Getinge Group Announces U.S. Launch of Total Lift Bed™ for ICU Patients

WAYNE, N.J., Jan. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Getinge Group, a leading global provider of products and systems that contribute to quality enhancement and cost efficiency within healthcare and life sciences, announced today that it has expanded its portfolio of patient mobility products in the United States to include the Total Lift Bed™ from VitalGo Systems. Getinge Group's ArjoHuntleigh brand is now the exclusive U.S. distributor of the Total Lift Bed in the acute and long-term acute care settings. This specialized hospital bed can raise critically ill, immobile patients from lying down to a full standing position, assisting in early mobility and weight bearing, which are associated with improved patient outcomes.[i],[ii]

"Transitioning ICU patients from an immobile sitting position in bed to a passive standing position and then to eventually being able to walk is an important goal as research has shown that early mobility improves quality of life[iii] and reduces length of stay.[iv] However, mobilizing these patients can be challenging, as many hospitals lack the appropriate staff and equipment or have safety concerns," said Brian Straeb, President, Patient and Post-Acute Care US, Getinge Group. "We are thrilled to be the exclusive distributor of the Total Lift Bed in the United States in the acute and long-term acute care market, because the sooner patients can be up and moving the better. With this innovative product, medical centers have a safe way to easily move ICU patients into an upright position to gain the benefits of standing and weight bearing. By eliminating the need to get patients out of bed for early mobility, the risk of patient falls and staff injuries is decreased."

Clinical research has shown that, in critically ill patients, prolonged bed rest and immobility can lead to severe physical deconditioning, significant muscle loss and weakness, and reduced functional outcomes.[v] This can result in extended time spent in both the ICU and the hospital.[vi] Because of the long-term physical and psychological consequences of prolonged immobility, early standing and weight bearing is recommended for ICU patients.[vii] Early activity and mobilization of critically ill patients have been shown to improve quality of life and physical function and reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation.[viii]

About the Total Lift Bed
With the assistance of only one or two hospital staff, the Total Lift Bed can progressively move patients to a full standing and weight-bearing position to aid in early rehabilitation in the acute phase of critical illness. Patients who need a graded transition from bed rest to supporting their full body weight can be progressively moved to the standing position as early and as frequently tolerated without needing to leave the Total Lift Bed. Features of this standing bed include:

• Patented Foot Lifter™ Footboard -- When the tilt function is activated, the Foot Lifter moves towards the patient's feet, and the bed begins tilting to the desired angle or weight-bearing ratio.
• Patented weight-bearing control system -- As the bed tilts, a digital screen on the Foot Lifter Footboard displays the change in weight bearing achieved by the patient. This visual feedback helps hospital staff monitor early mobility progress and set milestones against rehabilitation and mobility objectives.
• Integrated five-zone pressure redistribution surface -- The bed's unique surface provides hospital staff with a choice of low air loss or alternating pressure options to help prevent and manage pressure ulcers; the mattress firmness also can be changed.

Getinge Group's ArjoHuntleigh brand provides a wide range of in-bed and out-of-bed products to meet the rehabilitation and care needs of hospitalized patients. In-bed products include beds and mattresses for patient positioning and prevention of pressure ulcers and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Out-of-bed solutions include products for patient transfer and upright positioning, standing and walking assistance, and patient hygiene.

About Getinge Group
Getinge Group is a leading global provider of innovative solutions for operating rooms, intensive-care units, hospital wards, sterilization departments, elderly care and for life science companies and institutions. Getinge Group operates under the three brands of ArjoHuntleigh, Getinge and Maquet. With a genuine passion for life we build quality and safety into every system. Our unique value proposition mirrors the continuum of care, enhancing efficiency throughout the clinical pathway. Based on our first-hand experience and close partnerships, we are able to exceed expectations from customers—improving the every-day life for people, today and tomorrow.

[i] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3082620.
[ii] https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ccrp/2012/964547.
[iii] Kayambu G, Boots R, Paratz J: Physical therapy for the critically ill in the ICU: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care Med. 2013;41:1543-1554.
[iv] Kayambu G, Boots R, Paratz J: Physical therapy for the critically ill in the ICU: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care Med. 2013;41:1543-1554.
[v] Truong AD, Fan E, Brower RG, Needham DM. Mobilizing patients in the intensive care unit from pathophysiology to clinical trials. Crit Care. 2009;13:216.
[vi] Truong AD, Fan E, Brower RG, Needham DM. Mobilizing patients in the intensive care unit from pathophysiology to clinical trials. Crit Care. 2009;13:216.
[vii] Morris PE, Goad A, Thompson C, et al.: Early intensive care unit mobility therapy in the treatment of acute respiratory failure. Crit Care Med. 2008;36(8):2238-2243.
[viii] Kayambu G, Boots R, Paratz J: Physical therapy for the critically ill in the ICU: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care Med. 2013;41:1543-1554.

SOURCE Getinge Group