Evaluating Efforts
At the beginning of the process, Wyandot's administrator spent $150,000 to buy equipment. He set aside another $130,000 to continue his efforts, for a total of $280,000. The nursing home saved $55,000 annually in payroll costs because of reduced overtime and absenteeism. The home estimates saving more than $125,000 in turnover costs. Also, workers' compensation costs have fallen dramatically, from an average of $140,000 to less than $4,000 per year.
From the time workers began to use the sit-to-stand lifts, which were among the first to be introduced at Wyandot, the incidence of back injuries stopped. Once the fast beds were introduced only six new hires were needed in the following year.