Versatile Medical Furniture Makes a Big Difference

Every healthcare facility in the country has some kind of medical seating for its patients. But, not all medical seating is the same.

Due to advances in scientific research on the connection between patient-centered seating and increased positive outcomes, modern design still focuses on functionality, cleanability, and durability—but you can now add versatility to that list.

Versatility (ergonomic seating with flexible configurations for multiple uses plus adaptable positioning for a range of medical procedures) makes a big difference in how providers, caregivers, and patients experience healthcare. This blog examines three commonly affected areas: Easy Access, Easy Transport, and Easy Cleaning.

Easy-Access Medical Seating Improves Patient Outcomes

Research into Evidence-Based Design (EBD) shows that medical facilities that prioritize easy access and comfort will lower patient stress, “increase compliance with treatment plans, and improve staff accuracy and mood, ultimately resulting in higher patient satisfaction, patient referrals, and patient retention.”

Chairs that offer easy access allow patients to sit and stand more comfortably, with reduced risk of falls or other injuries. Furthermore, easy access to patients is important for providers and nurses who want to treat the patient, take vitals, or change out ports with as little disruption to the patient as possible.

Comfort and convenience go a long way—for everyone involved—and a few factors that contribute to these are ergonomic treatment chairs with multiple recline positions, adjustable height options, and swing-away arms.

Why Easy Patient Transport Matters

For more efficient patient ingress and egress, versatility matters. In surgical settings, easy patient transport can save precious time in the surgical flow and may also reduce the risk of injury.

Each additional patient transfer increases the risk of injury. Healthcare providers can reduce these risks by ensuring that patients have a single, stable surface throughout their stay—from patient room to surgery or treatment to recovery.

Truly versatile surgical seating can adapt to any configuration or procedure. It can be raised, lowered, or rotated to suit the patient’s height, mobility level, or medical procedure. Some innovative procedure chairs can even rotate sideways to allow for lateral imaging.

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires facilities to offer reasonable accommodations for patients with certain conditions. Medical seating should never feel like an oppressive or exclusionary device. We recommend designs that adapt to a wide range of body types, with optional and adjustable rails, safety restraints, and seat positioning.

The Best Way to Clean Medical Seating

It’s not enough for products to be versatile if they aren’t protected and preserved with nearly the same level of attention we afford our patients.
Healthcare workers know the importance of cleaning medical equipment and furniture in order to limit the occurrences of Healthcare Acquired Infections. (To discover the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing, read our blog “Extra Protection for Immunocompromised Patients.”)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a printable guideline for how to clean healthcare products. At Champion, we offer this general recommendation: Seating should be cleaned (or disinfected or sanitized per facility policies), rinsed, and allowed to air dry.
Harsh detergents or chemicals can damage some upholstery or finishes. Therefore, choosing products with versatile coverings is one way to save time and money on cleaning costs.

The Association for the Healthcare Environment provides strict guidelines and detailed information regarding the best ways to clean medical seating. Some of the methods they list as possibilities include the following (be sure to research ratios and application instructions before use):

• Bleach
• Peroxide
• UV Lights
• Isopropyl and ethyl alcohol
• Quaternary Ammonium (Quats)
• Steam
• Chlorine Dioxide

Contact (also known as “dwell time”) for any cleaning/disinfecting agent is important and will typically vary depending on the product’s Instructions for Use (IFU) provided by the manufacturer.

Now that we know how to clean, and what to use when cleaning, let’s look at the factors that make medical seating easy to clean.

Medical Furniture That’s Easy to Clean

Not many people enjoy cleaning, even when they recognize its health value to patients and are required to do it for compliance and regulation reasons. We just briefly addressed best practices, and it’s already obviously quite a process. This is where the versatility of the furniture makes a big difference.

What good is cleaning if you can’t successfully remove grime, hair, and bodily fluids from the product? Poor hygiene practices can spread disease and result in the closure of facilities.

But it’s impossible to effectively clean a recliner if you’re not able to take the chair apart, allowing a deep reach into all the nooks and crannies. Some medical furniture is too complicated for staff to disassemble without professional help. And what’s the point in taking medical furniture apart if you can’t properly put it back together?

Again, this is why versatility makes such a difference. Seating with swing-away arms, removable cushions, and quality craftsmanship that’s easy to take apart and reassemble allows better access and more effective cleaning.

A Versatile Product That Makes Everyone’s Life Easier

The Verō by Champion features a fully modular design, allowing facilities to “build” the recliner best-suited for their patient needs. It’s ideally suited for patient rooms and general use. Available options that further contribute to an enhanced patient experience include powered or manual recline, swing-away arms, additional weight capacity, and heat + massage.

Importantly, the Verō is easy to clean and provides convenient accessibility and transferability so providers are better able to care for patients.

Browse our collections, then contact us to learn how our products and accessories can meet the needs of your medical space, making the lives of your providers easier and your patients happier.