Large Volume Ordering Process
The provisioning process should ideally begin with pre-identification of intended recipients.
From a pool of people who need wheelchairs in the locale where the wheelchairs are to be delivered, those who are not good candidates for the chairs that are to be delivered are screened out. Those remaining in the pool are then assessed to determine which of the available wheelchair types is most appropriate for each person. The intended recipients are then measured to determine the proper seat width, seat depth, and back height. Whirlwind provides assessment forms which are helpful for this step in the process. The various measurements are then collected into an order for the manufacturer.
“At Whirlwind we try to make sure all our riders are properly fitted!”
In cases where it is not possible to get user measurements, experts who are knowledgeable about the body sizes of the local disabled population can estimate the proportions of sizes necessary to serve the local population. Errors in measurement of poor estimations will result in sizes of wheelchairs that do not match the intended or available recipients. This can make for difficult decisions at the time when the wheelchairs are actually distributed because a poorly fit wheelchair can severely limit the rider’s mobility and lead to physical and medical complications later.