Lonnie Shipe: Patient lifts needed in medical offices

This letter is to inform and share a major concern that I always experience when visiting clinics, hospitals, dental, chiropractor and doctor offices, etc.

Transferring up onto medical tables is a major health and safety concern for me because of my birth defect, Cerebral Palsy. Often there is not enough floor space to maneuver either a manual or electric wheelchair into a proper safe position for transfer. The medical tables are much too high, and I was almost dropped several times.

My wife needs to transfer me into the dental chair, lift me up onto various medical examination tables, then with a second transfer back into the wheelchair. We are risking injury with each transfer of my medical procedures.

The medical personnel in almost every situation are very fearful, extremely reluctant or totally refuse to help transfer.

So I suggest that all patient, medical offices, facilities have at least one manual or electric Hoyer lift or other patient lifts, with a certified person to help assist in transfers to assist the millions of elderly and disabled people. Medical buildings cost millions of dollars, a patient lift for transfers is a small price for health and safety.

This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Lonnie Shipe: Patient lifts needed in medical offices."