Every second counts when transporting a patient to an emergency medical provider. Some patients may be critical, needing necessary care within that golden hour-long window. Other patients might be okay, but require fast stabilization of a break or tear to prevent further injury. Even minor ailments can cause patients extra pain and anxiety if they have to wait for transportation and care.

Transportation Issues

These reasons describe why urgent care is important, but transporting a patient can be anything but standard. Crowded events like concerts or sporting matches can make this transportation especially difficult, and for standard wheeled gurneys -- virtually impossible.

Flexible stretchers can provide life-saving patient care in difficult situations, such as these examples.

Stairs and Other Uneven Terrains

There are many basic guidelines on lifting to protect the patient and the EMS professional, but one of the most basic principles is not bumping, jostling, or otherwise disturbing the injured area. This means that the kind of bumps that would be involved when wheeling a rigid gurney down a set of stairs at a stadium or arena could harm the patient and should be avoided.

Flexible stretchers, like the MegaMover® portable transport units, are ideal for uneven terrain. Sturdy handles allow emergency medical providers to smoothly carry a person not only up or down stairs but also along other bumps or gaps in the terrain.

People

Large numbers of people can quickly block crowded areas. Whether this is the push of excited fans towards a concert stage, or the crowd cramming into or out of a sporting event, these crowds can pose issues for first responders. Crowd masses can cause jostling of EMS personnel and the gurney making it unstable and subject to tipping. This could result in dropping the patient three feet to the ground and create additional injury.

Flexible stretchers, like the MegaMover® portable transport units, carry injured persons close to the ground and so reduce the risk of secondary injury from dropping.

Outdoors

Weather rarely cooperates with our plans. Unfortunately, though, weather often contributes to medical emergencies. Common weather related injuries can include frostbite, heat stroke, and heat illness. Don't forget standard medical emergencies that may happen during thunderstorms, hail, snow, or even flooding.

Wheeled gurneys and hard-backed stretchers are designed for flat and dry surface conditions. Outdoor and weather-related injuries can cause additional complications for medical providers, which is where flexible transportation can help.

A flexible stretcher, like the MegaMover® portable transport unit, is not only easy to deploy but packs tightly for compact carrying needed to reach a patient stranded in mud, snow or other unstable terrains. Its durable fabric lets the device maintain its strength through various types of inclement weather.

Learn how a flexible transportation device, such as the MegaMover®, can assist with safe patient transport and help promote EMS personnel well-being. You can also click here to find out where you can get the MegaMover® portable transport unit.