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

Sub-Committee Summary of Scope for Recommendations

Though sometimes avoided, all patients should have their weight taken as it is a basic screening measurement. It is sometimes difficult to take the weight of patients who have mobility or stability issues or for those who use wheeled mobility devices. However, without an accurate and current weight measurement, chances of missing diagnosis or incorrectly prescribing medications increase.

The goal of the sub-committee is to encompass the broadest range of individuals with mobility disabilities including wheeled mobility device users in the following recommendations. All standard size manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs, small to mid-range scooters and most bariatric size, extra wide manual chairs can be accommodated as it relates to the platform size recommendations; however, some of the larger roadside scooter models, typically a 4-wheeled base scooter, may not be accommodate by this platform size.

Rationale for including scooters in equipment evaluation: Scooter use is increasing as aging ‘Baby Boomers’ acquire mobility disabilities, etc. In 1994-95, 0.21% of elderly (65+) adults used scooters (64,000 people), according to our analysis of the NHIS-D published in 2000 in "Mobility Device Use in the United States." In 2011, 2.3% of elderly population 65+adults use scooters (about 800,000 people), according to data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Trend is more than 10 times as many people in 16 years use scooters.

Compare that to wheelchair usage among the 65+ elderly: 2.9% (900,000 people) in 1994-95, and 6.1% (2.1 million) in 2011. Double the usage.
Percentage of Scooter Users:
(Chart from NHIS-D published in 2000 in “Mobility devices Use in the United Sates”)

1 NHIS-D published in 2000 in "Mobility Devise Use in the United States"

2 National Health and Aging Trands Study

It is also acknowledged that not all scooter users can easily transfer from their scooters; transfers for scooter users may be just as difficult as those who are wheelchair users. Having an accessible weigh scale that can accommodate a wide range of patient populations and mobility devices is optimal as it saves the patient from having to transfer just to have their weight taken.

Rationale for including alternative equipment for taking weight: The Sub-committee acknowledges alternative types of equipment that have integrated scales to be an effective means of taking a patients weight. Alternative equipment with integrated scales can eliminate the need for unnecessary patient transfers to a weight scale just to capture a patient’s weight. For example, if a patient transfers onto an examination table that has an integrated scale, the healthcare provider can also capture the patient’s weight once the patient has made this single transfer. Such types of equipment with integrated scales may include; examination tables, stretchers, portable lifts and overhead ceiling lifts. The medical diagnostic equipment accessibility standards also apply to the alternative equipment for taking weight for each function if they include an integrated scale for the patient position it supports; prone, sitting, standing, seated in a wheelchair.