Retrofitting patient rooms with permanent overhead lifts can be difficult and expensive for healthcare facilities, according to an article on the Modern Healthcare website.
Hospitals are more likely to consider installing permanent lifts in new facilities rather than existing ones. Most healthcare facilities have mobile lifts, but nurses typically move average-sized patients themselves rather than taking the time to get an assistive device.
The sparse use of mobile lifts is the main reason why healthcare workers have one of the highest rates of occupational musculoskeletal injuries in the U.S., the article said.
Permanent overhead lifts cost an average of $16,000 per room to install. Mobile devices cost an average of $6,000.
5 Reasons Engineering is the Edge in Healthcare Master Planning
Building an AI-Ready Healthcare Facility 
Family Medical Associates of Raleigh Reports April 2026 Data Breach
Every Detail Matters: A Patient's Story of Healing, Hope and Healthcare Facilities
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Tops Off New 11-Story Tower