Compact and Lightweight: New Trends In Measuring

It seems like everything these days is trending toward lightness and efficiency: automobiles, laptop computers, and of course most of us would like to see lighter weight readings when we step on a scale…In medical weighing and measuring too, we have been noticing a rising tide of popularity and demand from practitioners for both scales and height measuring devices (stadiometers) that are small, mobile and light.  Even in “fixed” environments such as acute care and clinic facilities its virtually impossible to find even  larger platform scales, or column scales, that are not equipped with integrated castors (wheels).

Looking at this new and growing trend, we think we have a pretty good idea of the root cause that started it all.  As we know, hospital stays have become shorter and shorter (happily) mainly due to improvements in medicine in general, but also because care providers have a real profitability incentive to quickly discharge inpatients once approval is granted by the attending physician(s).  Non-profit hospitals need to stay above water as much as anyone else.  In addition to these bottom-line realities, there’s a welcome emphysis these days on patient recuperation and independence at home, and this has been supported greatly by advances in health monitoring technology via telephony, internet and wireless communications.

All this adds up to more nurses visiting patients at home for follow-ups, along with the expanding home-care field.  Practitioners carry lightweight mobile scales, often in matching,  specially-made padded carry cases with shoulder straps, to their patient’s homes to obtain weight data.  Infants of course are also the focus of careful weight monitoring and height measurement procedures to track nutrition and normative growth.  Length measuring devices (stadiometers) come in a variety of very portable styles and sizes to obtain length and height measurements.  Medical manufacturer’s have stepped up to the plate to make mobile medicine more efficient and productive for everyone involved.