Recommendations on Standards for the Design of Medical Diagnostic Equipment for Adults with Disabilities, Advisory Committee Final Report

3.3.2 Experienced Clinicians

Although the studies offered helpful data, the Committee felt strongly that it would be useful to hear perspectives from clinicians with extensive experience with persons with disabilities about the process of transferring patients from wheelchairs or scooters onto medical equipment. In response, U.S. Access Board staff invited seven clinicians to make presentations at the Committee’s third meeting. Table 3.3.2 lists the names, clinical disciplines, and affiliations of these experienced clinicians.

Table 3.3.2

Clinicians Who Presented to the MDE Advisory Committee

At the Committee’s request, U.S. Access Board staff asked these clinicians to comment on topics primarily related to transferring patients and the implications for recommendations relating to transfer surfaces. The following request was sent to the clinical speakers to formulate their comments to the Committee:^X

• Committee members want to learn about common transfer methods, including information about mobility device positioning, transfer techniques, and transfer aids.

• Committee members are deliberating how wide the portion of an exam table surface onto which patients transfer must be (defined as a “transfer surface”). The Committee is considering two main options: minimum widths of 28” or 30”. “Tables” are equipment used by patients in supine, prone, or side-lying positions.

• Committee members are considering the same transfer width issue for exam chairs. Because exam chairs have up-right back support, armrests, and patients do not typically need to reposition their entire body once on the equipment, a narrower minimum width of 21” is proposed. Committee members are deliberating whether this width requirement should be the same as or less than table type equipment discussed above (28” or 30”).

• The Committee has agreed that transfer surfaces (for both tables and chairs) should be adjustable in height and is now determining the height ranges that must be provided. Committee members are considering two low height options: 17” or 19”. Competing concerns involve not excluding patients in wheelchairs with low seat heights and equipment features/mechanisms that would be difficult or costly to position underneath an exam surface height of less than 19”.

• Committee members will shortly consider what kind of supports (handholds, rails, etc.) tables and chairs should have to facilitate transfers and whether these supports should be positioned at particular locations on/around the exam surface. These deliberations will include discussions about the position (horizontal, angled, or vertical), length, gripping shape, and distance above and from the transfer surface.

The clinicians’ presentations were timed so that Committee members would have ample chance to ask them questions. As noted in Sections 5 and 6, the opinions of these experienced clinicians figured prominently in some Committee recommendations. An obvious limitation of their contributions is the relatively small number of clinicians and lack of representation from a full range of clinical disciplines.

Notes

^X The text below is what was sent to the clinician speakers. Please note that the language (e.g., about the two low options for transfer surface height) reflects the Advisory Committee’s activities and thinking at the time of the request to the clinician speakers.