The current edition, No. 1
Transcription
The current edition, No. 1
Increased mobility and self-mobilization Page 2 More topics: New Tunbridge Wells Hospital is leading the way ................ 4 Page 4 Setting an example in innovative change: Hospital 301 in Bejing ....................................................... 6 With Porsche Consulting to new Völker assembly lines Völker beds for the Hiléa healthcare centre in Brazil Page 6 Page 7 Mobile docking cart “Provi-Dock” for inwardclinical transportation of intensive care patients..................... 8 Pope Benedict XVI. receives Heinrich Völker ........................ 8 Trade fairs & Trainings; Bett-Man ..................................... 8 > Editorial: > Products & Services: T A giant leap Völker presents its Care Concept A value-added concept – more time to give dignified care Völker wants to be able to offer more, much more than beds. It is their firm opinion that with the production of healthcare and hospital beds a company is responsible for a lot of things that go beyond such a production. This responsibility derives from our customers’ objectives. So the prime objective in, say, the care given to elderly people is to maintain each individual’s independence by a provision of activating care. This requires more than most healthcare or hospital beds can provide. It requires a nursing aid that allows activating care, encourages self-mobilisation, protects fearful residents, activates immobile patients – and makes nurses’ work easier into the bargain. “And that is exactly what we set forth in our philosophy,” the company says. “People in need of care are especially entitled to being respected and to lead a life in dignity.” The implemen tation of this core statement was asked for by Heinrich Völker and was realised in an up-to-date and comprehensive Völker Care Concept. “If this then can also result in sufficient time for nurses to look after and attend to residents and patients,” Völker say, “we have lived up to our expectations and attained our objective: More time to give dignified care.” And the company’s claim was defined in conjunction with all its staff: We think, develop and manufacture for that purpose. Völker is certain that only if the nurses’ work is made easier and more pleasant can there be more time on nurses’ hands to spend on giving such a dignified care. Völker found it important that prior to any introduction of a really comprehensive care concept the needs, standards and expectations of residents and patients in homes and clinics should be surveyed. The choice of bed models can then be geared to these results. Völker standard beds are available for the ma- gather around a table with external specialist experts and suppliers in order to pool their knowledge. At both of our sites in Witten and Hainichen, Völker hospital and healthcare beds are produced on the most modern production lines, which were developed in collaboration with Porsche Consulting. The “Made in Germany” principle lowers our error rates and is viewed as a guarantee of comprehensive ‘Total-Quality-Management’, which as well as the certification of all production sites, also allows for close and continuous monitoring in accordance with Völker standards. So why are Völker beds in such global demand? That’s because these are products that facilitate dignified care. Here the word “dignified” applies to both the patient and the caregiver in equal measure. A Völker bed for the secondary care sector, and one for the hospital. Both beds are available in three model variants in order to take into consideration the differing care requirements of those who are very immobile or extremely fallprone. Each Völker bed provides support in helping others to help themselves with the aid of its innovative design: the Völker four column telescope lift for increased safety during all manoeuvres, the Völker assist rail system for support in self-mobilization, the Völker Microstimulation System for the promotion of sensory perception and the prevention of pressure ulcers. These pioneering products equipped Pioneering products with innovative features generate added value jority of those residents and patients who can be mobilised by a lateral transfer. The Völker Vis-a-Vis activates people with compromised mobility by a forward sitting position. And Völker low-level beds provide the best conditions for a care for people at an extreme risk of falling out of bed who feel safest at ground level. “We also call all three of these bed models ‘pioneering’ because they are fully geared to these three groups of residents and patients with their rather disparate requirements and nursing needs,” the company says. And: “They also have a number of innovative fea> Please turn the page T Völker AG > My Opinion: he history of Völker beds be gan around 20 years ago. And it still continues today. Völker beds are now used in 53 countries around the world, with subsidiaries in Austria, the UK, France, Belgium and Spain. Völker is represented by respected dis tributors in a total of 30 countries. This is reason enough, I think, to report on their benefits not only domestically but globally as well. There is, after all, a reason why the journal in front of you is called Völker Wörld. At present approx. 350 employees produce around 35,000 beds each year. In so doing, Völker has remained true to the high “Made in Germany” quality requirements, and as was the case in the past continues to produce exclusively in Germany today – and for good reason. For each of our developments, the experts from our Development and Production Department Völker AG The hare and the tortoise in Hainichen ProSell!/Alexander Paul A gain and again we find that Völker is considered to be an innovative market leader in the healthcare and hospital bed sec tor,” says Meinolf Köhn, the compa ny’s Sales and Marketing Director. “However, the high quality and innovative features and the resulting price differential are not necessarily perceived as added value, at least not at first.” And he continues: “It is important to communicate Völker’s added value to residents, patients and nurses as users and to operators as investors in a competent manner that is relevant to customer requirements” This resulted in the Völker Care Concept, which focuses on the corporate philosophy of providing dignified care. “The products developed to support this vision and their most important features can be found around this core. And these are, surrounded by, in our opinion, unique competences.” Völker beds realize kinaesthetic concepts Everything under one roof in São Paulo with the above-listed features are integrated within the comprehensive Völker Care Concept. Customers in every country benefit from the additional, productrelated components. This includes, without doubt, Völker’s own drive systems and also the possibility of running maintenance and service checks via the Völker Diagnostic System. However, this also includes the hygienic undercarriage and also the multi-award-winning Healthcare Design. Our comprehensive product knowledge contributes to the optimization of care processes and minimizes the waste of time and material, motivates patients and residents and thus produces satisfied employees as well. All in all this creates considerable added value, which makes Völker beds an investment that really pays off – that’s what I think anyway. Heinrich Völker he objective of the Völker Company, to produce the best beds for hospi tals and care fa cilities, has lead to a concept, which forms the basis of all product features on the one hand, and a host of competencies on the other. With this “Völker Care Concept” the German manufacturer has succeeded in re-developing its healthcare and hospital beds with a wonderful consistency, thus fulfilling the wishes of residents and patients as users, the requirements of nurses and caregivers and, last but not least, the expectations of operators. Heinrich Völker, CEO of Völker AG is of the justified opinion (bottom of page) that Völker beds, even if slightly more expensive than alternatives, are worthwhile for every facility due to their enormous added-value. Because the constant cost increases in healthcare and in the hospital compel those responsible to optimize procedures and processes. With each investment e.g. in hospital beds or healthcare beds, special attention is devoted to the possible reduction of subsequent costs – that is, to process optimization and the resulting minimization of personnel costs. If, in such cases, management, doctors, caregivers and technical staff communicate on the same wavelength when making the purchase and each search for the best solution, a decision in favour of Völker beds is the obvious choice. The fact that when making such an investment in beds it is possible to take into account the differing care requirements of residents or patients is a further advantage that speaks in favour of Völker. A look inside care facilities and hospitals will reveal that for around 60 percent of the residents and patients the respective basic model of heathcare or hospital bed is perfectly sufficient, while for around 30 percent (more immobile individuals) the Vis-a-Vis is the ideal bed, and for the 10 percent or so who are highly fallprone a Völker low-height bed is the one. Read p. 2 about this 60–30–10 investment concept. “Movement is life” – this begins with the stimulating micro-movements of the lying surface and leads to macro-movements, which can also often – due to the multi-functionality of Völker beds – be carried out independently by the patient or resident (page 4). We hope you find this new edition of Völker Wörld magazine very stimulating. Heiko Heine Marc Theis With the investment concept “60–30–10” Hiléa ProSell!/Alexander Paul A healthcare bed for all Völker AG Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 · 5,000 Copies · Free of Charge · Information for people in healthcare 2 More competence generates added value In the latest Völker Care Concept, the pioneering products and their innovative features are embedded in Völkers core competencies. “These deliver real advantages for the benefit of our customers,” Meinolf Köhn explains. They include a healthcare design service which allows homes and hospitals to develop a well designed healthcare environment. They also include expert advice not, only prior to a sale but also after. “This may, for example, be done with the framework of a systematic, tailored partnership for the benefit of both sides”, which is the sort of long term relationship that Völker has with many of its customers. These competencies are augmented by the company’s logistical service ensuring fast reliable installation and it’s Technical Service which is based upon the Völker Diagnostic System and delivers huge reductions in the time required to service a bed and provides com- plete documentation on service history. Another value added for customers, the company’s medical competence, has been attested to in studies on individual features, but also at symposia and by various opportunities Völker provides for the education and the training of nurses. Völker also includes in these core competencies the fact that its products are made in Germany with a local supply chain that facilitates a high level of quality assurance and continual improvement. The company also points to the economic benefit. A selection and application of the afore-mentioned competences based upon what is actually required at any given point in time for Völker customers means an optimization of nursing processes and a minimization of follow-up costs. “And this, in turn, means more quality and better nursing standards, a satisfied staff, less fluctuation, satisfied residents and a better utilisation of the facility,” Köhn stresses and sum- vides. They then have more time to spend on the residents or patients care, even if the time budget is tight.” In total, the Völker Care Concept contributes to meeting customers’ individual needs. Meinolf Köhn: “Our customers can choose a selection of our products, features and benefits. They can pick what they need to meet their latest requirements and standards, which in turn allows for their facility’s success in economic terms.” The Völker Care Concept is also the basis for all Völker product developments and defines the company’s objective for a comprehensive partnership. And that is exactly why people are put at the forefront and why Völker has a value-based corporate culture that encourages partnership, dialogue, transparency and efficiency. “And it is in these terms that we want to discharge our corporate social responsibility to both ourcustomers and our employees,” Völker says.Heiko Heine marises: “For nursing homes and hospitals, all this makes a partnership with Völker an investment in a sustainable future.” The very special advantage for Völker customers The Care Concept ensued from the company’s CEO’s, Heinrich Völker’s, vision, who had wanted to sell more than nice and functional beds. It was and is his intent that Völker beds first and foremost provide residents and patients and nurses with more comfort and motivation. Völker wants more comfort and motivation for residents and patients so that these can live an autonomous life and enjoy it, too. And he wants more comfort in activating care. “Residents get better motivated and are more satisfied, a mood that will surely be conveyed to and reflected by the nurses,” Völker is sure. “And the nurses’ work is made easier through the residents’ self-mobilization and the other features the bed pro- More about the Völker Care Concept at www.volker.com ProSell!/Alexander Paul tures to facilitate activating care, mobilisation and activation in order to mobilize, elderly, infirm and those with chronic conditions.” These features include a four-column telescope lift, an integrated assist rail system and a lying surface with a standard Microstimulation System, optionally available with an active pressure reduction system. Another innovation, which has been a standard feature in hospital beds and an optional extra in healthcare beds, are Völker’s own motor drive systems, which ensure safe patient positioning. That is the only way to meet the required high safety and reliability standards and low-maintenance requirements. A Bus-based system was developed in conjunction with Porsche Engineering. The individual electromechanical components communicate via a LIN-Bus-System that is geared to Völker bed requirements and capable of controlling and monitoring the different components and parameters. Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 The Völker Care Concept is the implementation of the Völker corporate philosophy. Völker focuses on the very individual demands and different expectations of people in need of care as well as their caregivers. Besides value-added beds Völker offers many areas of expertise which can be aligned to individual customer needs and contribute to targeted systems solutions. > Products & Services: A healthcare bed for all With the investment concept “60–30–10” Völker AG A ll bed manufacturers’ portfo lios seem to be very much the same: a similar look, the same functionality, the same benefit. How ever, if an interested party checks out the details, the picture that emerges is rather different and allows an evalua tion or, in business-speak, benchmark ing of the various manufacturers’ mod els. This fashionable phrase means more than just a comparison. It means an evaluation of one’s own product by comparison with a peer’s or peers’. And this reveals some very different product strategies. Völker is considered to be the innovative market leader in the field of advanced hospital beds. Pioneering products with innovative features provide more independency of patients, residents and also facilitates the work of caregivers. The consequences of the segmentation of price A first comparison is mostly based upon catalogues and brochures. As a rule (and in contrast to a Website, on which one can take the initiative oneself), they are structured like a sales pitch and their recurrent theme is the objective to present one’s own product as nothing less than worth buying. Still, some perusing will do to be able to identify two fundamentally different types of portfolio: a wide ranging one and one focused upon one single product. The wide range includes various models for seemingly different price brackets. Otherwise, it would not make much necessary in both situations, providing all that is necessary rapidly and/or permanently to resume an active life. It makes sense that a company like Völker includes in its mission statement that they will build only one bed, come what may. This means that all innovations that support nursing are integrated in all Völker beds. “This one-product principle does also allow us to provide an expensive bed at a comparatively inexpensive price. After all, we produce 35,000 beds p.a. in only one production process. This means lower costs than in a production of five models in partial quantities, differing in their design, their functionality, accessories and assembly,” says Heinrich Völker. “We are always surprised when at trade fairs, for example, visitors think our beds would cost twice what they do.” The best beds? But how? “For a 100 bed Care of the Elderly Facility this means that they should have 60 basic healthcare beds, 30 Vis-a-Vis beds for very immobile residents and 10 low level beds for high fall risk residents”. sense that manufacturers offer three segments – in terms of statistics can be expressed as, Low Cost-, Middleand High-End beds that by definition also have to be of different quality and use. No wonder then that this is expressly elaborated, thus providing arguments for a higher or lower price. After all, an »When being asked, Heinrich Völker replies that he is sure that Völker produces the best health care bed there is. Since we entered the market about twenty years ago, we have always built beds that have advantages over others , he says.« operator is to be convinced of his very own operating strategy that this or perhaps that product is exactly what he or she needs. There is a catch, however. Manufacturers encourage operators of healthcare facilities to position themselves by way of prices, although it should suffice that the market accepts ‘good’, ‘not so good’ and even ‘poor’ healthcare facilities, which in Germany at one point was even to be advertised in the form of a traffic light pattern. The new standards, reflected in school grades from 1–6 (German system: 1 is best, 6 worst), now support a multi-class society and thus a pricebased market segmentation. The reasonable one-product-principle This leads us back to what Heinrich Völker as the manufacturer of Völker beds has once said: There should be only one bed for all people: the best bed there is. The right bed for everyone. Nursing is a process that in hospitals is to go from, say, a post-surgery situation with huge self-care deficits to a fast recuperation. In geriatric care, the objective should be to allow residents a permanent and self-determined self-mobilization and to reduce deficits as far as possible. Beds as medical products are When being asked, Heinrich Völker replies that he is sure that Völker produces the best healthcare bed there is. “Since we entered the market about twenty years ago, we have always built beds that have advantages over others,” he says. Because from the very beginning Völker focused upon designing beds that benefit care-dependent people? “Yes, in elderly care, I have always wanted to make it possible for residents to be as independent as possible and thus to participate in an active life in a self-determined fashion. This requires electrically operated beds that are adjustable by means of hand control units. The bed has to be stable at every height. And all the protection the residents need notwithstanding, it also has to be open.” This is a bed that through a flexible assist rail system with a central gap signals the residents: “You can get up whenever you want!” and never makes them feel confined (Fig. 1–5). 3 Am Vi s In i o p ti m i z a t ld t e c ti o n P ro L Fig. 11: In the second step, the technical details of the identified deficits that had been discovered were fine-tuned thus equipping Völker beds with unique product advantages. prevention, therapy, prophylaxis, protection and activation (Fig. 10–13). It is obvious that such a medical product – motivating residents and patients and optimizing nursing – also provides operators of healthcare facilities with huge advantages. At a statistical nursing expenditure of about 13,000 Euro per bed a year in elderly care and of 25,000 Euro in hospitals and an optimization of the daily nursing routines through the use of Völker beds of only 10 percent, the additional costs of a Völker bed will have paid for themselves after no more than four weeks, the entire investment after one year (Fig. 10)1. Investments à la carte: 60–30–10 Having thoroughly studied the nursing demand and potential, Völker has completed its one-product principle in a modular way. All Völker beds are based upon the same basic design and can be adapted to whatever users might require by applying the modular principle. The first new addition was the lowlevel bed. It was ascertained that in geriatric care there are always people who will fall. Most falls occur outside the bed, followed by those when people are transferred and about 10 percent fall out of bed – even when the assist rails are raised and continuous, mind you. For these people at a very high risk of falling, the bed’s body with all its advantages was combined with a trapezoid undercarriage that can be lowered almost down to the floor, so that, in the worst case, patients or residents will rather roll out of bed – not fall out of bed. The second new addition was the Visa-Vis: It was ascertained that post-surgi- ization erapy i m n on Cost min ti estme it Fig. 12: Thus, carers were provided with a comprehensive concept, which ultimately expanded, simplified and, all in all, optimized all measures involved in activating care. cal patients but also multi-morbid residents can only under great pain and with huge expenditure (mostly by two nurses) be laterally mobilized to get out of bed. For patients, however, early mobilization is very important if they want to get fit again fast. For immobile residents, their continual activation is an essential motivation to be nursed, dealt with and visited at eye level. Reason enough to modify Völker healthcare and hospital beds in such a manner that from the lower-leg part they are separable and can be shifted to the side. That way, residents and patients can be forwardly mobilized from lying down and sitting up to walking. Studies and statistics generally show that about 10 percent of the people in healthcare facilities and about the same percentage in hospitals are at a high risk of falling. However, the number of such people in healthcare facilities that have specialized upon people with dementia or in hospitals with psychiatric and geriatric wards is higher. nv f Th h t s axi iS ® Prop Pro tion S ®A c t i v -I yl - h e ig h t b e ow it y y ion Operator’s benefits turn-on ut lit t e c ti o n on Re M li ti m iz a ti o n P ro Q ua s Op a s e d m o bi m aximiza Fig. 13: The three steps of the Völker Care Concept provide the operator with a relatively short-term return on investment in the case of continual use, and thus results in consistent corporate success in the long term. It can also be statistically derived that about 30 percent of hospital patients (e.g. post-abdominal or post-cardiac surgery patients, stroke patients or those suffering from neurological/geriatric diseases) and such residents in healthcare facilities (mostly those at German care level III) cannot be laterally mobilized or only with much difficulty. This leads to the investment concept 60–30–10 as proposed by Völker. “For a 100 bed care of the Elderly Facility this means that they should have 60 basic healthcare beds, 30 Vis-a-Vis beds for very immobile residents and 10 low level beds for high fall risk residents”. Meinolf Köhn, Völker AG Sales Director, adds; “Just as the advantages embodied in standard Völker Healthcare Beds pay for themselves in one year, the added value of the Völker low level bed will pay for itself by preventing fall injuries and the use of Völker Vis-aVis by saving on additional staff required for patient mobilization; a fall can cost 10,000 Euro (surgery and rehab) and mobilization expenditure amounts to approx. 30 percent of daily nursing routines. Heiko Heine Sources: Expertenstandard Sturzprophylaxe, DNQP 2005, Germany Statistisches Jahrbuch 2006, Germany 1 stand: 2009 »Having thoroughly studied the nursing demand and potential, Völker has completed its oneproduct principle in a modular way.« Advertisement ProSell!/Alexander Paul The unique advantages of Völker healthcare and hospital beds (Healthcare Design, ergonomics, multi-functionality, MiS®, MiS®Activ, assist rail system, lowlevel bed and Vis-a-Vis) were integrated in a care concept as solutions. This care concept is based on the needs of caredependent people and their requirements (feel-good ambience, comfort, mobility, therapy, safety, protection and participation in the activities of daily life). It also shows how it can support, facilitate and complete all nursing activities (environment, activating nursing, mobilization, re Beds with Völker Care Concept en v Fig. 10: The first step for Völker in fulfilling the objectives of their corporate philosophy was to find out the wishes and requirements of those in need of care. That is the only way to convey self-determination. When the lying surface is electrically raised and the stable assist rails allow them to make a turn in the direction of the central gap and the height of the bed can also be electrically adapted to the resident’s height, self-mobilization, supervised or assisted by a nurse, is finally made possible. “The interplay of height adjustment, positioning of the lying surface and the flexible assist rails is a real advantage our bed has,” Heinrich Völker summarizes. What about the micro-stimulating lying surface? “It allows residents to get a good night’s sleep. They are motivated for the new day. Our Micro-stimulation System also provably supports pressure ulcer prevention.” Both MiS®, the Völker bed standard pressure reduction system, and the upgrade, MiS®Activ, were subjected to clinical studies. They are currently part of a geriatric care program, whose partial results have already been shown; how it works compared with other lying systems (Fig. 6 and 7)1. l s ystem Mi Cure Pre Assist r c ai a Inc Care concept Yi e Mu Product benefits -f u n c t i o n a l lt i M obility Se Prec ity d a ti o n s g c a re pa a b e n efi ge t a fic d A ctiv r p orat e i m o m ic s fo r t Resident’s wishes ur R e lie f bi e n c e n d e nc ep e e Co E rg ti n - h c a re d e s no a a lt s - Vi d iv i d u a l i n E n vi r Co n He l m r t i c i p. i n d e n t of w e ig nm ein g a a c t i v it i e il y s l -b o Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 Fig. 1: Full-length side rails do not prevent residents trying to climb over them and often lead to serious accidents. Fig. 2: The principle behind two-part assist rails is that they provide not only protection, but also serve as an aid when sitting up, positioning yourself and standing up. Fig. 3: Beds with two-part assist rails provide sufficient protection, with the central gap allowing for as much protection as necessary and as much freedom as possible. Fig. 4: If confused residents want to leave the bed unmonitored, the central gap provides sufficient space. Fig. 5: For those who are extremely fall-prone, Völker developed a low-height bed based on the standard healthcare bed, which can be lowered down, thus allowing the resident to feel very close to the ground. Fig. 6: The pressure reduction system, MiS®, is built into all Völker beds. The system stimulates the central nervous system resulting in improved mirco-movement and patient mobility Fig. 7: The active Micro-stimulation System also works on areas of risk via so-called activators and thus, when added as an upgrade, makes for a comprehensive care concept for immobile patients, providing support in pressure sore prophylaxis and therapy. Fig. 8: Residents and patients can only be mobilized from the standard healthcare bed with great difficulty, by means of a lateral transfer, often requiring the help of an additional carer. Fig. 9: If a lateral mobilization is not possible, active independence is provided through mobilization in a forward direction. For this reason the standard healthcare bed was re-developed to produce the Völker Visa-Vis, which provides a sitting position and contact with the floor. Ever more hospitals prefer Völker beds. After all, they know that healthcare design makes their patients get better sooner. Only very few patients are able to rate a hospital’s medical services. What they look at is their room and their bed. And that includes a hospital bed’s healthcare design, functionality and comfort. Völker hospital beds meet all these requirements and thus contribute to your hospital’s positive image. The Völker Care Concept focuses on the very individual demands and different expectations of patients who need care as well as their caregivers. For more information please visit: www.volker.com Völker AG · Wullener Feld 79 · 58454 Witten · Germany · Phone: +49 2302 96096-0 · Fax -16 4 > Reference: A single room for every patient New Tunbridge Wells Hospital is leading the way Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is a large acute hospital trust. It provides a full range of general hospital services to around 500,000 people living in the south of west Kent and parts of north east Sussex. sadly lacking in many hospitals in the UK. Although this means that ward rounds can take a little longer, patients tend to talk more frankly because they know they aren’t being overheard. This open communication naturally benefits both doctors and patients. Another reason to provide each patient with their own room was to improve infection control management. A hand wash basin is located in the room for staff as well as patients to use (and a second can be found in the en suite). In addition, many of the wash taps in the hospital are fitted with a sensor to turn on automatically when a person places their hands underneath. Sue Tizzard, Principle Moving & Handling Coordinator, led the team which made the decision to equip the hospital with Völker beds and included representatives from the departments of Nursing, Man ual Handling, Infection Cont rol, Electronic »When you do look out of the window, many of the rooms overlook nearby woodland or landscaping, a design feature that research has found helps patient recovery.« The Human Body in Motion All human activities and functions are linked to movement. A human being can do nothing without movement. This ap- ing out and need to be at a low level. The beds can be raised when necessary for nursing and therapy. Michael Chalklin, EME Services Man ager, was also conscious of maintenance issues as the department supports all patient connected equipment in the hospital. He explained, “We don’t use outside contractors for maintenance because it is more expensive and can take longer to Located on the same side of the room as the bed head is the door to the en suite shower and toilet. This short distance reduces the chances of a patient slipping or tripping. > Products & Services: Increased mobility and self-mobilization Völker beds realize kinaesthetic concepts Völker AG I f residents or patients are provided with activating care, then they, to gether with the support of caregiv ers, can learn to overcome or compensate for the limitations of their disability. Even though a considerable degree of patience is required at the beginning of these measures – on the part of the resident/patient, because his resources can only be utilised to a limited extent, and on the part of the caregiver, because a greater amount of time is required at the beginning – it will soon become apparent that increased mobility is really worth it. Early and regular mobilization helps prevent decubitus, contractures, pneumonia and thrombosis prophylaxis and as such the micro-stimulating pressure reduction system is a logical addition in every Völker healthcare bed. In cases where self-mobilization is also a goal of the resident/patient, this can be achieved all the more easily by using the healthcare bed as a care aid: The varying abilities of the individual resident/patient can be used intensively and can be encouraged gradually, at the same time assistance is provided for carers both physically and in the amount of time spent giving care. Medical Engineering (EME) and Tissue Viability. “We first saw the beds at an exhibition and quickly realised that the unique design of side rails had major benefits not only to prevent inadvertent falls from bed but also as a handling aid to assist patient mobility both when in bed and when leaving the bed,” she explained. “Völker side rails are stress tested and designed to be used as a point of grasp and leverage. The design also allows the rails to slide neatly into the frame, reducing impact with the patient’s legs when getting into or out of bed and reducing the transfer gap when transferring to another clinical surface.” The team chose some of Völker’s Visa-Vis beds and low-height beds. The Vis-a-Vis beds have the facility to separate at the point below the patient’s hips to promote sitting with feet on the floor and encourage standing directly from a lying position. This model has been embraced by the Trust’s trauma and orthopaedic department as a huge benefit for patients with a fractured pelvis and those unable to roll to the side of the bed. The low-height beds are ideal for those patients who are particularly at risk of fall- have repairs carried out. We chose the beds partly for their ease of maintenance and our engineers were also given training by Völker which means that when damaged we can swiftly repair them and get them back in service.” Nurses have also received training from Völker in how to use the beds’ ingenious system of ‘profiling’. This system of adjustable bed positioning, while providing the patient with multiple supported lying and sitting positions, also reduces and redistributes pressure to delicate areas and bony prominences such as the heel and sacrum (avoiding pressure ulcer), improves respiratory function, and aids digestion and circulation. The beds can be moved rapidly and effortlessly into key positions to meet the critical care needs of patients during anaesthetic recovery and cardiac arrest situations. The calf sections can also be positioned in two ways that can enhance vascular care, allowing Trendelenburg (head down) positioning and upper and lower leg section positioning and support. The patient can even adjust their position without help from staff if they wish. Sue commented, “Völker beds assist the multiple staff groups that come into contact with them. The automatic functions built into the bed allow staff to select functions at the single press of a button that can take the bed to the correct height and position for bed making, transporting and cleaning. “Völker designers have clearly put a lot of thought into the design and, although it is still early days, the beds are living up to our expectations as a robust and flexible nursing tool.” Suzi Lewis-Barned Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust D ORIS is the name of the 13 metre long pharmacy robot which sorts and dispenses medicines and delivers them via a hel ter skelter pipe to individual ward trol leys at the new Tunbridge Wells Ho spital in Kent which was completed in September this year. DORIS – given a female name because she is good at multi-tasking – has 30,000 packs of medicines at her metal finger tips. In the unlikely event of a breakdown, DORIS can usually be repaired remotely by an engineer watching via a webcam. DORIS is just one example of the latest state-of–the-art equipment installed at the NHS hospital which is also the first of its kind in the UK to provide each one of its 422 inpatients with their own en suite single room, complete with flatscreen TV and Völker beds. Rooms in the hospital – which cost £232 million to build – have been designed to be bright and airy with full height windows on one side for maximum natural daylight. One section can be opened to allow in a steady stream of fresh air, removing the need for expensive air conditioning systems. Window blinds at the 1,007 hospital windows can be adjusted to control the amount of light but are sandwiched between two layers of glass to prevent them from becoming dust traps. When you do look out of the window, many of the rooms overlook nearby woodland or landscaping, a design feature that research has found helps patient recovery. Located on the same side of the room as the bed head is the door to the en suite shower and toilet. This means the distance between the bed and door is the shortest possible and reduces the chances of a patient slipping or tripping. As a further aid, the light in the bathroom switches on automatically when the door is opened. The individual rooms offer patients privacy and dignity – something that has recently been highlighted in the news as Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 for these forces. Mobilizing a person can assist them in managing their movement, as they ultimately require support to help them organize their body weight as it responds to gravity. If people are lifted, one denies them the possibility of controlling their movement and thus reduces their independence, which is more of a hindrance than a help. People should generate and control their movement themselves The variable Völker assist rail system ensures that all activating care measures are carried out precisely, as the individual elements can be adjusted according to requirements, with two possible levels. Thus, the system also supports all mobilization and transfer measures and, through the separate used of the individual side rails and the central gap, which is sufficiently large that the patient can stand up while the assist rails are raised, provides stable security during self-mobilization. plies to both conscious activities, such as eating, sleeping, working, reading, sitting, walking, perception and thought, but also to vital functions, such as breathing, digestion, circulation and metabolism. Inanimate objects are subject to the forces of gravity but the human body has to actively control and compensate An important part of the research of Frank Hatch and Lenny Maietta, the two founders of kinaesthetics, focuses on so-called ‘feedback control’. This theory states that the feedback within the body resulting from our own action always forms the basis for our next action. Movements made by a human being determines how his senses perceive the world. This is the reason why a person can detect how firm or soft a bed is, for example, through tension in his own body. The fact that people are, in this sense, feedback-controlled systems also explains why a person cannot lie peacefully. The changes caused by one’s own movement is perceived as a stimulus by the body’s sense of motion and is converted to information within the central nervous system. This information then forms the basis for re-adjustment 5 The self-mobilization of patients using variable assist rails in combination with stable height adjustment and the individual lying surface positioning of Völker beds: 1) In the lying position, the elements at the head end can be raised one level as a small barrier that discreetly indicate where the edge of the bed is located. 2) The backrest section of the lying surface can be simply raised using the patient hand control unit and the upper torso can be elevated to a sitting position with the help of the stable assist rail elements at the head end until. 3) Contact is made with the ground. 4) The bed can now be adjusted up or down using the patient hand control unit, until the individual ideal standing height is achieved, meaning that the patient can stand up from the ideal height, without any bother. through movement – which is again perceived as a change and leads to another adjustment. Our own movement is thus controlled via a continuous feedback system or error detection and error correction. People are therefore motion systems, who control their own behaviour through their own movement and ultimately generate and control all of their own activities. Support must therefore be designed in such a way that the person in question can him/herself be actively involved in their own movement. This interplay of motion and counter-motion is also the principle behind the patented Völker Micro-stimulations System MiS®, the Movement competence as the basis for health development The loss of ability to perform activities plays an important role here, in two regards: A person feels ill because he can no longer do what he normally does. And he therefore has a reduced ability to regulate his internal processes. People consider themselves as being ill or disabled when they can no longer organize or control the movements that form the basis of their everyday activities and essential functions themselves. This means that the development, expansion and retention of movement competence for the realization of human activities and functions represent fundamental factors of the healing process. Looking at it this way, illness or health is not a state, but rather a continual learning process. The better a person is able to expand or adjust his ability to move, the greater the potential of his health development. »Mobilizing a person can assist them in managing their movement, as they ultimately require support to help them organize their body weight as it responds to gravity.« Kinaesthetic concepts Hatch and Maietta tried to find instruments that help people to directly make use of and apply insights regarding movement competence as a central factor within the development process. This resulted in six kinaesthetic concepts. They describe various vantage points, which, in interaction with the affected person in his/ Völker AG patented pressure reduction system in all Völker beds: The slightest movement stimulates the patient or resident to mobilize themselves independently. Every human action occurs in relation to the individual’s own body and to the physical or living environment. People are therefore continually engaged in reacting to stimuli, in order to adjust to the present situation and re-organize themselves. A person is reliant on external help if he/she can no longer adjust to the present situation him/herself. The person requires help to produce and perceive differences in their own actions. Völker assist rails are very stable, they provide safety and support to the patient. Due to their stability and multi-function they also serve as lateral bed extension for special positioning. her respective situation, assist the development of motion instructions that are as pain-free and stress-free as possible and support the learning process. Concept 1 is that of interaction, and emphasizes the quality of the exchange between the patient and caregiver through touch and movement. While healthy people are capable of structuring their lives themselves, those in need of care require support in varying degrees – ranging from a high level of dependency to occasional instruction – in order that they can go about their activities, the central question within each interaction is this: Does this form of interaction help the patient to do what it is that they want to do by themselves? The 2nd concept is that of functional anatomy and explains the anatomical basis for movement and the interaction between weight and gravity, and give the caregiver a profound understanding of the human body, whereby the emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of movement. Concept 3 of human movement highlights the interplay between the components of movement and the movement patterns that result from these components. The movement instructions themselves are oriented to suit the individual movement resources of the patient. Concept 4 is that of strain and describes the interaction of pulling and pushing within the body as a motor that drives movement in order to reduce strain and promote self-mobility. The 5th concept of human function explains the basic pattern of all conscious and sub-conscious activities carried out by a person, whereby a differentiation is made between simple functions (positions and basic positions) and complex functions (movement on the spot and mobility). Concept 6: Everything that people do, they do in relation to their physical or living environment. This can either support or hinder the activity or the learning of an activity by the person in question. People are considered ill or disabled if, with regard to their motor skills or mental ability, they are limited or not capable of adjusting to their environment, or of adjusting their environment to suit their requirements. The adjustment and design of the environment are important and effective instruments that enable caregivers to help the patients by supporting their independence and/or recovery of health. Activating care: Helping others to help themselves The motivation of caregivers is often a desire to help people. Frequently the aspects of holistic, activating care are not given due attention. Everything is taken away from the resident/patient, because he can no longer do anything for himself. Often, the terminology of activating care is misunderstood. Activating care is not only about mobilizing the resident/ patient – activating care is the promotion of independence with the goal of considerably reducing reliance on the caregiver. The resident/patient should be made to feel that they are being accompanied throughout the process – not that they are dependent. Activating care means helping people to help themselves, and should be realized in a step-by-step fashion, following the kinaesthetic concepts. If professional caregiving is oriented towards the principle of holistic care, is should be evident that the psychological aspect of activating care should play a significant role. For with activating care it is not just physical factors that play a role – a psychological aspect also comes into play. Helping others to help themselves gives back a person’s self-security, a feeling of self-worth and self-esteem. Völker beds support increased mobility If the goal of activating care and mobilization is ultimately to help others to help themselves, in the immediate environment of a patient, Völker beds are – in the sense of the 6th kinaesthetic concept – an effective instrument that supports all measures. Both Völker healthcare beds and hospital beds meet the prerequisites by providing a stable and patented telescoping lift, an individually positionable fourpart lying surface compliant with DBfK (Deutscher Berufsverband für Pflegebe rufe; German Association of Professional Caregivers) and the patented assist rail system. The combination of these three innovative features and the possibility monitored by a synchronization control, which produces a level, horizontal position at all times – even following adjustments e. g. into the Tren de len burg/ Reverse Trendelenburg positions. Precisely adjustable lying surface position The four-part lying surface, also adjusted electronically using the hand control unit, includes the ergonomic integration of backrest, sitting, upper leg and lower leg sections, in compliance with the recommendation of the DBfK, with the backrest section measuring 90 cm in length. There is an auto retracting and elevating backrest for the anatomically correct adjustment of the backrest section (kinaesthetic space). This prevents patients from slipping down, avoids pressure on the stomach area and improves respiration. The backrest section is adjustable from 0–70°, and the upper leg section from 0–45°. Variable assist rail system The two-part assist rails on either side are produced using sturdy aluminium profiles. When not in use, the four sides are stored under the lying surface which allows unobstructed access to accessories or to the resident/patient, in all positions. Even when raised, there is suitable accessto the resident/patient. In the raised position, all four side rails move synchronously with the lying surface offering increased safety. All side rails are height adjustable with two levels. The first level allows the patient to visualize where the edge of the bed is, and can be used as a mobilization grip. The second level serves as protection against falling out of bed. The central gap between the two raised elements can be used to exit the bed, with the elements themselves providing something safe to hold onto (see image sequence above). All side rails are fitted with a safety locking system which means they cannot be released by force and will flex when under excessive load. Völker AG Völker AG Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 The variable Völker assist rail system ensures that all activating care measures are carried out precisely, as the individual elements can be adjusted according to requirements, with two possible levels. that they can be tailored precisely to the individual needs and abilities of the patient, provide optimal support. With regard to self-mobilization, there is also the added fact that the adjustment functions can be operated by the patient/resident him/herself, using the patient hand control unit. Stable telescope lift The height adjustment (40–80cm) on healthcare and hospital beds is carried out using the patient hand control unit, via a three-stage telescoping height adjustable column, integrated into each of the bed’s four legs. They are ideally statically attached to the bed frame, and prevent any shaking, even if there is an uneven load. The two synchronized, parallel height adjustment motors are A matching combination for self-mobilization The Völker assist rail system for hospital and healthcare beds also serves as an aid to sitting up, standing up and positioning oneself. It provides the ideal support, as well as psychological and physical security during mobilization and for individual activities such as sitting up and standing up. Through the synchronized implementation of the ‘Raise Backrest Section’ and ‘Adjust Height’ functions, using the hand control unit, the resident/patient can become active independently (see image sequence above). Heiko Heine »Support must therefore be designed in such a way that the person in question can him/ herself be actively involved in their own movement.« 6 “High Performance” Setting an example in innovative change: Hospital 301 in Bejing Völker AG In the People’s Liberation Army General Hospital in Peking, 2.5 million outpatients are treated each year, and 80,000 admitted as in-patients. “The improved performance, excellent quality and the price-performance ratio” were the decisive factors for those at Hospital 301 making the decision in favour of Völker beds. and technical specialists from across the globe are permanently employed in the medical and healthcare centre. It’s little wonder that the management under Director Guo Yu Cheng, became aware of Völker AG and its “Made in Germany” production. The 301 has been a Völker customer since its initial order of over 500 beds in 2008. The hospital is currently purchasing approx. 1,200 beds for the reconstruction of its internal medicine department and a further 800 for the associated rehab centre in Sanya on the Island of Hainan. “The improved performance, excellent quality and the price-performance ratio” were the decisive factors for those making the decision. In addition, the 3,800+ employees and patients are more than satis- > Reference: Everything under one roof in São Paulo Völker beds for the Hiléa healthcare centre in Brazil Hiléa A s the largest country in Latin America, Brazil covers almost half of the South American continent. Since 1970 the country has experienced a dramatic change in the population structure. In the year 2000, 8 percent of the total population were above 60 years of age, with forecasts suggesting this will increase to 26 per cent by 2050. One reason for this is the rising life expectancy, which stood at 68.1 in 2000 and will increase to 77.9 by 2050 (United Nations Population Div., CEI) – posing a considerable challenge for the Brazilian healthcare system. Cristiane D’Andrea, Manager of the Hiléa longterm care facility, is appealing to the government for adjustments to be made to the health system as quickly as possible in order to meet the requirements of this population group. Christiane took a similar approach when developing her own project, Hilea, a residential centre for the elderly. After 8 years of research into similar institutions around the world, she developed business and construction plans which attracted investors. Hilea became a reality in 2007. Hiléa is a long-term healthcare facility, which combines different units under one roof. The residential and medical care facility, with rooms for staff and nurses, as well as a dining room on each floor, provides 119 private rooms. In addition to this there are 7 beds in the Semi Intensive Care Unit. There is also the option of supervised accommodation in Hiléa. The rehabilitation unit has a training area for the activities involved in everyday life, including a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, as well as two physiotherapy rooms with the appropriate facilities. Here patients are slowly reintroduced to daily tasks. With these units, the outpatient area and the community centre, Hiléa covers a total area of 15,000 qm. to serve as an expert for a report on the topic of “The Prevention and Treatment of a Stroke”. The 4,000-bed hospital accumulates global expertise on the all of the top medical issues. The hospital maintains relationships with academic exchange programs and cooperates with clinics, schools and medical research institutions in more than 60 countries and regions. More than 1,000 national awards for excellence, success in science and technology testify to the high level of achievement. The WHO lists the 301 as an exemplar for paediatric hospitals Every year 500 scientists, experts and students visit the Peking clinic from abroad, be it to give lectures or to take part in symposia. Almost 180 professors The Hiléa residential centre for the elderly provides space for a total of 120 residents. At the same time, 150 day-patients can also be cared for. The goal was to develop a new concept for a healthcare facility for the elderly, that provided a wide range of services for people with medical, cognitive and physical conditions and people receiving palliative care. “The integration of these services, all under a single roof, brought with it certain implementation challenges,” explained Luana de Alencar Radesco, Marketing Manager in Hiléa. The desired hotel ambiance also had to fulfil all the care requirements, e.g. in terms of functionality. The turnaround and integration of day-patients and permanent residents had to be successfully managed. The Hiléa residential centre for the elderly provides space for a total of 120 residents. At the same time, 150 daypatients can also be cared for. “6 months after opening, our capacity utilization lies at around 30 percent,” said Luana de Alencar Radesco. (*stand: 2009) “There still exists considerable prejudice against long-term care facilities here. The people in Brazil are very emotional. The atmosphere in the respective facility has a large influence on the decision as to whether a loved relative will actually be brought to a care facility at all. Therefore, together with my team, I decided to opt for an interior design team with a contemporary style. It should fied with the choice: The beds from Germany are “beautiful, comfortable and durable”. They are used primarily in the specialist departments for cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, orthopaedics, neurosurgery, at the intensive care unit and in the reconstruction of the internal medicine unit. The hospital in Peking is a significant link within the Völker network, which currently incorporates five subsidiary companies and 34 partners worldwide. The word “network” is also analogous to the hospital on Fuxing Road. Providing healthcare services to the sparsely distributed rural population is not always a simple task, the administrative district of Peking is by no means a cohesive urban region either, but is more comparable to a province, due to its predominant rural settlement structure. In order to have an impact across the greatest possible area, the 301 works together with over 1,000 local and regional practices and healthcare facilities, such as offering remote consultation for medical councils. In the hospital itself, more than 2.5 million outpatients are treated each year, with 80,000 admitted as in-patients, of which approximately half undergo surgery. “He who knows his goal, finds the path,” Lao Tse once said and this applies to the highly ambitious goal of the PLA General Hospital, to be a world class academic hospital, as declared by the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau on its website. There is a popular legend that states that in the past Chinese doctors only received money if their patient remained healthy. However, while this myth, demonstrates an essential difference between Eastern and Western medicine, it has no historical basis. In China’s capital city and Hospital 301, the fruitful common ground of medical ethics that apply worldwide are much more evident. Here, the only thing that lies at the centre of all innovation, modernisation and change: is the patient. Bernd Harder be elegant and classy in equal measure. We made a decision in favour of Völker beds, as the quality, safety and design was ultimately very convincing. We wanted to arrange our rooms to recreate the ambiance of a hotel – under no circumstances should it resemble the sterile atmosphere of a hospital room.” Taking into consideration the special requirements of more elderly people regarding, for example, acoustics, appearance and ergonomics, the promotion of independence and self-reliance is a focal point of the healthcare and medical work that takes place on a daily basis in Hiléa. In order to make logical use of this independence, a large selection of leisure activities are available to the residents of Hiléa: (Water-) gymnastics, dance, singing, painting, cookery, discussion groups on art and philosophy, memory training, cinema, photography and trips to museums, parks and the nearby shopping centre. Luana de Alencar Radesco summarizes as follows: “To address the requirements and desires of elderly people here in Brazil on a daily basis, this is the goal we have set for ourselves.” Sabrina Simon Hiléa > Reference: Völker AG O ne country, many worlds,” is how China likes to be de scribed. “One clinic, many tasks” – That’s how one could sum up Hospital 301 in Peking in a single sen tence. Diagnostics, therapy, medical supervision services, healthcare, research, teaching, collaboration and international exchange programs are all part of the service at the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital. Founded and operated purely as a military hospital between 1953 and 1954, with the shortened name “301 Hospital of the PLA”, nowadays this large clinic is open to all citizens and foreign patients as well. But it’s not only with regard to openness that Hospital 301, located in a metropolis of 15 million residents represents the modern China. Health problems in the “Middle Kingdom” have also changed. An increasing number of heart attacks and strokes are also the expression of a more westernised lifestyle – and can now frequently be found in clinics. It was for good reason that Radio China International invited the Director of the Neurosurgery Department at Hospital 301 to be a guest on their show. He was Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 Hiléa decided on modern and elegant interior design features, with Völker beds. 7 Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 > Products & Services: The hare and the tortoise in Hainichen With Porsche Consulting to new Völker assembly lines Völker AG In the first circle, the individual motors are being built and then, via a tube system, fed into the two-side drive production circle, the second circle. ProSell!/Giuseppe Fraterrigo pecially if we wanted to avoid breakdowns in the hospitals or care facilities. D.K.: Another year was spent talking to suppliers as this is a huge cost factor. It is cheaper to buy parts from a supplier who produces the same part about 200,000 times than to produce it yourself 20,000 times. But when it comes to quality – in this case, the beds’ safety, since the parts make up the whole – Mr Völker saw the necessity and determined: “I will not only have a new development, Sabrina Simon (ri.) from Völker Wörld talks with graduate engineer Demetrios Kappos (le.) from Porsche Consulting and Jörg Waldeyer (ce.) from Völker AG. I will have my own production.” At a meeting in Witten in 2007 I then outlined what was possible and what processes they should employ, and Mr Völker hired me to support him in this project with my team. J.W.: We wanted to contribute as much as possible and let our gained experiences during the cooperation with Porsche in the production of beds and during our visits with suppliers – then still against a backdrop of potential future co-operation – become part of the new process. We wanted to exert as much influence as possible but also needed a lot of input from Porsche. er one you can turn it in any direction. But if both have a lip, only one direction is possible. There is also a fuse protection test done in between the work stages, not only at the end. There is no other way to do it with these ectronic components. J.W.: We also needed cycle support. Large-volume products like beds can be made in pre-determined cycles without any technical problem whatsoever. Our own staff can do that. After all, a bed leaves our assembly lines every four minutes. But small parts require another approach. Here we have some items with a cycle of only 30 seconds. D.K.: You also have to assume totally different material volumes. At a 4min cycle, you build 15 beds an hour. At 30 sec cycles, you build 120 motors an hour. That is an entirely different ballpark. The material has to be supplied and the finished products shipped away. VöWö: Let’s discuss the arrangement of the assembly lines. You spoke of a figure of 8. What is the effect? D.K.: This shape has the huge advantage that it requires the least space and that the staff do not have to walk that much. In other systems, you do a lot of blind runs. This process has the advantage that different work patterns on variants are no problem. And it makes for better quality because the entire drive is made by one employee. But you need very skilled staff who are able to assemble such a complex product. You find this kind of staff at Völker. The assembly line principle here at Völker is called the hare and the tortoise race. You always have one employee racing. This determines the cycle because the other chases him. This makes for the right speed, sometimes even a higher speed Porsche Engineering On behalf of car manufacturers, suppliers and also companies from other industries, Porsche Engineering does development work and pools the large scale manufacturing, technology and engineering experience, that are Porsche’s competences and making them available to third parties. Porsche Engineering supports its customers in the development of components, systems, modules and end products from their conceptualisation to their largescale production along the entire product development chain. » We found that the drive systems were often not in line with the high standards required of a medical product and that the production methods wouldn’t assure their quality. « because of the ‘chase’. You always want to be ahead. This is a concept also employed at Porsche AG’s engine production. VöWö: One last question: Why does Völker do all this in Hainichen, when this type of work is often relocated abroad? J.W.: If an assembly line is as smartly designed as ours, reducing the assembly time for a drive to, say, three minutes, then the labour cost saving in low cost economies is so little when compared with the material and logistics costs that production in Germany is very competitive. D.K.: And that is the decisive factor: When we talk about a relocation abroad, for an efficient process it does not make sense. The cost savings would be negligible, and the risks too great. You relocate something, the process is less stable and you have the problem that certain methods, for example, in eastern Europe are not used in the same skilled way as they are in Germany and the failure rates are much higher. Interview: Heiko Heine Völker AG Demetrios Kappos: We began with “How do we want to produce these drives etc.?”, while still achieving the required quality standards set by Völker. Jörg Waldeyer: In 2006, we asked ourselves “What should we do with the electronics?”. We visited our suppliers and their plants but also investigated other options with Mr Kappos. D.K.: We found that the drive systems were often not in line with the high standards required of a medical product and that the production methods wouldn’t assure their quality. VöWö: So the reason for the development of our own drives was that the products available on the market – originally developed just for furniture, – were not up to scratch? J.W.: Yes. The longer we observed the market, the clearer it became that we should produce the drives ourselves. After extensive market analyses and visits with suppliers we finally commissioned Porsche Engineering to manage the project. D.K.: Porsche Engineering were first required to provide a initial analysis: What is state of the art? We showed Völker feasible automotive solutions, plug-in contacts instead of solder contacts and the BUS system, for example. On the basis of this analysis, Porsche Engineering secured the development project as well. J.W.: The result of the analysis was that our suppliers did good work but there was much potential for improvement, es- D.K.: We know a lot of companies which build similar products. You have a ring system of 5 or 6 stations with the products to be assembled circulating on pallets. A worker takes one part and assembles it. But there is nothing you could really call a workflow. Or they work along a line and feed in products or individual parts on so-called herringbones. But at Völker, something completely different developed. We now have two circles, or rather a figure of eight, with the circles intertwined. In the first circle, the individual motors are being built and then, via a tube system, fed into the twoside drive production circle, the second circle. All rather simple. VöWö: Simple in the sense of easy or in the sense of comprehensible? J.W.: Well, to make it so easy that a worker cannot make a mistake and that the monitoring works in such a way that no defective parts are used, that all workers have just those parts available that they need. They just have to take them from the box that is showing a flashing light – this ensures that the correct parts are assembled in the correct order. D.K.: And that is the smart thing about our process. Although it is simple, it was also very smart to have it made so simple. The difficulty was to implement the most technical solution in the easiest way. But at Völker we have done it. Simple might sound negative but it is so easy that anyone could assemble the product without making a mistake. There is no photo sensor control since this would be too prone to breakdowns. J.W.: The only really technical aspect is our test equipment. The automatic end test equipment tests the products in a staff-independent manner in order to exclude errors. This 100% control ensures that only perfect products leave the assembly line. We developed this ourselves. D.K.: But Völker still employs the odd Poka-Yoke anti-fault principle. Think of this: If you have a glass and insert anoth- Porsche Consulting Porsche Consulting GmbH is a subsidiary of Porsche AG, specialising in implementation-orientated process optimization along the entire valueadded chain. Völker consulted with them at an early stage when developing the production facilities for its healthcare and hospital beds – and it was a huge success. So it was obvious to develop the Völker motors and drives assembly lines in conjunction with Porsche Consulting in order to further realise the vision of a lean company. All stages were then implemented within the framework of continual workshops for the Völker AG teams, strictly in accordance with the zerofault policy: No faults may be accepted, no faults may be made, no faults may be passed on. By summer 2008, the production facilities in Hainichen/ Saxony had been built and that autumn the assembly was trained and perfected. In 2009, 30 new jobs were created and production commenced. The electrical protection system tests the product between the individual assembly steps in order to prevent possible defects. Völker AG T he standard conditions for hos pitals and care facilities and the demands placed on nurs ing are now such that durable and safe medical products are de rigueur. So, in 2007, Völker decided to develop its own drives and motors for its healthcare and hospital beds. The conditions were created by co-operating with Porsche Engineering. The high production standard in the automotive industry was chosen very deliberately. This development was also accompanied by a permanent risk assessment by an independent testing agency and a continual FMEA (failure mode and effect analysis). The focus was placed on safety and reliability, since a defective bed may put patients or residents at risk. The second step was the development of our own assembly lines in conjunction with Porsche Consulting. For Völker this means that production is always subjected to an improvement process and that the quality of each component is always inspected by our own Total Quality Management and can be optimized. Völker Wörld interviewed Demetrios Kappos, divisional head at Porsche Con sulting and responsible for the optimization process optimization in the production of beds and since 2007 for the planning of the assembly lines for motors and drives at Völker AG. Our second interviewee was Jörg Waldeyer, overall production manager at Völker AG. Völker Wörld: Mr Kappos, today we talk about how Völker’s drives and motors are being produced. We saw the various assembly lines in Hainichen and were astonished at how different the processes are when compared with other factories we have seen. How did you tackle the project? The automatic end test equipment tests the products in a staff-independent manner in order to exclude errors. 8 Edition 1 · 2nd half-year 2011 Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers Pope Benedict XVI. receives Heinrich Völker blessing. On the occasion of this public holiday, there was also contact between Völker and the Catholic Church in Poland. Here the nursing home for elderly priests in Tarnow (Poland) received a Völker Vis-a-Vis healthcare bed, which was blessed on location by Arch bishop Zygmunt Zimowski. The Catholic Church is of great importance to worldwide public healthcare: It operates 26 percent of all hospitals worldwide, and a total of almost 60,000 social facilities – hospitals, polyclinics, clinics for sufferers of leprosy, homes for the elderly and disabled, orphanages and nursery schools This commitment to dignified care is fully in keeping with Völker AG’s corporate philosophy and the Völker Care Concept developed from it. Heiko Heine During his audience with Pope Benedict XVI., Heinrich Völker (middle) explains the Vis-a-Vis bed. To his left: his wife Gertrud. T he 17th of November 2010 was a great day for Heinrich Völker: On that day Pope Benedict XVI. received the CEO of Völker AG and his wife, Gertrud Völker, for an audience in the Vatican. Previously in July, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Healthcare Workers, awarded him the “Il buon Samaritano” medal during a vis- it to the Völker headquarters in Witten. This medal is the Vatican’s highest honour for exceptional work in healthcare, and is rarely awarded. The CEO of Völker AG considered this a wonderful confirmation of the work he has done – and the Völker Care Concept that he developed, which places the emphasis equally on the demands of patients and of caregivers with regard to respecting and acknowledging their work. Hôpital Expo 22.–25. 5. 2012 Paris/France Parc des Expositions Hospitalar 22.–25. 5. 2012 Sao Paulo/Brazil Expo Center Norte EMWA 23.–25. 5. 2012 Wien/Austria Austria Center Vienna Cardinal Secretary of State Tarciso Bertone blesses the Vis-a-Vis in the presence of Curia Archbishop Zimowski. Imprint Völker Wörld is a free-of-charge customer magazine of Völker AG. It contains information for people in healthcare. 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The “Proviwas de equipped transportation cart for Dock” fits in very veloped in closed docking on an intensive-care bed. small elevators cooperation with based on its comour partners and pact design. hospitals in or It has been der to ensure a proven that the safe and com personnel expensfortable inneres for transportaclinical transpor tion of tubed patation of pa tients can be retients. duced from three The intensive to two persons. medical therapy, Through the sei.e., the artificial cure fixation of ventilation and the equipment, medicine therapy transport damagis often interruptes will be avoided ed during transand therefore reportation which pairs and replacecan lead to a vital ment costs. complication of The mid-sized the patient. In and family-owned case of an emercompany Provita gency or placing, medical, manueverything must factures and disgo quickly and all tributes its prodequipment used ucts worldwide for the monitorfor the last 40 ing and life supyears with the port is to be carquality seal ried safely. “Made in Germ The docking any”. cart “ProviPlease visit Dock” is a small www.provita.de and very funcfor further infortionally equipped mation about medical products in the problem and in an orderly manner. The transportation cart for docking on an inareas of lamps, drip stands as well as wall“Provi-Dock” fits on almost all most tensive-care bed. The system offers sufprovita medical | for your life and ceiling rail systems. common intensive care beds thanks to ficient space to mount the necessary deProvita the height adjustable docking beams with vices through the variable height adjusttwo rubber carrier-hooks. You may have ment of its bar-rails. A control monitor to use another fixing clamp. This defor the observation of the patient, up to pends on the diameter of the bed brack4 syringe pumps, ventilator with a two eOrientierungsowieErkennbarkeitim n und somit erhöhte Sicherheit ets and the wheel base of the bed. Also, litre oxygen bottle, a spare oxygen botProvita medical gmbh a fastening on the wall rail is on the plans. tle with up to five litre, one drip stand erleichterungfürdasPflegepersonal Auf der Huhfuhr 8 dderNachtpflege and accessories such as: a medical powThe device is also characterized by very 42929 Wermelskirchen · Germany Tel. +49 2193 5105-0 · Fax -269 easy handling, mobility and a very smooth er outlet, a basket and a file holder can [email protected] · www.provita.de running performance due to its large and be attached and transported without chromt ststoffteile schwarz & fluoriszierend esser 25 / 18 mm z Kunststoff 4 Haken – 2 kg/Haken Exposanita 16.–19. 5. 2012 Bologna/Italy Bologna Exhibition Centre Integra 19.–21. 9. 2012 Wels/Austria Messe Wels > Products & Services: T > Trade fairs & Trainings: Editorial staff: Heiko Heine (Editor), c/o ProScript! Medienges. mbH, Schiffgraben 44, 30175 Hannover, Germany. You can download all previous issues of Völker Wörld at www.volker.com. Contributors to this edition: Giuseppe Fraterrigo, Sabine Gerke, Bernd Harder, Suzi Lewis-Barned, Alexander Paul, Sabrina Simon, Romana Wenthe. Editor: Völker AG, Wullener Feld 79, 58454 Witten, Germany, Phone +49 2302 96096-0, Fax -16, E-Mail: [email protected]. External or by-lined articles do not reflect the responsible editor’s opinion. The publisher is not responsible for any industrial bulletins. Publisher: ProScript! Medienges. mbH, Schiffgraben 44, 30175 Hannover, Germany, Phone +49 511 28357-70, Fax -18, E-Mail: [email protected]. Typesetting, layout: DM Werbeagentur GmbH, Schiffgraben 44, 30175 Hannover, Germany. Printed by: Deister- und Weserzeitung Verlags gesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Baustr. 44, 31785 Hameln, Germany. Circulation: 5,000. > Comic: Nurse, I want to get up! Such a stress! Nurse, I want to sit! That shouldn’t be the case. Nurse, I’m scared! Nurse Gerda, don’t you use Völker beds? Völker beds are multifunctional: 3 basic models already offer support for 3 basic problems. Self-mobilization Great! The right bed for every patient! Activating care Positioning close to the floor Völker beds are added-value beds. With the right model, you’ll save time every day! … time that could be used to provide more care, for example. Sabine Gerke A Special Day The reason for the audience in the Vatican was the 25th International Caritas in Veritate Conference taking place there – Per una cura della salute equa ed umana (for proper and dignified care). This was one of the few exhibition pieces – the Vis-a-Vis healthcare bed from Völker AG. This bed, with its quite special advantages for immobile elderly and sick patients, attracted particular attention from Pope Benedict XVI. The Vis-a-Vis bed was later blessed by Cardinal Secretary of State Tarciso Bertone, in the presence of Curia Archbishop Zimowski. On 11th February 2011, the “World Day of the Sick”, a second Völker Vis-a-Vis healthcare bed was handed over to the Vatican in Rome, which also received a Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers > Völker Inside: