Belongings Buddy
Bedside tool for Personal belongings
Give Patients A Safe Place For Their Personal Belongings.
Belongings Buddy
CALL 651-225-8025 FOR PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
About the Belongings Buddy for Hospitals - This product helps loss prevention of small valuable items such as keys, dentures, cell phones, ear buds and money. An estimated $1 Billion in small tort claims happen every year in the VA health care system (see study information at bottom of this page). This product is designed to mitigate that loss in an easy, inexpensive way.
Made to be hung at bedside for easy access to patient.
Made of wipeable material.
Made of material that makes a crinkling sound so it is easy to locate in bed if needed.
The crinkle material helps ensure the valuable items will not get swept up with bedding and go through laundering.
2 large pockets and 2 smaller pockets for organization secured with hook and loop closures.
Adjustable velcro loop for attaching to bedside rail or other structures.
U.S. Patent Design Application No. 29/869,152
To request samples, a quote for purchase or distribution, or for more information please fill out the below information or contact kellie@mlc-clothier.com or call (651) 225-8025.
Veteran’s Administration research ON NEED OF THE BELONGINGS BUDDY
Small Claims Resulting in Lost Items
VA HCS is under pressure to address small tort claims resulting from lost patient items such as dentures, glasses, hearing aids and cellphones. These items are lost when patients are admitted to the VA hospital for overnight or longer stays. They may also be lost during out-patient procedures such as day surgeries, colonoscopies, imaging procedures, and under other scenarios where a patient might be separated from their belongings.
In a small cohort study, the VA’s Central Virginia HCS faced tort claims of:
2018: $3.2 MM
2019: $4.7 MM
2020: $5.6 MM
The VA operates 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 VA Medical Centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care. The Central Virginia HCS is relatively smaller system. Simple extrapolation puts such system wide claims over $1 billion.
In addition to the economic impact of lost patient items on the VA HCS, the VA also suffers from dissatisfaction scores from patients whose valuable items are lost. The VA’s Office of Inspecter General identified this issue specific to the Charlie Norwood VAMC (Atlanta) in Report No..: 13-03178-70 citing: “Facility staff members mishandled and lost the patient’s personal belongings and valuables”. OIG substantiated the claim that facility staff failed to properly document, track, and protect the patient’s personal belongings, resulting in loss of some of the patient’s clothing, personal items, a wallet, and the temporary loss of the patient’s motorized wheelchair.
Further, veterans whose valuable assistive devices are lost are at increased safety risk while awaiting replacement of those lost items. Lost eyeglasses put veterans at risk of trips and falls. Lost hearing aids put veterans at risk of failing to respond to alarms. Lost dentures compromise veterans’ ability to take in adequate nutrition.
The scope of the problem is brought into focus given annual inpatient admissions for the VA of 699,100 (2015 https://www.va.gov/vetdata/utilization.asp ). This does not include outpatient visits.
The company recognized the potential for the Belongings Buddy to cheaply and effectively address the issue of lost, valuable patient items both in an inpatient and outpatient setting.
fill out the above information or contact kellie@mlc-clothier.com or call (651) 225-8025.
