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Frequently asked questions
This isolation unit FAQ from Intelligent Care (Incare) answers the questions hospitals ask most about isolation units, filtration, power-assisted transport and partnerships.
How to use this isolation unit FAQ
Each answer is short and based on the published product data. Most questions concern the isolation unit: how it filters the air, how it holds pressure and how long it runs on battery. Follow the links for the full product pages and guides.
The isolation unit FAQ collects the questions answered on every page of this site, grouped by page, with a link to the full product page or guide.
Intelligent Care is part of Stretchers Industries OOD in Sofia, Bulgaria, and supplies isolation units and power-assisted beds and stretchers to healthcare providers across Europe and beyond. For general principles of isolation precautions, see the CDC Guideline for Isolation Precautions.
Isolation unit FAQ by page
Jump to the questions about an isolation unit, a power-assisted product, a guide or the company.
Intelligent Care
Questions answered on the Intelligent Care page. They cover the isolation unit range, its U15 filter and the two pressure modes.
What infection control medical equipment does Intelligent Care make?
Two families of products: isolation units that keep a patient inside a sealed, filtered environment, and power-assisted beds and stretchers that let one person move heavy loads safely.
Which filters do Incare isolation units use?
The stretcher and bed units use a U15 (ULPA) filter with an efficiency of 99.9975%, tested on particles of average size up to 0.3 microns. The Pandora modular room is built with H14 (HEPA) filters, with U15 available on request.
When is negative pressure used and when positive pressure?
Negative pressure protects the environment: pathogens released by an infected patient stay inside the unit. Positive pressure protects the patient: filtered air keeps outside air away from immunocompromised patients, such as cancer patients.
Who manufactures Incare infection control medical equipment?
Stretchers Industries OOD, based in Sofia, Bulgaria. Intelligent Care is its brand, and its team of engineers and designers develops the products for hospitals and healthcare providers across Europe and beyond.
About the company
Questions answered on the About the company page. Every isolation unit and power-assisted system is designed and manufactured by Stretchers Industries OOD in Sofia.
Who is behind the Intelligent Care brand?
Intelligent Care is the brand of Stretchers Industries OOD, a Bulgarian medical equipment manufacturer based in Sofia that specializes in infection control and power-assisted drive systems for hospitals.
What is the mission of Intelligent Care?
To design, develop and manufacture high-quality medical equipment that meets the specific needs of healthcare professionals, and to promote a safe and healthy work environment for both patients and healthcare professionals.
Can customers configure the products?
Yes. Clients choose specific components and accessories, so they receive transport and isolation systems designed for their needs. This is how a Bulgarian medical equipment manufacturer of our size works with hospitals.
Where has Intelligent Care presented its work?
In April 2025 the team presented its solutions at IPC 2025 Infection Prevention & Control in Birmingham. In July 2026 the Pithos isolation chamber was commissioned at the University Multidisciplinary Hospital "Prof. Ivan Kirov" in Sofia.
Choosing products
Questions answered on the Choosing products page. Use them to choose the right isolation unit by where the patient is: on a stretcher, in a bed, in a chair or in a room.
What are the two lines of hospital isolation and transport systems?
Isolation units, which protect people from infection, and power-assisted beds and stretchers, which protect staff from strain. Many hospitals need both.
Which isolation unit should I choose?
Choose by where the patient is: on a stretcher (STR MK3, STR MK 4 and STR MK 5), in a bed (STR MK7 / STR MK8, STR MK9 for children), in a chair (Aura), or in a room (Pandora and the Pithos antechamber).
Which products have the motorized fifth wheel?
The Moovie stretcher, the Lotus delivery bed and the STR MK 10 bariatric bed, as well as the motorized versions of the isolation units, STR MK 5 and STR MK8.
Can the hospital isolation and transport systems be configured?
Yes. Every product can be configured: clients choose specific components and accessories so that the equipment fits the ward, the patients and the procedures.
STR MK3
Questions answered on the STR MK3 page. The STR MK3 is a stretcher isolation unit with U15 filtration, a battery backup of up to 12 hours and a 200 kg load capacity.
Can the STR MK3 be used on our existing stretchers?
Yes. The measurements of the STR MK3 are compliant with any type of stretcher or hospital bed, so the stretcher biocontainment unit is placed on top of equipment the facility already uses rather than replacing it.
What filtration grade does the STR MK3 use?
The air filtration system has an NBC protection grade U15 with an efficiency of 99.9975%, tested to block solid and liquid particles of average size up to 0.3 microns.
How long can the unit run without mains power?
The STR MK3 has a battery backup of up to 12 hours, which keeps the filtration and pressure control running during transfers between departments or buildings.
What is the maximum patient weight?
The maximum load capacity of the STR MK3 is 200 kg.
Can the same stretcher biocontainment unit protect an immunosuppressed patient?
Yes. Besides negative pressure mode, the STR MK3 offers positive pressure capability, used for example for severely immunosuppressed patients who must be protected from the external environment.
STR MK 4
Questions answered on the STR MK 4 page. The STR MK 4 is an emergency stretcher with an integrated isolation unit; the STR MK 5 version adds a motorized fifth wheel.
Which patients can be transported on the STR MK 4?
Patients of almost any age, excluding infants and small children, who are breathing on their own or through a ventilated system.
What is the difference between the STR MK 4 and the STR MK 5?
The STR MK 5 is the motorized version of the STR MK 4. It adds a power-assisted transport system with a motorized, retractable fifth wheel, two operating handles with electric brake and directional control, and a switch for two maximum speeds.
How much effort does the motorized version save?
The power-assisted system of the STR MK 5 reduces start-up push force and steering effort by up to 50%, so one person can maneuver the emergency stretcher with isolation system with one hand.
What filtration does the isolation cabin use?
An NBC filter with protection grade U15 and an efficiency of 99.9975%, tested to block solid and liquid particles of average size up to 0.3 microns.
STR MK7 / STR MK8
Questions answered on the STR MK7 / STR MK8 page. The STR MK7 is a hospital bed with an integrated isolation unit, and the STR MK8 is its motorized version.
What is the difference between the STR MK7 and the STR MK8?
Both share the same isolation system. The STR MK8 adds a power-assisted transport system with a motorized, retractable fifth wheel installed on a damper device, two operating handles and a two-speed limit switch.
Can patients be treated inside the bed, not only transported?
Yes. The STR MK7 is a care unit designed for the transport, diagnosis and assistance of patients with high-risk and airborne contagious diseases within the healthcare facility.
Which filter does the biocontainment hospital bed use?
An NBC filter with protection grade U15 and an efficiency of 99.9975%, tested to block solid and liquid particles of average size up to 0.3 microns.
How much does the motorized wheel reduce effort?
On the STR MK8 the power-assisted system reduces start-up push force and steering by up to 50%, allowing the bed to be maneuvered with a single hand.
STR MK9
Questions answered on the STR MK9 page. The STR MK9 is the pediatric isolation unit of the range, built on an electric pediatric bed.
In which departments is the STR MK9 used?
It is designed for any pediatric care situation, including intensive care units, anesthesia wards and resuscitation areas.
How are the bed position and movements adjusted?
Through an intuitive control panel located at the head end of the bed, which lets clinicians adjust position and movements during care.
What filtration does the pediatric biocontainment bed use?
An NBC filter with protection grade U15 and an efficiency of 99.9975%, tested to block solid and liquid particles of average size up to 0.3 microns.
Can the STR MK9 protect a child with a weakened immune system?
Yes. In positive pressure mode the bed protects patients with a deficit of the immune system from the external environment; in negative pressure mode it contains an infectious patient.
Aura
Questions answered on the Aura page. Aura is the isolation unit for patients who are transported in a chair.
Which patients is Aura designed for?
Infectious or potentially infectious patients affected by airborne infections, such as tuberculosis, measles or Covid, and patients with weakened immune defenses, for example during oncology treatment, and other immunosuppressed patients.
Does Aura work in both pressure modes?
Yes. Its ventilation system operates at positive or negative pressure, so the same biocontainment transport chair can contain an infectious patient or protect an immunosuppressed one.
What is the chair made of?
A metal frame covered with a highly resistant transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheet.
Which accessories are available?
IV pole holder, tray for objects, oxygen cylinder holder, cable and tube passage sleeves, glove windows with sleeves, and a tracking system for localization.
Pandora
Questions answered on the Pandora page. Pandora extends the isolation unit concept to a whole room, built from modules.
Can Pandora be adapted to our room dimensions?
Yes. Pandora is custom-built to the needs of each healthcare facility, and its modular structure allows it to cover different areas and layouts.
How is the pressure kept stable when staff go in and out?
Through a double-door configuration, which maintains the air pressure even when entering or exiting the chamber.
Which filters does the modular isolation room use?
NBC filters with protection grade H14 (HEPA) and U15 (ULPA) upon request, tested to block solid and liquid particles of average size up to 0.3 microns.
Which standards does Pandora comply with?
The room must comply with local and national safety regulations and requirements. Request the technical data sheet to check all the standards applied to Pandora.
Can Pandora be dismantled and moved?
Yes. Its modular design means the room can be assembled and disassembled as needed, giving flexibility in the use of space and resources.
Pithos
Questions answered on the Pithos page. Pithos is not an isolation unit for a single patient but an antechamber attached to the door frame of a patient room.
Does Pithos require construction work?
Pithos attaches to the existing door frame of a hospital room and is designed to be installed and removed as needed. Our team can check the requirements of your rooms.
What does the ultrasonic nebulizer do?
It disinfects the inside of the antechamber, providing an additional protective barrier in case personnel enter unintentionally without adequate personal protective equipment.
Can the mobile isolation antechamber be customized?
Yes. Pithos offers customizable size and configuration options, so it can be tailored to the specific needs of each care facility.
Has Pithos been installed in a hospital?
Yes. A Pithos isolation chamber supplied by Stretchers Industries was commissioned at the University Multidisciplinary Hospital for Active Treatment of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases "Prof. Ivan Kirov" in Sofia, Bulgaria's national reference center for infectious diseases.
How does Pithos limit the escape of contaminated air?
Pithos is an antechamber attached to the door frame of a patient room. Its filters and air systems trap harmful particles, and an ultrasonic disinfectant nebulizer adds a barrier if personnel enter without adequate protective equipment.
Moovie
Questions answered on the Moovie page. Moovie belongs to the power-assisted line; the same motorized fifth wheel is fitted on the STR MK 5 and STR MK8 isolation unit models.
What is the safe working load of Moovie?
In its standard configuration Moovie has a safe working load of 250 kg, on a patient surface of 192 x 72 cm.
Can one person move the stretcher alone?
Yes. The power assisted transportation system, with its motorized retractable fifth wheel, two operating handles and a speed limit switch, is designed so that a single healthcare worker can push and steer the stretcher, even in limited space.
How is the height of the stretcher adjusted?
Height is adjusted hydraulically by two round columns, from 58 cm to 90 cm, using foot pedals on the side. The same pedals control the mattress platform, Trendelenburg and reverse Trendelenburg.
Can Moovie carry an oxygen tank?
Yes. The plastic cover of the base frame includes a space for an oxygen tank of up to 7 liters, as well as a glove compartment for clothing.
Can the stretcher be customized?
Yes. Moovie is highly configurable in size and accessories. Contact Incare with your requirements and the team will define the configuration with you.
Lotus
Questions answered on the Lotus page. Lotus is a motorized delivery bed of the power-assisted line, not an isolation unit.
What stages of care is Lotus designed for?
Lotus is a universal delivery and obstetric surgery bed designed for various stages of care during pregnancy, labor and delivery.
Does the patient need to be moved to another bed during labor?
No. The configuration of Lotus can be changed within a few seconds, so it is no longer necessary to move the patient in labor to another bed at any time.
How is Lotus operated?
Lotus is electrically operated. Its configuration can be adjusted in a matter of seconds to let a woman in labor take any comfortable position.
Can Lotus be used for emergency transport to the operating room?
Yes. Lotus is equipped with a motorized fifth wheel for quick emergency transport from the labor room to the operating room.
STR MK 10
Questions answered on the STR MK 10 page. The STR MK 10 is a bariatric bed of the power-assisted line, not an isolation unit.
How many motors does the STR MK 10 have?
The STR MK 10 uses 4 LINAK motors, which power its electrical height, backrest and legrest adjustment and its positioning functions.
How fast can the bed be moved with the motorized fifth wheel?
The speed limit switch on the handles has two settings: the turtle sign allows a maximum speed of 2 km/h, the rabbit sign a maximum speed of 6 km/h.
What positions are available?
The bed offers electrical Trendelenburg and reverse Trendelenburg movements, electrical Fowler and vascular positions, and an Auto-Contour function.
What happens in case of cardiac arrest?
The STR MK 10 has a CPR button and manual CPR handles on both sides of the backrest, so the backrest can be lowered quickly.
Does the bed work during a power cut?
The bed includes a rechargeable backup battery.
Handbike
Questions answered on the Handbike page. The Handbike is a mobility product, separate from the isolation unit and patient transport ranges.
Which wheelchairs is the Handbike compatible with?
The Incare Handbike can be attached to all the super-light wheelchairs currently available on the market, provided they have a fixed front frame.
Do I need a new wheelchair?
No. Thanks to the kit supplied with it, the Handbike attaches to the frame of the wheelchair you already own.
What range and speed does the Handbike offer?
The Handbike reaches a maximum speed of 30 km/h and offers a range of up to 50 km.
How long does charging take?
Charging takes 3 to 4 hours.
Which wheel sizes are available?
The Handbike is available with 8, 12 or 16 inch tyres, to adapt to different types of terrain.
Catalogues
Questions answered on the Catalogues page. The catalogues present each isolation unit of the range together with the power-assisted line.
Which medical equipment catalogues can I download?
Three PDF documents: the Italian catalogue 2026, the Stretchers Industries catalogue 2022 in English and a brochure in Bulgarian.
Which catalogue is the most recent?
The Italian catalogue 2026, a 48-page A4 document that presents the isolation units, the power-assisted products with motorized fifth wheel and further specialist products.
Why do product names differ between the catalogues and this website?
The Italian catalogue uses market-specific names and product codes for several models, and the older documents include products that are not presented on this site. Send us the catalogue page number and we will confirm the corresponding model.
Are the catalogues available in other languages?
Today they are available in Italian, English and Bulgarian. French and German versions are being prepared.
Distributor partnership
Questions answered on the Distributor partnership page. Partners can offer each isolation unit of the range together with the power-assisted systems.
Who can apply for a medical equipment distributor partnership?
Companies and professionals who supply hospitals and healthcare providers and want to add biocontainment and power-assisted products to their offer: distributors, resellers and agents.
Which product lines are included?
The isolation units (STR MK3, STR MK 4 and STR MK 5, STR MK7 / STR MK8, STR MK9, Aura, Pandora and Pithos) and the power-assisted systems (Moovie, Lotus, STR MK 10 and the Handbike).
What support do partners receive?
Partners work directly with our team in Sofia, with customer service and support behind every product, and can offer customized solutions with specific components and accessories.
Which departments can partners serve?
Because the range covers both isolation and power assistance, a medical equipment distributor partnership with Incare can serve emergency departments, intensive care units, isolation wards, maternity and bariatric care with one supplier.
Contacts
Questions answered on the Contacts page. When you write about an isolation unit, name the model and the setting you have in mind.
Which channels can I use to contact Intelligent Care?
Phone +359 87 9570350, email [email protected] or the contact form on this page. Our office is in Sofia, Bulgaria.
What should I include in my request?
The product you are interested in, the type of facility and department, whether you need to protect the environment or the patient, the loads and routes for power-assisted products, any custom requirements and your country.
Can I visit the office in Sofia?
Yes. The office is at ul. Lyulin Planina 16, Sofia 1606, Bulgaria. Please arrange your visit in advance by phone or email, so that the right person is available.
Which company details should I use in purchase orders?
The legal entity is Stretchers Industries OOD, registered in Bulgaria with EIK/UIC 206271804 and VAT number BG206271804. Please quote the company name and VAT number in purchase orders.
Negative and positive pressure isolation
Questions answered on the Negative and positive pressure isolation page. An isolation unit in negative pressure protects the environment; an isolation unit in positive pressure protects the patient.
Is negative pressure isolation the same as an airborne infection isolation room?
An airborne infection isolation room is one application of negative pressure isolation at room scale. The same principle is also applied to modular rooms, hospital beds, stretchers and transport chairs, which create a smaller enclosure around the patient.
Can one unit provide both negative and positive pressure?
Yes. Incare isolation units such as the STR MK3, STR MK 4, STR MK7 / STR MK8, STR MK9, Aura and Pandora can operate in either negative or positive pressure mode, chosen according to the condition of the patient.
Which mode protects healthcare workers?
Negative pressure isolation protects healthcare workers, other patients and the surrounding environment from an infectious patient. Positive pressure mode protects the patient inside the enclosure from the external environment.
Does pressure isolation replace personal protective equipment?
No. Pressure isolation is an engineering control that works together with standard and transmission-based precautions, including hand hygiene and personal protective equipment, as described in WHO and CDC infection prevention guidance.
How long can a portable isolation unit run without mains power?
The STR MK3 has a battery backup of up to 12 hours, according to the manufacturer. For the operating autonomy of other models, request the technical data sheet from Incare.
What happens to the pressure when a door is opened?
Opening a door briefly reduces the pressure differential between a room and the corridor. A double-door configuration, as in Pandora, or an antechamber such as Pithos keeps one door closed at all times and limits the escape of contaminated air.
HEPA and ULPA filters
Questions answered on the HEPA and ULPA filters page. The stretcher and bed isolation unit models use a U15 (ULPA) filter, while Pandora uses H14 (HEPA) filters, with U15 available on request.
Is a ULPA filter better than a HEPA filter?
A ULPA filter is allowed a lower penetration than a HEPA filter under EN 1822, so it retains a larger share of particles at the most penetrating particle size. Whether that extra margin is needed depends on the application, which is why Pandora uses H14 HEPA filtration as standard and U15 ULPA filtration on request.
What does H14 mean?
H14 is the highest HEPA class in EN 1822. It requires an integral efficiency of at least 99.995% at the most penetrating particle size.
What does U15 mean?
U15 is the first class of the ULPA group in EN 1822. It requires an integral efficiency of at least 99.9995% at the most penetrating particle size.
Can a ULPA filter capture viruses?
Airborne viruses travel inside or on aerosol particles such as droplet nuclei. A ULPA filter is designed to retain airborne particles across this size range with very high efficiency, provided it is correctly sealed in its housing and used within a controlled airflow.
How often should the filter of an isolation unit be replaced?
Replacement intervals depend on how the unit is used, on the particle load and on the manufacturer's instructions. For Incare units, the applicable maintenance information is given in the technical data sheet and user documentation.
Does the filter change between negative and positive pressure mode?
The filter class does not change with the mode. What changes is the direction of airflow, and therefore whether the filter cleans the air leaving the enclosure, in negative pressure, or the air entering it, in positive pressure.
Infectious patient transport
Questions answered on the Infectious patient transport page. A portable isolation unit keeps the patient in a sealed, filtered environment during the whole transfer.
What is infectious patient transport?
Infectious patient transport is the movement of a patient with a known or suspected transmissible infection from one place to another, for example from a ward to imaging or from the emergency room to an isolation room, while preventing pathogens from reaching staff, other patients and the environment along the way.
Can a standard hospital stretcher be used to move an infectious patient?
Yes, if it is fitted with a portable isolation unit. The STR MK3 is designed to be placed on top of a hospital stretcher; its measurements are compliant with any type of stretcher or hospital bed, and it keeps the patient environment at negative pressure through a U15 filtration system.
When is positive pressure used during a transfer?
Positive pressure is used when the patient is the one who must be protected, for example a severely immunosuppressed patient. Filtered air keeps the inside of the unit at a higher pressure than the surrounding area, so external contaminants are pushed away from the patient.
How long can a portable isolation unit operate away from a power socket?
For the STR MK3 the manufacturer states a battery backup of up to 12 hours. Transfer times within a hospital are normally much shorter, but the backup also covers waiting times at imaging or in a corridor.
Is there a solution for children?
Yes. The STR MK 4 is suitable for patients of most ages but excludes infants and small children. For paediatric care Incare offers the STR MK9, an electric pediatric bed with a biocontainment system for intensive care, anesthesia and resuscitation areas.
Which guidelines should a hospital follow?
Transfers should follow the facility infection control policy, which is typically based on national rules and on references such as the CDC Guideline for Isolation Precautions and ECDC guidance on healthcare-associated infections. Isolation equipment supports these procedures but does not replace them.
Safe patient handling
Questions answered on the Safe patient handling page. The motorized fifth wheel is also fitted on two isolation unit models, the STR MK 5 and the STR MK8.
What is safe patient handling?
Safe patient handling is the set of equipment, procedures and training that allows healthcare workers to move, transfer and transport patients while limiting the physical load on their bodies and the risk of injury to both staff and patients.
How much effort does a motorized fifth wheel save?
For its power-assisted beds and stretchers, Incare states that the motorized retractable fifth wheel reduces start-up push force and steering effort by up to 50%, allowing the operator to manoeuvre with one hand.
What do the turtle and rabbit settings mean?
They are the two positions of the speed limit switch on the handles of the STR MK 10. The turtle sign limits the maximum speed to 2 km/h for slow, precise movements, and the rabbit sign allows a maximum of 6 km/h for longer straight routes.
Is the fifth wheel always in contact with the floor?
No. It is retractable, so it can be lowered for power-assisted transport and raised when the bed or stretcher is used in a fixed position or moved manually on its castors.
Which Incare products have power-assisted transport?
Moovie, Lotus and STR MK 10 in the power-assisted line, plus the STR MK 5 and STR MK 8, which are the motorized versions of the STR MK 4 emergency stretcher and STR MK7 isolation bed.
Is the Handbike a patient transport device?
No. The Handbike is a separate mobility product: an electric unit that attaches to a wheelchair with a fixed front frame and lets the wheelchair user travel independently.
Your question is not in the isolation unit FAQ?
Write to our team with the product and the setting you have in mind, and we will answer your isolation unit question directly.