This document summarizes a presentation about Molift Service Tool, a software that monitors hoist usage in healthcare institutions to help reduce work-related injuries. The tool automatically warns when lifters need service and collects usage data to analyze relationships between hoist use and back injuries/sick leave. It was implemented in 3 Japanese nursing homes, where increased hoist usage correlated with fewer sick days for caregivers over time.

1. Reducing work related injuries by monitoring the use of lifters in
institutions, through service warning software for hoists.
Presenter:
Ole Lindahl Thy,
Physiotherapist and
Educational Manager,Molift

2. The content of this presentation
Briefly about Molift
Presenting Molift Service Tool
- Its Technical and clinical advantages
Case study from Japan
- Background
- Implementation of Molift Service Toll in three nursing
homes
- Introducing Safe patient handling
- Results

3. About Molift
Molift is a Norwegian company founded in 1982
specialized in developing mechanical equipment for
moving & handling people.
Molift has since the very beginning been dedicated
to develop innovative solutions and products.
Some of the innovations that Molift has introduced:
• Battery driven mobile hoists
• The linear lifting principle
• The diagonal linear lifting principle for sit to stand lifters
• Foldable lifters
• Environmental friendly batteries (NiMh)
• Automatic service warning

4. Molift Service Tool
The Service tool is an automatic service warning system,
developed to secure that necessary services are performed on
the lifter according to the intervals stated by the manufacturer
Main features
• The lifter has an automatic warning when service is needed
• Connected to a computer with the installed software, it is
possible to perform service and retrieve information from the
lifter

5. Molift Service Tool
Technical perspective
• Troubleshooting
• Reading and writing the service history
• Resetting of the service indicator
• Correction of max weight/load capacity
• All data collected can be transferred and stored in an online
database
• Online program update
Clinical perspective
• Recording the number of lifts performed
• Recording the lifts performed in four different weight classes

6. Clinical perspectives
- An example of how we can use the data retrieved
from the service tool to investigate the relationship
between the usage of the lifters and back injury, back
pain and sick leave.

7. Safe patient handling in Japan
In Japan, as in many other countries in the world, muscolo-
skeletal disorders due to manual lifting of patients in healthcare is
a growing problem.
In 2010 the Japanese government
decided to stimulate the investment
in safe patient handling equipment
in nursing homes.

8. Safe patient handling in Japan
Reported sick in ju ry an d illn e ss（ M in istrydue e alth 's Hback pain
O c c u patio n al leave, 4 days or more o f H to low P ）
by
1300 保健衛生業
Health industry
製造業
Industry
1200 運輸交通業
Transportation
商業・
Commerce・広告業
金融・
finance
1100
1000
900
800
700
600
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Reported to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour & Welfare

9. Safe patient handling in Japan
The use of equipment for safe patient handling in
Japan is restricted among others due to
• Low awareness of the relation between back injuries
and patient handling.
• Equipment not available
• Resistance from caregivers to use equipment
for patient handling
• Resistance from patients to be lifted
by machines
• Resistance from relatives
• Financial aspects
• Space restrictions

10. Safe patient handling in Japan
The Japanese PT Shogo Kasahara, manager of three nursing
homes in the Kisei social welfare service corporation in the
Wakayama prefect, applied for the public funds, and initiated a
project to reduce back injuries among the caregivers.

11. The three nursing homes
Ayukawa nursing home for the elderly
Long-term patients: 53 patients
Short-term patients: 23 patients
Home care: 25 patients
Ryu-topia nursing home for the elderly
Long-term patients: 50 patients
Short-term patients: 20 patients
Home care: 25 patients
Miyamanosato nursing home for the elderly
Long-term patients: 30 patients
Short-term patients: 8 patients
Home care: 15 patients

12. Implementation of Safe patient handling
1. Building the case
2. Initial action
3. Presentation to executive board
4. Introducing a safe patient handling program
5. Promotion
6. Get the program on the track…
7. Addressing feedback

13. Using the service Tool in the implementation of SPH
Registration of the number of lifts conducted with the lifter from
11.02.2010 – 10.03.2010
Nursing home
Increase/decrease
in use of the lifter
Ward
Lifter ID

14. Using the service Tool in the implementation of SPH
Based on the statistics retrieved from the Molift Service
Tool, an evaluation on the ward is accomplished,
and corrective initiatives are implemented.
Examples of corrective initiatives
• Changing the type of sling used
• Increasing the space under the beds
• Defining the need for beds
• Solution to be able to use the lifter on futons is implemented
• A special solution to use the lifter together with a mattress on the
floor
• Additional training of the staff
• Initiatives toward relatives

15. Using the service Tool in the implementation of SPH
Registration of the number of lifts conducted with the lifter from
11.03.2010 – 10.04.2010
Nursing home
Increase/decrease
in use of the lifter
Ward
Lifter ID

16. Using the service Tool in the implementation of SPH
Based on the statistics retrieved from the Molift Service Tool and
the statistics about sick leave, it is possible to indicate a
relationship between how frequent the lifter is used and days of
absence
Relationship between sick leave of caregivers and use of lifter at Ryu-Topia Update: Aug. 28 2011
The number of lifts
Unit: times
The number of sick leave unit: day
Total number of lifts
Private
Sickness
Back Pain
Mar.
Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. 2011 Apr. May Jun. Jul.. Aug.
2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 Sick and Back pain
introduction Program starts

17. Questions?