Jim Owens, director of Humanscale Healthcare, echoes this trend. Although technology has been around for quite some time, it has only recently made significant inroads in health care, Owens says, increasing the time hospital staff spends working with technology.

“There are studies that show that nurses and caregivers are spending anywhere from three to 5.6 hours per day on the computer,” he says.

Industry experts say facilities across the country are beginning to realize the importance of ergonomic solutions and are either hiring ergonomists or designating a staff member to be responsible for an ergonomic plan. Cornell’s Hedge says one upstate New York hospital used to accrue $1.5 million worth of injury costs on an annual basis. With the help of the university’s ergonomic expertise, the facility trimmed the number down to less than a quarter of a million within about an 18-month period.

“There are massive savings with very little investment in changing how people work,” says Hedge.

Hospital spaces tend to be designed as completely fixed environments and thus lack adjustability and control on the part of the user.

“As a result, given that we range considerably in size and shape, we find that employees are forced to conform their bodies to this predetermined set of variables,” says Humanscale’s Puleio.

Fortunately, facilities can curb their injury rates and keep their employees safe and comfortable through a number of ergonomic solutions. One group of health care professionals, particularly in need of proper workstations, are those who often spend upwards of eight hours a day identifying ailments on computer screens.

Solutions for radiologists
A decade ago, radiologists viewed X-ray images on light boxes, but today the computer screen is their tool of the trade. The shift from print to digital makes the job easier but also puts radiologists at a greater risk for injury.

Amir Rotlevi, VP of AFC Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of ergonomic radiology furniture and workstations, says radiologists often perform repetitive motions that can cause stress injuries.

“Radiologists need work areas that will support good posture and prevent them from straining during these tasks, allowing them to shift position comfortably while performing their job,” says Rotlevi. “They should have a height-adjustable desk that allows them to alternate between sitting and standing positions and be careful of their back.”

A 2008 study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology examined the prevalence of repetitive stress symptoms and responses to ergonomics solutions among 107 radiology professionals working in a PACS-based radiology department. More than half of the respondents, 57 percent, reported experiencing repetitive stress symptoms. After receiving ergonomic chairs, 70 percent of the respondents reported improvements in symptoms and 80 percent reported improvements when they switched over to ergonomic workstations.

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