Transforming patient outcomes with the Toto Lateral Turning System

During long periods of hospitalisation, many patients face greater risk of developing pressure ulcers, also known as pressure sores or bed sores.

These ulcers form when an area of skin over a part of the body with a bony prominence underneath is placed under increased pressure from the mattress or chair they are laid on. The ulcers which form are sometimes referred to as ‘bedsores’, as they are common in bedbound patients. Pressure ulcers range in severity and can be incredibly painful, from discolouration of the skin to open wounds which expose muscle, bone or tendon.

To treat pressure ulcers, patients need regular turning as part of their package of care. This adds additional time and physical pressure to teams of nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, or carers.

We are pleased to share the story of Medway Community Healthcare (MCH), whose team  used a Toto®Lateral Patient Turner to help them care for their patient, Jeremy*.

Jeremy* was sent to MCH after suffering from two strokes and spending extended periods of time in hospital, where he unfortunately developed a pressure ulcer.

Due to decreased skin integrity, Jeremy* required turning every four hours throughout the day and night, due to the intensity of Jeremy's turning he remained on the MCH rehab ward as there was no nursing home that could support this. Due to Jeremy's nursing needs of repositioning, discharging to home did not seem safe or realistic to his team, as there was no overnight care in the community to meet his needs. 

However, Jeremy’s Occupational Therapist, Scott Campbell, was recommended the Toto® by Frontier Medical Group product specialist Jacqueline Caudill. Jacqueline attended MCH and gave a comprehensive demonstration on how to use the Lateral Turning System on a 4-hour setting, explaining to the teams how it could be used to support the patient’s needs.

After undergoing a week-long clinical trial with the Toto®, Jeremy* was discharged: using the Toto® Lateral turning system allowed him to go home.

Scott Campbell, Occupational Therapist at Medway Community Healthcare, said: “finding out about the Toto Turner has completely changed the outcome for Jeremy, as he’s been able to be discharged from an inpatient setting.

“The benefits of this cannot be understated. Not only is it preferable for a patient’s mental health and wellbeing to be in their own home and surrounded by home comforts, it also has a huge financial impact.

“Before sending him home with the Toto®, we were starting to look at 24-hour care settings for Jeremy as his needs could not be met at home due to his overnight repositioning needs. Moving into a 24-hour care setting could have cost Jeremy his savings, perhaps even required him to sell his home to cover the fees. The Toto® has allowed him to return to his home - a place of safety and comfort - and ensure that his care needs could be met there.

“The process to get the Toto through a clinical trial – and eventually to send Jeremy home with it – was incredibly smooth. Jacqueline arrived within a few days of receiving my enquiry email, she asked for clinical reasoning forms which were easy to fill in, and then the Toto® was set up. Jacqueline took the time to explain to the team how the Toto worked, showing us all how easy it would be. Jeremy can’t come off repositioning as part of his care package, so the Toto® has completely transformed his outcome.

“The Toto® has also freed up time for our teams of nurses, OTs and physios, so we’d recommend it from a patient and staff perspective. We are now seeking it for another patient as we’ve seen the benefits first-hand.”

For more information on the Toto® Lateral Patient Turning System, visit https://frontier-group.co.uk/product/toto.