Functional Redesign of the Hospital Trolley-Bed Tray Table

Abstract

Patients arriving in the Accident and Emergency Department tend to be moved about throughout the care journey. Although each trolley bed had a tray table attached at the end of the bed for clinical use, its space was limited and additional equipment might be left on the bedside cabinets. Hence these items were easily left behind when patients shifted to another care area. The tray table attachments on the trolley beds became the focus of a redesign effort to improve storage capability in this mobile, dynamic environment. Through the combined use of human factors and design thinking methods, a successful proof of concept was realized.