Obesity rates among adults and older adolescents have more than doubled over the past 30 years, and the trend shows no sign of slowing. By 2050, an estimated 213 million Americans are expected to be living with obesity, a shift reflected in rising hospital admissions. As patient populations grow heavier, clinicians are adapting to new safety challenges, including a significantly higher risk of falls.
The Complex Care Needs of Bariatric Patients
Patients with a high body mass index (BMI) often require specialized care due to challenges associated with excess weight, limited mobility, and a higher prevalence of co-morbid conditions. In addition to support for general mobility, obese patients need frequent repositioning in bed to prevent an increased risk of moisture-associated skin damage and pressure injuries, making movement of the patient even more crucial.
Manually moving and handling bariatric patients increases physical demands on care teams, posing a higher risk of injury among clinicians. One study found that nearly 30% of staff injuries were linked to bariatric patient handling, with 31% of those directly related to turning and repositioning patients in bed. These tasks typically require multiple staff members, adding to the strain on already-stretched clinical teams. To protect both patients and staff while maintaining patient dignity, experts recommend the use of specialized lifting and transfer equipment.
The Increased Risk of Bariatric Patient Falls
While any patient fall can result in injuries, longer hospital stays, increased readmission rates, and other costly complications, falls involving bariatric patients often carry even more serious consequences. Research shows that patients with a higher BMI who fall are more likely to require orthopedic surgery and a hospital stay an average of 1.5 days longer than other patients.
One leading cause of bariatric patient falls is the inaccessibility of specialized equipment such as lifts, wider chairs and transfer aids. In one survey, nurse managers cited the lack of equipment as the number one barrier to bariatric care. Without these assistive devices, clinical staff may resort to manual patient handling or patients may attempt risky self-transfers, both of which increase the likelihood of a fall.
Even when equipment is readily available onsite, it may not be designed with expanded dimensions and increased weight capacities necessary for safe use with bariatric patients. If appropriately sized equipment is not immediately accessible, clinicians and their patients may be forced to wait hours or even days for rental equipment to arrive, delaying essential care and putting patients at further risk.
How to Effectively Combat Bariatric Patient Falls and Promote Safe Handling
The risk of injury from bariatric patient falls can be mitigated by ensuring access to bariatric equipment that is specialized for the patients’ needs, ready when it is needed, and delivered in a timely manner. Medical equipment suppliers like US Med-Equip offer a fleet of bariatric equipment rentals ready on demand, including:
- Mobile patient lifts with a 1,000-lb. weight capacity and transport chairs to safely transfer patients
- Wheelchairs and walkers with extended widths and increased weight capacities
- Portable, powered commodes with 750-lb. weight capacities to reduce fall risks during toileting
- Air transfer and positioning mats for safe lateral movement
- Ultra-low bariatric beds that reduce fall injury risk with an 8-inch low deck height and bed exit alarms
- Low air loss therapeutic surfaces supporting up to 1,000 lbs., proven to help prevent and treat pressure injuries
In addition to gaining access to this specialized equipment, clinicians must be able to utilize it without delay. Equipment providers with rapid response times and strong delivery commitments help ensure that patients aren’t left waiting for the critical care and support they need.
As obesity rates continue to climb and clinical challenges evolve, solutions are available to support healthcare professionals in navigating these changes. Partners like US Med-Equip can alleviate the equipment burden by supplying specialized bariatric equipment that is right, ready, and on time, enabling clinical staff to focus on what matters most: providing high-quality care to their patients.