The Doctor's Office Series, Part 3:  Thermometers and Weight Scales


This is the third article in the 'Doctor's Office' series where, as a patient, we walk through the doctor's office.  First we waited in the waiting chairs, than we were called back to the interior office and got our blood test taken in the blood drawing chairs and today we get our temperature taken and step onto the scale to see how much we weigh.

For many people, finding out their body temperature is interesting, finding out their body weight...not so interesting. But, both need to be done and getting it done quickly and correctly is very important from the standpoint of both patient and doctor. 

The body thermometer was first invented in 1644 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany di'Medici and it took twenty minutes to record an individual's body temperature.  In 1866, Sir Thomas Allbutt created a clinical thermometer that speeded the process down to five minutes.  Rehabmart offers medical professionals thermometers that are a little quicker in reaching the results than the Grand Duke's and Allbutt's thermometers.
 
   From library.rehabmart.com    The Instant Ear Thermometer has a fast, one-second readout with clinical accuracy.  This one-touch thermometer has a large, easy-to-read digital display in a choice of either Fahrenheit or Celsius.  A tone signal will indicate the peak temperature and a fever alarm will sound for temperatures above 100.4 F.  It also has a memory recall of up to ten measurements and no probe cover is required for this ear thermometer.
 

   From library.rehabmart.com    Another type of medical office thermometer is the NexTemp - Single Use, Clinical Thermometer.  This thermometer comes as an individually wrapped, latex free thermometer in a case containing 20 boxes of 100 units each.  These throw away thermometers are designed to reduce the risk of cross infection or re-infection that could occur with other oral thermometer systems.  These thermometers are less expensive and require no special storage condition, batteries, covers or recalibration processes.  The NexTemp color-change process has been proven under strict clinical conditions and meets the stringent ASTM accuracy requirements.

Usually after a patient has their temperature taken, they are led to the scale to see how much they weigh.  Over six thousand years ago the ancient Egyptian civilization used weights that were made from bronze and often cast in the shape of an animal, usually a cow.  Then in the 15th-16th century, Leonardo Da Vinci designed the first self-indicating scale where the person to be weighed was placed in a suspended pan and the weight was shown on a chart by a plum bob that would cross the face of the chart to a metered measuring point.
 
   From library.rehabmart.com    Unfortunately, Rehabmart doesn't sell scales with cow-shaped weights but they do offer scales such as the Healthometer Digital 2-Piece Platform Scale.  This two-piece medical digital scale has a remote LCD display feature that comes with a nine foot cord that allows easy and safe positioning of the LCD display.  It also has a non-slip mat placed on a heavy duty steel platform with a 400 pound weight capacity.
 

   From library.rehabmart.com    Another example of a non-cow shaped scale is the Digital Physician Scale with a 500 pound weight capacity and easy to read LCD readout display.  This scale has a large, low platform with a non-skid mat for stability and easy access.  It also comes with an interface feature that includes an easy scroll method, a hold/release for an easy read after the patient leaves the scale, and an easy-to-see touchpad.  It also has a height rod, a strong aluminum pillar and wheels, plus a technology with updateable firmware; EMR connectivity is available via a USB port.

 
   From library.rehabmart.com    The last example is the Digital Physician Waist-High Scale which features a large low-profile platform, a 170-degree swivel LCD display with an easy scroll method, a hold/release button to view the display after the patient leaves, and a 500 pound weight capacity.  This scale also comes with updateable firmware and a RS232 output port.

Each step proceeding through the doctor's office has it own importance, be it either patient comfort or receiving medical information, all to reach the goal of health and happiness.  As important are the tools that the doctor and his staff uses, Rehabmart can weigh in by offering the best tools for the best results for both patient and doctor.

To view other clinical thermometers, please go to the Medical Thermometers page.
To view more clinical weight scales, please go to the Medical Scales page.


Bill Stock
Library Editor for Rehabmart
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO