Two radiation therapists share how the Zephyr® Patient Positioning and Transfer System helps reduce the physical demands of transfers and supports staff efficiency. 

At Highlands Oncology, radiation therapists care for a broad range of patients, from head and neck, breast, prostate and lung cancers to extremity and benign conditions. Across two simulation rooms and six treatment machines, the team relies on standardized positioning and transfer tools to help move patients safely and efficiently.

Kindal Williams, Radiation Therapy Supervisor, and Sheree Capps, a simulation therapist with nearly 30 years of experience, recently discussed how the Zephyr hoverboard  has changed their day-to-day workflow. Their perspectives span both simulation and treatment and reflect what matters most to therapists: staff safety, patient comfort and efficiency.

Reducing the Physical Demands of Patient Transfer

Highlands Oncology uses Zephyr for every high-dose-rate brachytherapy patient. Before adopting the system, staff transferred patients on a carbon-fiber board from the stretcher to the CT table, a process that could require several team members and place considerable physical strain on staff.

Sheree had seen that risk firsthand. A coworker injured his bicep while using the previous transfer technique. With Zephyr, she said, two therapists can now manage the transfer without pulling four to six additional staff members away from the clinic.

“It’s been great to have two of us back here and be able to move everything without having to call five other people out of the clinic.”

The biggest operational benefit, Sheree explained, is not necessarily a faster transfer but needing fewer people. Other team members can remain focused on their patients and responsibilities. 

Helping Patients Feel More Confident 

Patients also appear more comfortable with the process. The team prepares first-time patients for the sound of the air pump, which can initially be surprising. Once they understand what to expect, Sheree said, patients often respond positively and seem more confident during the transfer than they did with the previous approach.

Efficiency Across the Department

By reducing staffing needs and the physical demands of transfers, the Zephyr hoverboard helps Highlands Oncology use its team more effectively while providing patients with a transfer experience that feels controlled and secure.

For Kindal and Sheree, its value lies in making complex clinical work easier to repeat safely, consistently and efficiently, day after day.