By Stu Johnson
Lexington, KY – Medical technology can help more than just the patient. Emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, and medical directors from many Kentucky ambulance services can vouch for it. The Kentucky Ambulance Providers Association is meeting this week in Lexington.
Western Kentucky paramedic, Jim Duke says a power lift stretcher can help reduce injuries to emergency care givers.
"I started in EMS in 1982 and from then to now we have seen patients that are much larger than we did 25 years ago and patients commonly now it's not unusual to transport an unhealthy person that can't walk that may weigh 500-700 pounds."
All kinds of new equipment is on exhibit for ambulance providers to investigate. A $20,000 power load device is due out in 2011. Due to the cost, Duke admits it would take a while for these types of lifts to make their way into ambulance services across the state.