Stretchers, trays and stretcher platforms are interconnected and independent devices necessary for the transport of sick or injured persons in an ambulance. Separating or interlinking them enables ambulance manufacturers and operators, as well as decision makers of medical facilities, to assess specific transport needs and select the most appropriate product.

Stretcher for different purposes and types

The stretcher was the first device designed to transport patients who were unable to move because of illness or trauma.

Stretchers come in different types depending on their use: from medical transport in and out of hospitals to emergency transport. Similarly, depending on the type of patient and disease, there are specific stretchers; From trauma stretcher to anti-trauma stretcher to pediatric stretcher, any type has its own characteristics.

1. There are recovery stretchers, such as basket stretchers and folding stretchers

2. Trauma stretchers, such as spinal boards and pediatric boards.

3. Some stretchers need to be transported manually, while others need carts and wheels.

4. The self-loading stretcher is specially designed for ambulance transport and its trolley folds up to be loaded and placed on the rescue vehicle. Trays and ambulance stretcher supports come into play here.

Ambulance trays and stretcher platforms

The stretcher loaded into the ambulance for transporting the patient is placed on a pallet: a rectangular surface, usually made of steel or aluminum, that is part of the stretcher’s bracket.

A stretcher stand, on the other hand, is a system that allows a stretcher to be loaded onto an ambulance and the stretcher is mounted on a tray placed on top of the stretcher stand.

How is the stretcher platform made?

The stretcher stand is a metal structure fixed to the ambulance floor in the medical carriage, designed to make loading and unloading of the stretcher easier and compensate for the height difference between the vehicle floor and the stretcher.

Stretcher supports may have a variety of accessories and functions. In fact, they have evolved over the years to meet the specific needs of out-of-hospital medical rescue and transportation.

The increasing number of medical equipment required on rescue vehicles and the specific equipment used to treat patients have influenced the design of stretcher supports.

First, the available space within the medical compartment needs to be optimized to store all equipment required for the new protocol and to enable operators to move easily and work efficiently.

Thus, we see the first stretcher bracket with compartment for holding a shovel stretcher or spinal board.

Later, the need for a device that allowed the operator to move the patient closer or farther into the rear compartment led to the creation of a stretcher bracket with side movement, usually activated by a pedal or lever.

Over time, regulatory requirements and operator expertise spawned new features: pallets could be pulled out, making loading and unloading of stretchers easier; Loading height can be electrically or manually adjusted; Stretcher support can be set in the shock position; Shock absorbing models absorb vibrations and jolts, which are critical in delicate transport such as for patients with multiple injuries or infants.

The dissemination of a culture of safety for patients and operators in rescue vehicles must raise awareness of all products available on the market, taking into account current regulatory requirements.