Measured Return on Investment of VENDLET

The French Institute of Education and Health Promotion (IREPS Picardie) has evaluated the effects of implementing four VENDLET systems at Hospital Local, Crèvecoer le Grand, which is situated outside of Paris.

The goal of the economic evaluation was to find out when the hospital would be able to see a return on investment from the mechanic transfer systems.

Furthermore, there was also a desire to know if there were improvements to the employee’s work health & safety and if the quality of care would be sustained at the same level as it was before the implementation of the technology.

The study was conducted based on a monographic research approach and was performed from January to July 2016. The period of 6 months included a preparation stage (January-March), a data collection stage (March-April) and an analysis stage (April-May).

The study further combined four data collection methods; observations, explorations, interviews and document analyses.

Improved care

The healthcare staff unanimously declared that the VENDLET V5 offers a gentler way of transferring clients, and that the use of the systems does not provoke any particular resistance or stress for the clients.

The staff further pointed out that using the VENDLET system meant a decreased stiffness and tension in some clients, which would otherwise increase when being transferred. overall making the transfer process easier.

The report also concluded that the bedridden clients experienced an increased comfort, less pain and tension when they were being transferred. Fewer anxiety stretches and tissue shearing also meant that the development of pressure ulcers among the clients, who were transferred with VENDLET, was reduced.

Improved Work Health & Safety

The report portrays a substantial decline in the level of physical strain, less fatigue and thereby less physical strain of staff.

Among other things, the staff answered two questions regarding their experience of physical strain in both manual and mechanic transfers, which they were asked to rate on a scale of 1-10

According to these results, the work health and safety was significantly improved, as both the strain and the experienced fatigue was reduced by using VENDLET V5.

Short Return on Investment

The study shows, that the VENDLET system has a return on investment of 3,8 years at the French hospital. However, in order to know the exact return on investment time, the hourly wage in the given country has to be included in the calculation. For example, as the hourly wage in France is lower than in Denmark the return on investment period will be shorter in a Danish context.

Large scale Implementation leads to greater Gains

The study shows that the economic benefits of implementing VENDLET V5 are best achieved when the staff is able to obtain a routine in working with the systems. That means that a full implementation is preferable if the desire is to harvest the greatest possible financial gains. Adjusting to new technology takes time and becomes easier if the new technology is used often.

The study shows, that the VENDLET system makes it possible to go from being two to one caregiver in transfer situations, but it is necessary that

it is a focus area of management
staff gets the needed routine in using the system
staff has undergone proper training

Implementation of single systems, therefore, does not provide as great effects as implementation on a larger scale. It simply takes the staff too long to get the needed routine when they only work with the system once in a while. Therefore, it will take longer for them to be able to go from 2 caregivers to 1 caregiver when transferring clients.

The Hospital’s thoughts on Implementing VENDLET

The CEO of the hospital in Crèvecoeur le Grande, Eric Jullian, shares his thoughts prior to investing in the VENDLET systems. He particularly emphasizes his responsibility for the staff and their work health & safety.

The representatives of IREPS also share how the impartial analysis focused on both financial benefits of implementing the new technology, but also on the staff’s and client’s conditions.

Media Coverage

The project received a lot of media coverage including a ministerial visit that reached both newspapers and television. Watch the French TV spot below.

Publication

The magazine Techques Hospitalieres published an article in 2016 about the study. The article concludes that the VENDLET V5 improves the healthcare staff’s work health & safety and that economic benefits can be obtained from implementing VENDLET on a larger scale.

The article was awarded Best Article of 2016 in Techques Hospitalieres.

Download PDF:

Demarcke et al 2016: Rapport d’evaluation socio-economique du dispositif medical de draps de glisse electrique VENDLET

Trouilletet al, 2016: Expérimentation d’un dispositif de drap de glisse électrique à l’hôpital local de Crèvecoeur-le-Grand (French)

Trouilletet al, 2016: Experimentation with an electrical sliding sheet device (English)

Socioeconomic Evaluation