How to Choose the Right Health and Medical Scales for Your Practice

When monitoring patient health, it’s essential to have accurate readings of all health indicators. In many cases, weight fluctuations can point to multiple health issues. This is why doctors need to have scales available at their practice – because even if a patient seems sure of their current weight, they may be ignorant of recent gains or losses. And for patients who lack access to specific scales for their particular needs, it’s even more critical for a physician to provide this access.

A medical professional must know the patient’s exact weight to be able to assist the correct dose for medicines or anesthetics. Patients have different needs in terms of the amount of the dose and the frequency they have to take medication to recover. Therefore, hospitals and medical centers must have the best, perfectly working, up-to-date, and properly calibrated medical scales. The administering of the wrong amount of dosage given to a child or an adult could have severe consequences.

When many people think of scales in doctors’ offices, they probably picture the ubiquitous physician scales prevalent among primary care physicians. But there are many more types of scales developed for the healthcare industry, some more well-known than others. For example, in maternity wards or the pediatric offices of hospitals, the most common scale you’ll find is a baby or pediatric scale. These scales are created to easily weigh an infant or small child with minimal discomfort and fuss.

On the other side of the range, larger adult patients who exceed standard scale weight requirements will need to use a bariatric scale. Bariatric scales can accurately carry a much higher maximum weight than most others and are built to withstand hundreds of pounds of weight. For doctors specializing in bariatric surgery and weight management, these scales are a must to track patient progress.

For adult patients who cannot stand independently, wheelchair scales offer a perfect choice and include ramps for convenience. And the Dialysis Scale is similarly designed for wheelchair accessibility if needed and consists of a heavy-duty handrail for extra support. By providing access to the specific types of scales patients need, doctors can better understand their patients’ overall health, well-being, and progress.