With staffing shortages plaguing hospitals and imaging centers across the nation, efficient workflow is key to maintaining ideal turn around times.
Diagnostic radiology workflow has improved as the technology has progressed to where most x-ray exams take less than 5 minutes to complete; a simple chest x-ray can be completed in less than a minute!
A significant outlier to this trend is an x-ray exam of the hip. Whether a hip fracture patient is having their initial hip x-rays in the Emergency Department, or their post- operative exam, I’ve seen these exams take up to 15 – 20 minutes. Most protocols call for an AP frontal view of the pelvis and the hip. These are quick and easy. The lateral view is the tough one. The lateral view is the “money shot” that best displays fractures and because of this, techs go to great lengths and take extra time to capture this view perfectly. When imaging a right hip looking for fracture, the left leg must be lifted out of the path of the x-ray beam. The x-ray beam is then unobstructed and demonstrates a clear image of the right hip. When patients are in pain, when patients are obese or under sedation or anesthesia, they are just not able to hold their leg in the correct position.
That’s why we at Flow State Innovation have created the Leg Lift. The Leg Lift sits sturdy on the floor, adjusts to the ideal height, extends over the hospital bed or gurney, and supports your patients leg in the correct position to capture that perfect image.
The Leg Lift allows staff to quickly achieve proper positioning and capture a great image with just one tech. If your department operates with limited staffing, the Leg Lift is an essential set of hands that does the job of a second tech.
Explore our website at flowstateinnovation.com to learn more.
