Unicare Shares Best Practices for Electric Profiling Bed Prescription with Allied Health Partners
Workshop: Elevating Care with Electric Profiling Bed Prescription
- An OT's Approach to Client Needs and Functional Requirements
Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Technology Park Function Centre, Bentley
We had the pleasure of welcoming a fantastic group of therapists to our Electric Profiling Bed Prescription workshop. This hands-on session offered valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance the prescription of electric profiling beds, ensuring optimal client outcomes and an improved quality of life.
Empowering Therapists with Knowledge
As healthcare continues to evolve, so does the need for therapists to stay informed about the latest advancements in assistive technology. This workshop was designed to equip attendees with a comprehensive understanding of electric profiling beds, including their features, functionalities, and clinical applications.
Guest Speaker: Jessica Dickson, Principal Consultant, Assistive Technology, Superyou Tech
We were delighted to welcome Jessica, a seasoned Occupational Therapist and Principal Consultant at Superyou Tech, as our guest speaker.
Jessica offered valuable insights into the latest advancements in bed control technologies and assistive devices. She discussed innovations such as alternative remotes for direct touch, touchscreen tables and phones, as well as augmentative and alternative communication devices that seamlessly interact with bed systems.
Her presentation provided therapists with a deeper understanding of the nuances involved in bed prescription, along with practical guidance on integrating smart controls into patient care to enhance accessibility and promote independence.
In her role at Superyou Tech, Jessica provides expert clinical guidance and support, helping both therapists and clients confidently navigate the world of assistive technology, eliminating guesswork, and ensuring they achieve their goals with clarity.
Workshop Lead: Ilissa Liew, Sleep Support Specialist, Unicare Health
The main workshop was led by Ilissa Liew, Unicare’s focused educator and subject matter expert in electric profiling beds and pressure care mattresses.
Ilissa guided therapists through key learning objectives, providing practical knowledge and clinical reasoning strategies to enhance their prescribing skills.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Develop a thorough understanding of electric profiling beds, including their features and how they contribute to patient care.
- Apply clinical reasoning in prescribing electric beds, considering client-specific needs and medical conditions for optimal comfort and support.
- Identify potential risks associated with electric bed prescriptions and conduct comprehensive risk assessments to ensure patient safety.
- Stay updated on the latest technological advancements, including control systems, environmental integrations, and assistive technology compatibility.
Using the features of the Xcel3 and Xcel3pro electric profiling beds, Ilissa shared insights on how proper bed positioning can reduce manual handling efforts, improve pressure injury care, and support repositioning.
She emphasized how strategic bed adjustments encourage mobility, helping patients regain independence and promoting well-being, highlighting the importance of positioning in enhancing comfort and care outcomes.
She explained autoregression, demonstrating how beds with this feature improve pressure care. By comparing beds with and without autoregression, she showed how the technology distributes pressure, reducing injury risk and enhancing patient comfort and safety. Her presentation underscored the role of autoregression in optimizing care and supporting individualized treatment plans.
Ilissa introduced various bed rail options, discussing how each contributes to safety, comfort, and ease of movement.
She highlighted Unicare's new pivoting rail, offering three adjustable positions for customized support in repositioning, stability, and mobility. Through these adaptable solutions, she demonstrated how the right bed rail significantly improves patient experience and care outcomes.
Ilissa also talked about OneConnect™, a smart technology that allows users to stay connected to their Xcel3pro bed. Through Bluetooth connectivity, therapists and caregivers can wirelessly access system data to review usage history, monitor bed status, and diagnose issues instantly using easy troubleshooting tools. This innovation enhances efficiency and minimizes downtime, ensuring that clients receive uninterrupted support.
One of the standout benefits of OneConnect™ is its ability to provide remote diagnostics. If a user encounters an issue with their bed, they can simply contact the Unicare support team, who can assess and troubleshoot the problem remotely, potentially saving the need for a technician call-out fee. This feature not only improves service response times but also ensures that clients receive faster and more cost-effective solutions for their assistive technology needs.
She concluded with case studies illustrating the practical application of bed features. She discussed how these features can be tailored to individual needs, considering health conditions, mobility, and living environments. By discussing real-world examples, she demonstrated how a personalized approach to bed selection improves care, comfort, and independence, emphasizing the importance of aligning bed features with the user’s lifestyle for optimal outcomes.
Building a Smarter, More Informed Community
At Unicare, we are committed to supporting therapists in making smarter, more effective assistive technology prescriptions. By equipping healthcare professionals with the right knowledge and tools, we contribute to better health and wellness outcomes for clients.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all attendees and speakers for making this workshop a success. Stay tuned for more clinical training opportunities to learn, connect, and grow with us!
