Patent ID: 7568241

Claim:
A patient support and transport system for advancing the patient into a medical treatment facility, said patient support and transport system comprising: a patient gurney having a base portion and a bed portion adapted to support the patient, said bed portion releasably secured to said base portion; a patient support track apparatus having first and second ends, each of said ends adapted to releasably engage said base portion of said patient gurney, said patient support track apparatus having a treatment zone positioned between said first and said second ends; said patient support track apparatus further including a bed support surface for supporting said bed portion of said patient gurney, said bed support surface permitting said bed portion to travel laterally along said bed support surface from said first end, to and from said treatment zone, to said second end of said patient support track apparatus; wherein when said patient gurney is releasably secured to said patient support track apparatus, said bed portion of said patient gurney is laterally transportable from said base portion of said gurney to said bed support surface without requiring a change in elevation of said bed portion of said patient gurney.