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May 19, 2025
for clinicians
In a groundbreaking Arizona Hospital case study, extensive research was completed comparing the SimPull with two traditional transfer methods, manual transfers and air assist transfers.
Medical facilities are faced with the ever-challenging role of prioritizing patient care and staff safety while balancing a budget and meeting the demands of the evolving medical landscape. In such a challenging environment, each decision is impactful. Selecting the right patient transfer equipment is one such decision, and affects a variety of critical outcomes, including patient comfort and dignity, staff ergonomics and injury prevention, workflow efficiency, and both short and long-term operational costs.
Medical facilities have traditionally relied on a few standard options for patient transfer equipment, usually including manual transfers, slide boards, or air-assisted devices like hover mattresses. While they are widely-used, they present a number of issues, including staff injury, increased use of consumables, and patient discomfort. In response to this widespread issue, The Patient Company created the SimPull, the first fully automated patient transfer device. The SimPull works by attaching to the sheets a patient is laying on, and gently completing a lateral transfer, supine to sitting transfer, or boosting transfer.
In a groundbreaking Arizona Hospital case study, extensive research was completed comparing the SimPull with two traditional transfer methods, manual transfers and air assist transfers. Each patient transfer method completed 375 transfers per month in a 40 bed orthopedic unit. Data was collected on a number of factors, including:
On average, manual transfers took 22 minutes, and air assist and SimPull transfers each took 3 minutes.
In year one, manual patient transfers required no extra budget. Equipping the facility to complete air assist transfers cost $427,5002. Equipping the facility to complete SimPull transfers required 4 units and cost $62,000.
To continue performing the respective patient transfer method past year one, the manual transfer method cost $492,0003 annually, the air assist method cost $427,500 annually, and the SimPull method cost $7,1004 annually.
In year one, there were no savings from the manual transfer method, $64,500 savings from the air assist method, and $422,900 in savings from the SimPull method.
During year two, there were no savings from the manual transfer method, $64,500 savings from the air assist method, and $484,900 in savings from the SimPull method.
Total injury costs from manual patient transfers in year one totaled $492,0005. This is not an isolated trend, as patient transfer-related issues account for 25% of all workers compensation claims (AON). Breakeven injury costs from the air assist method requires 7.6 years, while breakeven injury costs from using the SimPull method requires only 1.5 months.
The bottom line is that the SimPull not only revolutionizes the patient transfer process in terms of staff and patient safety, it also is a highly economical choice for medical facilities. The Patient Company is highly passionate about delivering this practical and beneficial patient transfer solution to medical facilities to improve the lives and wellbeing of staff and patients.
To discuss the benefits of the SimPull with a member of The Patient Company team, reach out to us - we’d love to get in touch!
1. Reported time to gather required staff members (4) to assist w/ transfer – ANA requires 4 caregivers to complete transfers
2. Air Assist cost based on quoted contract cost to this facility of $95.00/unit. Can range between $50-150.00/unit. Year 1 Cost for Air Assist does not include air pumps
required for inflation
3. Annual costs based on 24 reported injuries by this facility and average national injury claim cost.
4. Included annual is total service plan cost (this can be waived if elected to repair with onsite teams)
5. $20,500 Injury claim average per incident nationally - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33616226/
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