42 | Karen Phelps Design minds tuned in to health care Company CEO Bruce Moller. MANUFACTURING Howard Wright Limited to page 44 Howard Wright is launching two new developments to the market, which will make its M9 Transfer and M9 Trauma stretchers even more user-friendly and efficient, says company CEO Bruce Moller. A powered drive system called DriveMe is the first innovation, which has taken the company four years to develop. Howard Wright research and development manager Anthony Batley says that the simple user-friendly interface conceals sophisticated electronic and software systems. The company teamed up with Christchurch-based AEC Electronics to produce the systems. Bruce says that DriveMe enables the stretchers to be manoeuvred around the hospital easily by one person – up to a patient and equipment weight of 250kgs - making the stretchers efficient and ergonomic while reducing the risk of injury and minimising fatigue. “The advantage of our system is its intuitive ease of use,” he says. “Light pressure on the sensing push handles activate the powered drive and make the stretcher very easy to manoeuvre.” The simple user interface includes buttons for park, neutral and drive, mimicking the automatic transmission in a car. Electric castor controls are a unique feature. Bruce says that a typical stretcher has manual pedals to control the castors but DriveMe features electronic and full manual operation. The development was driven by a customer request from Northampton General Hospital in the UK, which has a series of internal ramps up to five degrees making it challenging for hospital staff to manoeuvre stretchers around. It also fits in with Howard Wright’s overall drive to reduce manual handling. DriveMe is a factory fitted only option on M9 Transfer and M9 Trauma stretchers. Trials have shown that people familiar with the M9 stretchers can transition to the DriveMe system easily. Bruce says DriveMe was shown at the National Back Exchange Conference held in the UK late 2022 and the response was extremely positive. Previously the M9 stretchers were electromechanical products – mechanical systems with electric controls – and the new powered drive system, utilising advanced electronics, is a new direction for Howard Wright. Both Bruce and Anthony are excited by the “The advantage of our system is its intuitive ease of use. Light pressure on the sensing push handles activate the powered drive and make the stretcher very easy to manoeuvre.” possibilities the venture into advanced electronics represents in terms of future product development to meet client needs. The second product about to be released that also integrates with the M9 series is a weigh scale system called WeighMe. “Often when a patient comes into the emergency department they need to quickly know the patient’s weight to administer drugs. WeighMe allows people to be weighed while on the stretcher. “This not only reduces patient and staff risk but also speeds up the process,” explains Bruce. A simple user interface can be ‘zeroed’ before placing a patient on the stretcher then the weight measured. It includes functionality to exclude the weight of objects or equipment added to or removed from the stretcher. A patient exit alarm is also part of WeighMe alerting the caregiver if a patient gets up off the stretcher. Howard Wright is a New Zealand owned and operated company that represents true Kiwi innovation. Original founder, Howard Wright, was a motor mechanic who loved to make things and solve problems. In the 1950s Howard started his own engineering business in a small workshop underneath his house in New Plymouth and was one day approached by a nurse from the local hospital to ask if he could make a modern hospital bed. Howard’s hospital beds spread around New Zealand and in the early sixties he took the plunge and opened his first dedicated hospital bed factory. Proudly supplying Howard Wright Ltd for over 35 years.
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