Recommendations on Standards for the Design of Medical Diagnostic Equipment for Adults with Disabilities, Advisory Committee Final Report

AN INCREASING NUMBER OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS ARE TRANSITIONING TO ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT TABLES

In 2012, approximately 25 percent of examination tables sold in the U.S. are at about a 19-inch low height.¹⁹ This is a significant increase over the 17 percent of adjustable height tables sold in 2005. While manufacturers of tables and chairs understand that lower heights may be desirable, there currently are no commercially available examination tables or chairs that can reach a height lower than 19 inches uncompressed at its highest point on seating surface. It is unclear when such a table or chair could be available.

If adopted by the Access Board, a recommendation of 19-inch maximum height will build on the growing percentage of providers voluntarily purchasing accessible, adjustable height tables, at 25 percent today.²⁰ Conversely, if a new standard lower than 19 inches is established, thereby deeming all current adjustable tables inaccessible, the entire U.S. health system will be forced to begin at 0 percent accessible.

Figure 4: Sales percentages of fixed height versus adjustable height medical tables
(representing sales volume of new medical tables)

NOTES

^19. Medical table install base derived from U.S. medical distribution sales data, as provided by Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX).

^20. Some tables may require installation of a modified top to meet the 19” standard but would not require changing out the installed base.