Continued advancements in the healthcare industry include the use of lithium-ion technology to power medical devices. At Savaria Patient Care, we remain on the leading edge of this technology and are committed to safety and innovation with the use of lithium-ion batteries in our lift devices. By adhering to rigorous design standards and testing, we are able to offer best-in-class, reliably powered medical equipment that enhances the quality of care.
One of the clearest examples of this technology in action is the Savaria advanced ceiling lift product line. Powered by lithium-ion batteries, they are not only efficiently and reliably powered, but their use of this technology also means reduced risks for both staff and patients.
This investment was a careful choice as part of the mission of designing a ceiling lift that would outperform industry standard lifts. Lead acid battery technology is a primary cause of poor performance in existing lift technology, but by leveraging a lithium-ion battery, the Savaria ceiling lifts offer several benefits over traditional ceiling lifts:
These features eliminate the challenge of unreliable lift technology that needs to be repaired or charged frequently, leading to equipment that is not ready for use when needed. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicates that safe patient handling with lifting equipment reduces injuries to healthcare staff by up to 95%, making it imperative to have reliably operational equipment. Furthermore, this supports increased patient satisfaction and comfort and a reduction in patient falls and pressure injuries as well.
As lithium-ion technology has advanced and become more prevalent across all industries, the healthcare sector is no exception to this reality. To help ensure safety in the application of lithium-ion technology in the healthcare industry, the United States Food and Drug Administration has established a consensus standard specific to lithium-ion technology in medical devices.
Adhering to robust safety standards is critical in supporting the growing use of lithium-ion technology in medical equipment. With this in mind, Savaria’s lithium-ion batteries are not off-the shelf commodities; they are designed specifically to meet exacting FDA standards for healthcare environments.
To achieve this, our lithium-ion battery packs are equipped with a sophisticated battery management system (BMS) designed to monitor and regulate all critical parameters including optimal charging, cell balancing, temperature, current, charger input and voltage. They also meet these requirements:
All Savaria products use a 63Wh, 2500mAh lithium-ion battery pack. This is smaller than the batteries used in most of the medical equipment typically found in healthcare settings, including many defibrillators, ultrasound devices, monitors, laptops and power tools. It is also smaller than the safe shipping threshold of 100Wh required by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Additionally, this is far smaller than the batteries used in portability mobility devices like e-scooters and e-bikes, and pales in comparison to the size and capacity of those used in e-vehicles.
Overall, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for lithium-ion battery technology is projected at 20.3% from 2024 to 2030. In response, the U.S. Department of Energy has outlined a national blueprint for its continued development, and the healthcare industry can expect to be an active part of that growth.
Lithium-ion technology is found across a wide array of medical equipment, from IV pumps to wearables to mechanical lifts. Increasingly, it will be used in place of older battery technology as a flexible, efficient, and sustainable source of power for medical devices.
As this innovation continues, healthcare facilities and safety regulators will be tasked with ensuring the devices that are being used to deliver care are backed by companies like Savaria who invest in properly designed and tested medical-grade lithium-ion products.
Lithium-ion technology is key to powering readily available, easy-to-use, and reliable safe patient handling solutions at Savaria, helping to end the era of manually lifting patients. If your organization is ready to invest in cutting-edge ceiling lift technology and would like to learn how Savaria’s commitment to safety and innovation can help you, or contact us today.
