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What happens when a patient is discharged from a hospital that is still considered a ‘fall risk’ in their very own home?

While hospitals have implemented significant protocols to reduce patient falls during their stay in the hospital, our current healthcare model does little to address ‘fall risk’ issues in the patient’s own home post-discharge.

SDS Medical is beginning an education-awareness campaign for Hospitals, Managed Care Organizations, even the V.A. Hospitals to reduce patient falls post-discharge for those with gait and balance issues. From a continuum of care perspective, reducing falls in the patient’s own home will in turn reduce hospital re-admissions and the financial impact falls have on our healthcare system.

With limited fall prevention devices in the marketplace for the semi-ambulatory population, The SDS Vest and complimentary products in the pipeline can be instrumental for those suffering from gait and balance issues at home.

SDS Medical has announced a new product awareness program for the patented SDS Vest to assist stroke survivors who require physical therapy at home to improve their ability to walk. “The first few weeks after discharge from an inpatient stay after a stroke are difficult as the patient attempts to use newly learned skills without the support of the rehabilitation environment or team.”

“By design, The SDS Vest™ allows caregivers and family members to become part of the rehabilitation process at home, reducing the patients’ risk of falling when walking, while also reducing the risk of injury to the caregiver,” stated Allan Thomas, President.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SDS Medical today announces a revolutionary invention with the launch of the SDS Vest™, an innovative, patented product for semi-ambulatory patients/loved ones who require assistance with transferring, and/or have imbalance issues that put them at risk for falling.

“From that point forward, I knew we needed a better mousetrap.”

The SDS Transfer & Rehab Vest is the result of a three-year collaboration of industry experts, including physical and occupational therapists, physicians, fall-risk experts, nurses, caregivers, and family members who are all challenged daily with caring for semi-ambulatory patients/loved ones.

“The patient population that requires one or two caregivers to assist them in transferring, standing and/or walking, numbers in the millions in our country alone,” said Allan Thomas, CEO and President of SDS Medical. “We have developed the new SDS Transfer & Rehab Vest™ to provide a portable human mobility management solution to enhance the safety, dignity and security for both the patient and caregiver.”

Patient safety, costs associated with transfers and falls, as well as injuries to employees from a workers compensation perspective can be difficult to manage. “When I initially researched products that could assist getting someone in and out of a wheelchair, or to assist someone with walking due to imbalance issues, I was amazed that the industry standard was nothing more than a 2 inch nylon belt placed around the patient’s mid-torso,” stated Thomas. “From that point forward, I knew we needed a better mousetrap.”

While the elderly are the first to come to mind due to their risk of falling either during a transfer or simply when walking, the product works extremely well with anyone who has imbalance issues, including stroke victims, those diagnosed with neuro-muscularskeletal disorders, as well as the developmentally disabled.

The poncho-style vest slips on and off over a patient’s head in seconds and is quickly secured with Velcro. The vest’s strategically placed handles allow security, comfort and control for both the patient and the caretaker. The specially treated cover material on the vest is non-permeable and anti-microbial, making cleaning effortless. The vest’s expandable design acts as a padding agent and conforms to the patient’s torso which, in turn, further reduces the risk of skin tears, bruising and even broken bones – all of which tend to happen with other products that serve the purpose of assisting with progressive mobility. The variety of handles on the vest are supported by an internal webbing, which is then attached to the Glute Strap, initiating the actual ‘lift’ of the patient from the buttocks. This product is not intended to replace the use of any mechanical or electrical lift, or to be used by non-ambulatory patients.

Alarming statistics show the imminent need for this product:

• Over 21 million Americans are living with a condition limiting basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying.
• About 7 million Americans have a physical, mental or emotional condition causing difficulty in dressing, bathing or getting around in the home.
• Roughly 1 million people suffer injuries as a result of falling each year. Of that 1 million, 20 to 30 percent will suffer moderate to severe injuries such as broken bones, head injuries, fractures, bruises, or even death.
• Falls are the leading cause of death due to injury among the elderly; 87 percent of all fractures in the elderly population are due to falls.

With two adult sizes available, the SDS Transfer & Rehab Vest™ is compatible with most anyone. Patients can be sized for the vest by measuring around the stomach area approximately one inch above the navel. Small-medium fits 28-35 ½ in. and large-extra large fits 36-44 in. Additional sizes will be added in the subsequent months following the initial vest launch. The vest comes with a six-month warranty and is retailed at $299. For more information on SDS Medical and how to purchase a vest today, visit www.ChooseTheVest.com.

About SDS Medical

SDS Medical is the vision of two healthcare entrepreneurs with over 30 years of experience in their respective fields – Allan Thomas and Phillip Clifford. Allan Thomas, CEO and president of SDS Medical, has over 18 years of healthcare risk-management experience. For the past few years, Mr. Thomas has spearheaded pilot programs across the U.S. addressing the risk of patient falls during transfer and/or walking. These experiences led him to initiate the design and development of the SDS Transfer & Rehab Vest™. Phillip Clifford, managing partner of SDS Medical, has spent over 14 years in the field of radiology. While working with patients in hospital settings, working with outpatient clinics in Texas and teaching nuclear medicine technology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Mr. Clifford’s experience and extensive knowledge have been applied to the use of the SDS Transfer & Rehab Vest™ in common patient transfer situations.