaging equipment. 

Thoughtful design

Some positioning aids are thoughtfully designed for real-world, practical applications. For example, the Mayfield Adapter for the neuro table is designed to avoid collisions with C-arms, reducing the potential for equipment damage and increasing procedure efficiency.

Simplified positioning

Positioning aids designed with lightweight materials allow one person to switch accessories, reducing staff needs to prepare operating rooms and therapy spaces. Good design reduces the complexity of positioning, which is a win for patients who want to be comfortable, caregivers who want to work efficiently, and hospitals that want better patient and financial outcomes. 

Durability

Durable positioning aids mean lower replacement rates, increasing the lifetime value of each product – and speeding up and simplifying audits. For example, certain brands of fabrics have special features such as polyurethane coatings that resist chemicals and have been proven to lead to a tenfold reduction in failure rate. 

Next steps

Whether outfitting a new operating or therapy room or reimagining an existing space, considering patient positioning during the planning phase can help you identify solutions that enhance patient comfort, improve image quality and yield better therapeutic outcomes.