A rescue litter relates generally to a person, animal, and provisions carrying apparatus for purposes of human or animal recovery and relief missions. The carrying apparatus has commonalities with portable beds. The rescue litter aids manually carrying a casualty. The rescue litter comprises a stretcher sheet. The rescue litter also comprises at least one strap along the stretcher sheet to support the weight of the casualty. The stretcher sheet comprises guides to direct progressive motion of the strap(s) from a strap holder on the stretcher sheet where the strap(s) is/are held, to a head end where the strap(s) is/are free to grasp.

A brake assembly for a manually-operated, height-adjustable wheeled vehicle according to a first aspect includes a brake cable assembly. The brake assembly includes a brake cable housing shaped to enclose an excess portion of the brake cable assembly. The brake assembly includes a cable adjuster coupled to the brake cable assembly. The cable adjuster is enclosed by the brake cable housing. There is additionally provided a wheel fork assembly for a manually-operated, height-adjustable wheeled vehicle according to a first aspect. The vehicle includes a frame member. The wheel fork assembly includes a mount shaped to couple with a lower end of the frame member of the vehicle. The mount has a longitudinal axis. The wheel fork assembly includes a wheel fork having a longitudinal axis offset from the longitudinal axis of the mount. The wheel fork is integrally coupled to and formed with the mount.

Powered patient support apparatuses—such as beds, cots, stretchers, or the like—include a plurality of user controls that allow a caregiver to control the steering and/or driving of one or more powered wheels from multiple different locations around the patient support apparatus (e.g. head end, foot end, and/or the sides). The control is carried out by force sensors that detect both an orientation of the applied forces and a magnitude of the applied forces. Translational and/or rotational movement is effectuated, depending upon the magnitude and direction of the forces, as well as the physical location of the applied force relative to a reference point on the support apparatus, such as the center. One or more object sensors may also be included in the support apparatus to assist in steering and/or navigating.

Emergency vehicle patient transport systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, an emergency vehicle patient transport system includes: a loading passage providing access to an interior of an emergency vehicle; one or more tracks coupled to a floor of the emergency vehicle, a ceiling of the emergency vehicle, a wall of the emergency vehicle or combinations thereof wherein, a travel path is delineated by the one or more tracks; and a chair slidingly engaged with the one or more tracks, and vertically positioned between the floor and the ceiling. The chair locks in one or more set positions. And, the one or more set positions are selected from a group consisting of an airway care position, an extended airway care position, a procedural care position, a responder position, a patient care position, and a patient load position.

Emergency vehicle patient transport systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, an emergency vehicle patient transport system includes: a loading passage providing access to an interior of an emergency vehicle; one or more tracks coupled to a floor of the emergency vehicle, a ceiling of the emergency vehicle, a wall of the emergency vehicle or combinations thereof wherein, a travel path is delineated by the one or more tracks; and a chair slidingly engaged with the one or more tracks, and vertically positioned between the floor and the ceiling. The chair locks in one or more set positions. And, the one or more set positions are selected from a group consisting of an airway care position, an extended airway care position, a procedural care position, a responder position, a patient care position, and a patient load position.

Patient support apparatuses, such as beds, cots, stretchers, recliners, or the like, include control systems with one or more image, radar, and/or laser sensors to detect objects and determine if a likelihood of collision exists. If so, the control system controls the speed and steering of the patient support apparatus in order to reduce the likelihood of collision. The control system may be adapted to autonomously drive the patient support apparatus, to transmit a message to a remote device indicating whether it is occupied by a patient or not, and/or to transmit its route to the remote device. The remote device may determine an estimate of a time of arrival of the patient support apparatus at a particular destination and/or determine a distance of the patient support apparatus from the particular destination.

Patient support apparatuses, such as beds, cots, stretchers, recliners, or the like, include control systems with one or more image, radar, and/or laser sensors to detect objects and determine if a likelihood of collision exists. If so, the control system controls the speed and steering of the patient support apparatus in order to reduce the likelihood of collision. The control system may be adapted to autonomously drive the patient support apparatus, to transmit a message to a remote device indicating whether it is occupied by a patient or not, and/or to transmit its route to the remote device. The remote device may determine an estimate of a time of arrival of the patient support apparatus at a particular destination and/or determine a distance of the patient support apparatus from the particular destination.

A system deployable in post-mortem rooms and other facilities for facilitating medical examinations, including autopsies. A system as described includes a corpse-receiving station and an organ dissecting station, each being in some embodiments substantially rectangularly shaped and having a longest length dimension. The corpse-receiving station and organ dissecting station are in some embodiments arranged so their longest length dimensions are oriented substantially perpendicularly, having a formation resembling an L-shape when viewed from an overhead perspective. A system of the instant technology eliminates the necessity for pathologists and technicians of having to lift a subject or corpse, by virtue of the corpse-receiving station being configured and equipped to be selectively height-adjustable, which also eliminates the need for step-stools and the like. Moreover, the organ dissecting station is configured and equipped to be selectively height-adjustable and selectively adjustable laterally with respect to its base. The combination of the features and elements provided enables 360 degree access to a corpse residing on the corpse-receiving station, while greatly lessening un-necessary walking and essentially eliminating hazards associated with biological fluids falling onto the floor surface of the work area. Hygiene is increased by provision of a ventilation system integrated into the components of systems provided herein.

A system deployable in post-mortem rooms and other facilities for facilitating medical examinations, including autopsies. A system as described includes a corpse-receiving station and an organ dissecting station, each being in some embodiments substantially rectangularly shaped and having a longest length dimension. The corpse-receiving station and organ dissecting station are in some embodiments arranged so their longest length dimensions are oriented substantially perpendicularly, having a formation resembling an L-shape when viewed from an overhead perspective. A system of the instant technology eliminates the necessity for pathologists and technicians of having to lift a subject or corpse, by virtue of the corpse-receiving station being configured and equipped to be selectively height-adjustable, which also eliminates the need for step-stools and the like. Moreover, the organ dissecting station is configured and equipped to be selectively height-adjustable and selectively adjustable laterally with respect to its base. The combination of the features and elements provided enables 360 degree access to a corpse residing on the corpse-receiving station, while greatly lessening un-necessary walking and essentially eliminating hazards associated with biological fluids falling onto the floor surface of the work area. Hygiene is increased by provision of a ventilation system integrated into the components of systems provided herein.

A patient care system for treating a patient is provided. The patient care system includes a patient transport apparatus, a chest compression system configured to provide automatic chest compressions to a patient, and a retainer for securing the chest compression system to the patient transport apparatus. The patient transport apparatus includes a base, an intermediate frame arranged for movement relative to the base, and a patient support deck which defines a patient support surface. The chest compression system includes a driver having a driver body movably supporting a plunger, and a driver frame to support the driver adjacent to the chest of the patient. The retainer includes a collar releasably engageable with the chest compression system, and a brace including a retainer mount and a tether. The brace is arranged to secure the chest compression system to the intermediate frame of the patient transport apparatus.