Vic opts for Howard Wright’s bed

Health Purchasing Victoria has selected the Howard Wright M9 Ward and M9 Compact Beds for its state-wide public hospitals until April 30, 2015.

Howard Wright chief executive Bruce Moller describes the Victorian contract as a coup, reflecting the level of research and development put into the design of each bed to make care easier.

Based on the company’s international-award winning M8 Intensive Care Bed, the M9 is geared for ease of use and functionality.

Designed to facilitate patient handling and lifting, the M9 has been designed to dramatically reduce the amount of manual handling of patients. Its new base and powerful electric motors mean the M9 can be raised as high as 800mm, but also lowered to just 350mm making patient entry and exit safer and easier.

At its lowest height, there is 140 mm under-bed clearance, enabling a wide range of patient handling equipment to be employed to move bed or patient with the utmost efficiency and safety.

Its horizontal bar side rails are gas assisted and are quick and easy to clean. The on-board controls, or the attendant control handset, allows the M9 to be configured into a full cardiac chair with sliding backrest and leg raise, as well as into trendelenburg or reverse trendelenburg positions.

The M9 has a new, dampened CPR quick release function for the back rest.

It includes an integrated bed extension for tall patients, a pull-out linen rack so clean linen can be hygienically stored at the bed end, and the ability to store the head end at the foot end allowing easy access to the patient’s head and shoulder area.

Also available are a wide range of accessories such as i/v poles, and holders for three sizes of oxygen bottles.

The on-board rechargeable battery means the M9 can be unplugged, and the bed used anywhere without having to be connected to an external power source.