In this entry I am going to take a look at what I consider to be the top choices for wheelchair scales which are used at doctors offices, hospitals, and even could be used by patients at home or in assisted living environments.
Of course, right off the bat I want to emphasize quality. Sure, you can probably find some imported wheelchair scale made in China for a low price on the internet. However, the odds are the quality and durability and longevity of that item would likely not match what you’re going to find from reputable wheelchair scale manufacturers like Detecto, Healthweigh, Seca, Doran Medical and HealthOMeter Professional.
Top quality wheelchair scales are designed to assist medical personnel in weighing patients who are in wheelchairs. At CCS we offer wheel chair scales that are stationary, portable, and we even have some that are wall-mounted. All of these medical grade weight scales can be used in a wide variety of healthcare locations.
Generally, many of our wheelchair scale models include features like extra-grip matting for patient safety and easy to read weight displays. Many of the scales have dual ramps for easy access from multiple directions. Some of the wheelchair scales also have handrails and seating to provide extra assurance to overweight or elderly patients when trying to gather a weight reading. In today’s modern world of communications, many of our medical scales offer EMR output of patient data for electronical recordkeeping.
So you’re probably wondering what are my top picks for wheelchair scales? Let’s take a look below.
Best Wall Mount Wheelchair Scale System
In many hospitals or doctors offices, a patient in a wheelchair is only going to happen a few times a week. The majority of patients will be able to use a standard medical scale with handrail.
So, it can make a lot of sense to purchase a wall mount wheel chair scale to maximize walkway space.
The top wall mounted wheelchair scale in my opinion is the the Detecto 7550. It features a unique fold-up storage design that saves space when it’s not being used to weigh a patient. It can be installed directly in high-traffic areas and work zones and fold up when done weighing without using up valuable floor space.
A scale like this allows wheelchair bound patients the opportunity to weigh in open common areas instead of backrooms or closets. The wall-mount scale stores easily out of the way and aesthetically blends into any environment for a more efficient workflow. The 7550 easily accommodates most wheelchairs, and yet requires very little floor space when folded up.
Another great feature of the 7550 is Bluetooth 5.0 / Wi-Fi are included standard for wireless connectivity with EMR/EHR systems. And, the modern gray color allows the 7550 scale to integrate into any healthcare environment. The 7550 features a 1000 x 0.2 lb capacity, touch-screen LCD weight display, 36″ x 32″ weighing platform and sturdy steel construction for everyday durability.
The 7550 includes a digital weight indicator that features a smartphone like touchscreen LCD that allows you to enter up to 8 digit patient ID numbers that can be sent along with patient weight data to EMR systems via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 5.0. The 7550 display is a 3.2″ full color TFT with 320 x 240 resolution for easy-to-read text explanations of various functions and large, vivid weight readouts. The integrated full-color, touchscreen LCD offers wheelchair tare weight mode to remove wheelchair weights and factor patient weight (pushbutton and keypad tare). We recommend using the scale on hard floor surfaces.
Best of all, the 7550 slim 7 inch profile takes up minimal space when installed in a medical facility hallway, clinical office, long-term care center, or nursing home. When a wheelchair bound patient needs their weight checked, you simply lower the platform and the gas spring lifting mechanism will gently lower it into place. The 7550 1 1/2 inch high platform is very low to the ground making it fairly easy for the patient to roll on the scale.
Best Portable Wheelchair Scale System
If you’re not interested in mounting a scale to your wall, then perhaps a portable wheelchair scale will make more sense. Anytime a wheelchair bound patient needs to get a weight check, you simply roll the wheelchair scale out and carefully set the scale down and proceed.
That’s what can be done with the Healthweigh RL-350-6 Dual-Ramp Portable Bariatric Wheelchair Scale. This item features integrated handles and wheels for easy transport. The dual ramps make it very easy to roll on and roll off the large stable scale platform. The system features a nice robust weight display with large 1-inch LCD weight display for easy reading of a patient weight. It also includes unit of measure toggle or locking, Motiontrap movement compensation technology, EMR capable, Serial and USB data communication ports, a tare function, hold function and BMI (body mass index) function.
One concern with a system like this is the fact that the scale will be stored on its side and will be rolled on the side using the wheels. Then when you actually need to use the scale, it will need to be carefully placed down on the four load cell feet. This is where potential problems could occur if one person tries to do this and it’s too heavy and the scale gets dropped. Therefore, I would recommend that two people attempt to set this RL-350-6 scale down gently as to not shock load any of the load cells.
I also have to give an honorable mention to the HealthOMeter 2400KL portable wheelchair scales.
The HOM 2400KL is the perfect portable scale for locations where occasional wheelchair-bound patients need to be weighed. The scale folds easily and requires minimal room for storage. The scale includes a handle and wheels for easy portability.
The 2400KL also features EMR Connectivity, so the scale can interface with a computer, EMR software, or other electronic devices via various Health o meter Professional Connectivity Solutions.
The 2400KL features a scale indicator that can be mounted nearby on a wall or simply placed on a table for easy viewing. The scale also features adjustable tracks. Wheelchair rails expand and adjust from 25 3/4″ to to 50 1/8″ to accommodate all standard and bariatric wheelchairs.
Best Stationary / Permanent Installation Wheel Chair Scale
If you have the available floor space in your medical clinic, sometimes it can make really good sense to just buy a large stationary scale and not have to worry about rolling a scale in and out of a closet or mounting a scale to a wall.
There are several really nice stationary wheelchair scales available from our medical scale suppliers. But I feel the Healthweigh SB-1150 Summit Bariatric Wheelchair Scale is the best overall choice. This has a lot to do with its heavy-duty mild steel construction. This is a scale that is built to last you for many years.
The Summit SB-1150 Healthweigh bariatric wheelchair scale provides medical clinics outstanding weighing accuracy and overall performance in environments where typical wheelchair scales are not large enough to meet patient needs. With its large 3×3 weighing platform and easy-access ramp, the heavy duty Summit SB-1150 accommodates wheelchairs without sacrificing overall safety. The scale weight platform and access ramp are equipped with a non-skid rubber surface and the raised guide rails on three sides provide an extra sense of security. Convenient keypad tare on the scale controller reduces errors and increases overall efficiency.
The SB-1150 features a single ramp and 36″ x 36″ metal nonslip weighing platform with 1000 pound max capacity. The digital weight indicator is a good overall size and features an easy to read 1 inch LCD display. The scale controller also includes Motiontrap movement compensation technology along with unit of measure toggle or locking. The indicator is EMR capable with serial and USB data communication ports and Bluetooth BLE 4.0 available. This scale also includes Tare, Hold, and BMI functions. Best of all it’s factory calibrated at the top notch Rice Lake scale factory.
For heavy duty permanent style wheelchair scales, we also like the Detecto 6495, Doran Medical DS9100, and the HealthOMeter 2650KL.
I hope this overview on the top wheelchair scale choices to consider has been helpful. There is no question with an aging population in the US, medical scales will continue to play an important role in everyone’s life. Keep in mind there are A LOT of wheelchair scales out there on the market. Each wheelchair scale manufacturer has multiple versions available. I picked my favorites but you may have other features that are more important for your particular situation. So, if you need assistance or product recommendations, we are just a phone call away (919) 776-7737 or you can complete our RFQ form for fast response.