Medical scales can be some of the most important equipment amid any medical facility’s inventory. Medical weighing scales allow doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to accurately determine the weight of patients, as well as various other materials. Tracking a patient’s weight and measurements is a critical aspect of healthcare; weight serves as a key metric of one’s overall well-being, where unexpected shifts in weight, either gains or losses, can hint at underlying health concerns. This is particularly true of infants, where even minor changes in weight may point to significant health challenges. Medical health scales are vital not just for diagnosing potential health issues, but also for assessing and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment plans. A&D’s quality selection of patient scales are ideal for any healthcare professional seeking accurate and detailed measurements, and our range covers everything from scales for personal use, to wheelchair scales and chair scales.
Types of Medical Scales
- Personal Health Scales, such as the UC-355 Series Precision Scale, are predominantly found in hospitals, clinics, and facilities for the elderly, though they may be used in the home by individuals looking to monitor their weight outside of healthcare facilities. Personal health scales deliver precise weight measurements that are vital for tracking patient health trends, and determining medication dosages.
- Wheelchair Scales, such as the WCS Wheelchair Scale, are cleverly engineered to accommodate individuals who have difficulties standing or are in wheelchairs. This WCS scale features advanced features to ensure accurate weighing of patients, including an auto-weigh tare function that automatically subtracts the weight of the chair from the weight readings, eliminating the need for patients to exit their wheelchairs.
- Bariatric Scales, such as the BCS Bariatric Chair Scale, are ergonomic scales that are specially constructed to determine the weight of patients who are unable to, or have difficulties standing. These scales often come with armrests, handles and other features that enable stability, comfort and ease of transfer in and out of the seat. With reinforced construction and the ability to support up to 500kg, bariatric scales play a key role in generating reliable data for bariatric intervention, surgery, and the subsequent weight tracking necessary for post-operative care.
- Baby Scales, also known as infant scales, are commonly used in paediatric clinics and maternity wards, where they deliver accurate weight measurements for newborns and infants, which is crucial for monitoring a baby’s growth and development. Some models are designed with trays or slings to keep the infant fastened and comfortable during the weighing process. Baby scales are equipped with highly sensitive sensors capable of detecting weight changes in increments as minimal as 10g, ensuring precise data for the smallest patients.
- Body Composition Scales are widely used in both professional healthcare environments and personal home settings to assess body fat, muscle mass, bone density, and water content. They are ideal for those dedicated to fitness or dealing with weight-related health issues. Many models offer extra functionalities, including calorie monitoring and the ability to set health goals, rendering them an indispensable resource for anyone aiming to enhance their health and wellness.
How Medical Scales Help to Monitor Patient Health
Modern medical scales can offer you and your health clinic several highly beneficial applications:
- Medical scales keep a record of a patient’s weight: Ensuring accurate patient weight measurement is a critical step before conducting any medical examination, test, or procedure. As such, maintaining a historical record of a patient’s weight is beneficial. Doing so accurately allows both doctors and patients to observe weight fluctuations over time, which may correlate with changes in health status.
- Medical scales provide accurate assessments of patient health: Accurate weight measurements are essential for patient health. Dosages for medication, radiation, or anaesthesia often hinge on a patient’s exact weight, and inaccuracies can often lead to overdosing or underdosing, which can be particularly hazardous for children and adults with vulnerable physiologies.
- Medical scales reduce medical errors: Given the critical role of a patient’s weight in determining treatment plans, imprecise measurements heighten the risk of potentially detrimental mistakes. Having accurate medical scales is therefore integral to ensuring the quality of general patient care.
- Medical scales can connect to apps: Some modern medical scales offer connectivity to various healthcare apps, allowing doctors and patients to better track their health data. This technology gives a patient greater and more immediate knowledge of any weight fluctuations that may occur between lengthy doctor visits, helping those who aim to adjust their weight for enhanced health. using smart scales and apps, patients can easily share progress with their physicians, enhancing health monitoring and potentially improving healthcare outcomes without frequent doctor visits.
- Medical scales enable patient confidence: High quality medical weighing scales can significantly boost patient confidence, a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of healthcare. Knowing that the finest equipment is being used for their health monitoring makes patients feel more at ease and trusting of the scale’s results and the subsequent recommendations from their doctor. This fosters a collaborative environment where both patients and doctors are aligned and actively pursuing the same health objectives.
Recommendations For Weighing Patients Accurately
In the interest of patient health and clinic reputability, it is recommended that every health facility observes the following medical recommendations:
- All health professionals should be thoroughly trained and competent with the use of all medical equipment before it is administered to patient health
- Any scale used in a medical setting should be regularly calibration, which is integral for administering correct dosages of medicine.
- Scales should be zeroed/tared before a patient is weighed, and weight should be shown in metric units.
- A patient’s weight measurements should ideally be taken with a level of consistency; if possible, the weight measurement should occur at the same time of day, and the patient can be advised to wear clothes of a similar weight if said clothes can not be easily discarded before weighing. If the patient has drainage bags (ie. those used for urinary catheters, surgical drains or ostomy etc), these should be drained before weighing.
- The patient’s weight should be correctly documented in their medical records, and promptly compared to their previously recorded weight measurements. Any abnormal findings may need to be reported to a multidisciplinary team.
Market Trends for Medical Scales
The market for medical or healthcare scales was estimated at USD 663.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 1,342.4 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 15.8% from 2024 to 2030. This growth is driven by continuous technological innovations that enhance the utility and accuracy of medical scales in the ever-evolving healthcare industry. Such innovations include the following:
- Advanced Biometric Integration: Through the integration of advanced sensors like bioimpedance, these scales now offer insights into bone density, muscle mass, and body fat percentage, providing a more holistic view of an individual’s health. This development supports more precise diagnostics, improved treatment plans, and effective self-care for patients and healthcare practitioners alike.
- Smart Connectivity & Data Analytics: Medical scales are increasingly incorporating smart features, facilitating seamless connectivity with healthcare systems and personal devices. This integration supports electronic health records, enables remote health monitoring, and allows for the instantaneous sharing of data. Utilising this data, sophisticated analytics can identify trends, predict potential health risks, and recommend preemptive actions, enhancing overall healthcare delivery.
- Home Based Care & Telehealth Integration: The expansion of telehealth and remote patient monitoring is driving the demand for medical scales suitable for home use. These devices enable patients to routinely check vital signs and share this data with healthcare providers remotely, fostering patient autonomy, simplifying chronic disease management, and reducing hospital readmission rates. This shift towards home-based care and telehealth signifies a move towards more accessible and cost-effective healthcare solutions.
What to Look For in a Professional Medical Health Scale
If you are planning to purchase medical scales for your health care facility, it’s important to consider the following key factors:
- Ease of Use: When choosing a professional medical health scale for your healthcare facility, prioritise scales with an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface and quick setup to reduce training time. Look for scales that are versatile enough to serve various patient needs, and ensure that they offer reliable, accurate measurements. Durability, compliance with medical standards, and the ability to integrate data with electronic health records are also key. Additionally, consider the scale’s portability and check for a solid warranty and support system.
- Patient’s Needs: Selecting a professional medical scale requires taking into account the needs of patients, as well as the staff working at the healthcare facility. Such requirements may include ergonomic measures such as wheelchair scales and/or bariatric chair scales.
- Does the Company Provide Care to the Elderly? Whenchoosing a professional medical scale, consider the manufacturer’s commitment to elderly users by checking for features such as handrails and platform stability. These features enhance convenience and safety for older patients, demonstrating the manufacturer’s dedication to making the scale user-friendly, secure, and accommodating for the all the population.
- Durability & Lifespan: Certain medical scales are made from cheaper materials such as plastic, leading to a shorter lifespan. A&D scales are made from high quality materials, ensuring enhanced durability and a longer shelf-life.
The Best Medical Scales for Your Hospitals, Clinics, or Healthcare Facilities
As with many of the other A&D weighing products, our medical scales play a pivotal role in ensuring measurement accuracy. Depending on the needs of your patients and your facility, you may wish to consider one or more of the following products:
WCS Wheelchair Scale: The WCS Wheelchair Scale is a portable platform scale featuring a ramp with a gentle incline ramp. It is specifically engineered to deliver accurate weight measurements for individuals using wheelchairs in healthcare environments.
UC-355 Precision Personal Health Scale: The UC-355 Precision Personal Health Scale comes equipped with a real-time clock, internal storage, an audible “step off” signal upon completion, and visual cues. This device can weigh up to 250kg, with precise measurements: 0.1kg resolution up to 100kg, and 0.2kg resolution from 100kg to 250kg.
PW-200-FG Patient Scale: Australian designed, this battery operated patient weighing scale has a 200 kg capacity, making it ideal for use in hospitals, weight loss clinics and gyms. It boasts a 20g resolution and provides exceptional accuracy.
Walk on Bariatric Scale: The A&D Walk-On Bariatric Scale is designed for the safe and comfortable weighing of obese and unstable patients. It has a low-profile platform complemented by robust handrail support for added safety and stability. With a maximum capacity of 300kg, and resolution of 100g, this scale’s clinical-grade platform measures 600mm by 700mm.
Conclusion
At A&D Weighing, we pride ourselves on providing a diverse array of cutting-edge technology and unique products to general practitioners, hospitals, and medical experts all over the world. If you wish to optimise the quality of patient care in your facility, you can browse A&D medical scales here. You may also wish to check out our wide selection of other weighing products here. For any inquiries, don’t hesitate to get in touch with A&D directly here.