In an effort to bolster patient safety, the Bedford Veterans Affairs (VA) facility has taken a proactive approach, installing a simple yet innovative wheelchair safety system. The initiative, which came to light following a potentially dangerous incident last October, involved a veteran who nearly faced a risky situation while being transported in an unsecured wheelchair. Occupational therapy supervisor Kathleen Ross, vehemently motivated by the discovery, conducted a comprehensive inspection of all wheelchairs on the campus, a move heralded for its promptness and overlap with broader safety concerns.
Following the urgent inspection, Ross and her team employed the use of color-coded duct tape as a stopgap measure to differentiate the wheelchairs. "Red meant not transit safe, while green indicated the chair had the proper secure brackets for transport," Ross said in a statement obtained by VA News. This temporary solution preceded the installation of permanent, laminated labels clearly denoting each wheelchair's compliance with transit safety as of February 2024, which were created in partnership with facility sign shop team member Scott McLaughlan.
Amid reports of over 100 patient transport accidents nationwide in 2021 involving wheelchairs that weren't properly secured, Bedford VA's timely safety overhaul may seem like a drop in the bucket but is significant nonetheless. The facility's actions have rippled through the New England VA system, with their labeling method being shared as an exemplary practice across VA facilities.
The positive outcome of this program caught the attention of Ellen O'Neil, chief of the Sensory and Physical Rehabilitation Service, who heralded the effort, saying, "We are proud of the fast action our team took to ensure a safety gap was addressed," according to a VA News interview. O'Neil further emphasized that the collaboration across services and the dedication to veteran care has established a robust system. This ensures that veterans can access external medical care with an added layer of safety, unencumbered by the fear of preventable accidents.
