As the numbers of obese Americans continues to rise, hospitals are starting to order supplies and equipment to accommodate heavier populations, including bigger blood pressure cuffs, wheelchairs, hospital gowns and exam beds, according to a Times of Northwest Indiana report.
Hospitals are gearing up with sturdier chairs and equipment with higher weight limits, according to the report. Curtis May, director of supply chain for Gary, Ind.-based Methodist Hospitals, said hospitals have been preparing for accommodating obese populations for nearly a decade, such as ordering a certain number of wheelchairs with at least a 500-pound capacity, compared with the standard 300-pound capacity wheelchairs, according to the report.
The need for such specialized equipment is not only practical, but it also addresses patient safety and comfort, said Kathy O'Donnell, RN, nurse and manager of the Midwest Bariatric Institute at Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Dyer, Ind. "When a patient sits down, they need to know they'll be safe," she said in the report, adding if the chair did collapse, not only would there be a safety issue but the patient could also feel humiliated.
"As we revamp all of our physician offices and same-day surgery center, we're designing it around bigger weight limits because we know that the population now is much larger than it was 25 years ago," Ms. O'Donnell said in the report.
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