The Rifton TRAM, an innovative transfer and mobility device, won gold at the prestigious Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) held in Philadelphia last week on June 19, 2013. Recognized in the Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Products category, the TRAM was praised for its thoughtful design and revolutionary approach to safe patient handling.
Many of you who read this blog already know that the TRAM is unique. But winning gold confirmed what we’ve been hearing lately from industry experts: the TRAM represents the most significant innovation in safe patient handling in over a decade.
Here’s what a few people said in connection with the award:
“The MDEA were created to recognize significant advances in medical product design and engineering that improve the quality of healthcare delivery and accessibility. The Rifton TRAM perfectly illustrates what is possible when engineering, design and humanity come together.”
James Costigan, MDEA spokesperson
“What impressed me about the TRAM is that it serves a real need. It’s a clever and thoughtful use of existing technology that really empowers both the patient and caregiver. I haven’t seen anything this innovative in adaptive equipment in a long time.”
Stephen B. Wilcox, PhD, FIDSA, MDEA Judge
“We were impressed with the amount of thought and detail you put into the device. The passion that went into the product really showed. As a designer of rehab equipment I realize the difficulty in designing for multiple users in low volume manufacturing.”
Tor Alden, MDEA Judge
“We asked therapists what they needed in the field, and their response was loud and clear: they wanted a device that would eliminate lifting, reduce back strain and workplace injuries, and give dignity and safety to the client. So we got to work.”
Gideon Clement, Rifton TRAM Design Team Leader
Many of you who have known Rifton know about the team approach we take to product design. The TRAM is truly a collective of our company’s best thinking. It’s always essential we bring all ideas to the table to ensure a successful outcome, and we draw from a wide, internal talent pool of engineers, machinists and customer service representatives. Working together, we make sure every aspect of design is considered and met.
Clearly, this approach has paid off, and we couldn’t be more pleased with how the TRAM has been received. But the real winners here are our therapists and clients. You’re the ones who tell us what’s needed. We just need to keep listening.
ABOUT MDEA
The Medical Design Excellence Awards are the industry’s premier design awards competition and the only awards program exclusively recognizing contributions and advances in the design of medical products. Entries are evaluated on the basis of their design and engineering features, including innovative use of materials, user related functions improving healthcare delivery and changing traditional medical attitudes or practices, features providing enhanced benefits to the patient, and the ability of the product development team to overcome design and engineering challenges so the product meets its clinical objectives.
For more information on the awards and judging criteria, visit www.MDEAwards.com.
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