What to Look for in a Professional Medical Scale

There are a number of things to consider when purchasing a professional medical scale. Whether you are looking for a medical scale for long-term care or for a hospital or clinical setting, be sure to consider ease of use, the ways in which the scale will be used on a daily basis, the actual users, and the likely lifespan of the scale. Keep reading to learn more about each of these considerations and what questions to ask when you are shopping for a professional medical scale. 

The Medical Scale’s Ease of Use 

As with any medical product or technology, a major consideration should be ease of use. After all, you do not want to spend countless hours figuring out how to operate a device or training staff on its complexities. Befour professional medical scales all use the same streamlined seven-button display console. This uniform interactive console allows for an easy transition from one Befour scale model to another, and training can be accomplished in a matter of minutes.  

The Needs of Your Patients and Your Institution

When choosing a professional medical scale, it is important to consider your or your patient's needs and, if purchasing for hospital or clinical use, the needs of the institution. 

With obesity in the United States at an all-time high, one question should be if the medical scale’s weight capacity will accommodate your patients. While many professional medical scales have a limited 880 lb capacity, Befour’s bariatric scales increase that upward capacity to 1000 lbs. 

Another consideration when choosing a professional medical scale for a medical setting is if your hospital or clinic currently standardizes to metric-only or plans to in the future. Some hospitals and clinics, especially children's hospitals and neonatal departments are choosing to standardize to kilogram, rather than pound, readings for consistency and minimization of errors in calculation translations from one unit of measurement to another. 

Befour scales can accommodate that practice with the ability to “lock” into specific units of measurement. This locking can be done in factory before shipment or by the clinical staff in the hospital or nursing home. Other medical scale manufacturers do not program the ability to lock in to a chosen unit of measurement or they only allow for specification at time of order with no option for later adjustment. Befour’s approach allows for adjustment and increased accuracy of measurements. 

If the Company Provides Care to the Elderly

A major consideration when choosing a professional medical scale is the manufacturers’ consideration of elderly users and how that consideration has been incorporated into the design and technology. All Befour medical scales include MotionLock Technology, and all handrail scales utilize active handrails, both additions that support elderly patients and users. 

MotionLock Technology supports less stress for patients and contributes to an easier weighing process for the provider. With this technology, the scale takes various approaches to determine a user’s weight. The device will display weight collected from a series of stabilized measurements. Additionally, if the subject is unable to remain still during the weighing process, the display will indicate movement with moving dashes and will, if the movement continues for longer than seven seconds, provide an average weight for the series of consecutive weight readings it captures. While this “AVG WT” reading will not be as precise as a stable measurement, the deviation from true weight will be minimal.   

While basic handrails do improve the functionality of a professional medical scale, active handrails provide two-fold improvement. Basic handrails offer limited assistance for users because they can only be used when stepping on and off the scale but generally must be released during the weighing process. Active handrails, on the other hand, increase users’ safety and security during the weighing process, as they do not need to be released for accurate weight to be determined. In fact, active handrails improve both users’ comfort and the accuracy of weight readings through increased stabilization. 

Durability & Lifespan of the Medical Scale

Last but not least to consider is the durability and likely lifespan of the medical scale. How long you plan or need to use the scale and how frequently are major factors. Many medical scales, due to being constructed of relatively cheap materials like plastic, are designed to last about five years or less. However, Befour medical scales are built to last twenty years, providing you with significantly extended and reliable use, even with repetitive weighing in demanding environments. 

A factor related to durability and lifespan is the warranty offered, which will give you a good indication of the product’s quality and expected level of functionality over time. While most scale manufacturers that produce professional medical scales offer a one or two year warranty, Befour offers an industry-leading, three year warranty, which is a testament to the quality and longevity of a Befour scale.

Contact Befour to Learn More About Professional Medical Scales