By Stryker
Based on the performance of the Stryker Stair-PRO, Charleston County EMS replaced 25 existing manual ambulance cots with the Stryker Power-PRO XT powered ambulance cots in November of 2006. Prior to implementation, Charleston County EMS was experiencing 19 injuries and 470 lost workdays per year due to lifting patients. The following year, injuries dropped to 6 and lost workdays dropped to 256. Within one year, injuries from lifting patients dropped 68 percent and lost workdays dropped 48 percent. The effort resulted in a savings of over $400,000 in Workers’ Compensation insurance in 2008. Charleston County EMS is quick to recognize that these numbers don’t address the costs associated with the additional overtime needed when a medic is out due to injury