2027 STAT: Safe TrAnsport Tray to Improve Handling of Patients With Suspected Spinal Cord Injury

INTRODUCTION: Work-related low back pain is highly prevalent in medical professionals. Alternative transfer techniques such as an overhead lift with a sling may reduce staff occupational hazards, but may increase risk of injury in patients with spinal cord injuries, highlighting the need for process improvement. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team formed with representatives from major stakeholder groups and conducted the project at Mayo Clinic. The team followed the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control QI methodology and the Standards for QI Reporting Excellence guidelines. RESULTS: The team used a charter and diagrammed the baseline process during the define phase. During the measure phase, the team quantified number of patient transfers. Root cause analysis was performed in the analyze phase. During the improve phase, the team developed the Safe TrAnsport Tray (STAT), which was tested during a simulated patient transfer task to assess biomechanical measurements in staff using the STAT. Compared to the manual transfers, STAT significantly reduced the 50th percentile back angle (29.2 vs 7.6; p<0.001), the 90th percentile back angle (60.9 vs 46.3; p=0.006), and 90th percentile activation for the right and left erector spinae muscles (36.0% vs 22.8%; p=0.008; 33.8% vs 22.4%; p=0.004). Staff in the Emergency Department, Radiology Department, and Neuroscience and Surgical/Trauma Intensive Care Units received electronic training then the team deployed the STAT in these areas and remeasured baseline metrics. The STAT tray decreased average manual transfers per patient from seven to three. CONCLUSIONS: Using a QI framework, a team developed a patient transport tray that improved staff biomechanics when handling patients and reduced the number of manual patient transfers while prioritizing safety for patients with unstable spinal injuries.