New beds in Athens

Stiegelmeyer equipped the Evaggelismos Hospital with hospital and ICU beds

The hospital "O Evaggelismos" is one of the largest and most renowned in Greece. It is located in the popular Athens district of Kolonaki, with its magnificent embassy buildings and classic 1920s apartment-block buildings. The hospital was opened in 1884. The Wilhelminian-style façade of the old building has become the entrance to an area of modern new buildings, which tower like a large frame against the wooded hills on the outskirts of the city. Since this year, another novelty has been causing a stir inside the hospital: 809 modern hospital beds from Stiegelmeyer.

The beds for the Evaggelismos Hospital were one of our most important export projects in 2020 and everyone involved is proud that the cooperation has worked so well and smoothly. Stiegelmeyer supplied 775 Evario hospital beds and 34 Sicuro pesa ICU beds to Athens. The deal was competently handled by our Greek sales partner EnaMed. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation financed the beds and signed the contract with Stiegelmeyer in January.

Early preparation for the pandemic

The delivery took place in spring during the first Corona wave and required precise logistical planning. Stiegelmeyer had prepared for the pandemic at a very early stage and secured its supply chains. The family-run company mastered the production of large quantities of beds for domestic and international requirements without any problems. On time, the trucks began moving south – 27 truckloads had to be transported.

The installation of the 809 beds during ongoing ward operation under the hygiene requirements of the pandemic was a particular challenge. At 5:30 AM, the EnaMed staff and the in-house technicians got started so as not to disturb the hospital's normal operations. With hundreds of beds, a mountain of packaging material accumulates, but Stiegelmeyer is careful not to pollute the environment. Everything was carefully collected and returned to the recycling cycle.

Good hygiene properties

The modern, planar design of the Evario and Sicuro pesa models supports effective cleaning and disinfection. In Athens, too, all beds were thoroughly reprocessed manually before being put into service. The fight against germs in hospitals is more important than ever, especially in times of Corona, so Stiegelmeyer also offers the Evario in a machine-washable version on request. In fact, the Evario is the only hospital bed with plastic safety sides in a modern international style that can be washed in an automated washing system.

Evaggelismos Hospital also chose this innovative split safety side, called Protega, for the majority of its beds. It provides great relief for the hospital staff: not only can the elements be easily lowered and raised, but the integrated operating panels also offer support at the touch of a button. Bed positions and backrest adjustment angles, which are often used in everyday life, are pre-programmed and can be called up effortlessly. The Sicuro pesa ICU bed considerably reduces physical strain on the ward thanks to its lateral tilting capability. Moving immobile patients, one of the greatest strains on the back, requires much less strength on the tilted mattress base.

The new beds have proved their worth in Athens from day one. Photographs taken by our partner EnaMed of the ward's daily routine show lively activity around the elegant Evarios. After Greece had come through the first months of the pandemic well, it was hit by a strong second wave in autumn, just like Germany, which is currently being combated with a strict lockdown. The country's healthcare workers can use all the support they can get. We at Stiegelmeyer are proud to make our contribution.