CME Insider's Blog Posts

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has long been a standard for ensuring accessibility across public and private sectors, particularly in healthcare. Recently, the ADA introduced updated guidelines specifically targeting medical diagnostic equipment (MDE). These new requirements correct critical accessibility issues in healthcare by ensuring that medical equipment is designed to be safely accessible and functional for patients of all abilities. The updates set new benchmarks all healthcare facilities are expected to meet within specified timelines to ensure ongoing accessibility improvements.

This post will explore ADA requirements for medical diagnostic equipment and how they are reshaping healthcare facilities.

As the prevalence of obesity continues to rise in the United States, hospitals are facing an urgent need for specialized equipment to better accommodate bariatric patients. One critical area of focus is the demand for large-platform bariatric wheelchair scales. With more patients relying on wheelchairs, transport chairs, and motorized scooters, hospitals must adapt to provide equipment that not only supports higher weight capacities but also enhances safety for patients and reduces physical strain on nursing staff.

Medical stools are essential pieces of equipment in healthcare settings and are designed to provide comfortable, versatile seating for medical professionals. With a range of available features, stools support diverse medical procedures, improve efficiency, and offer ergonomic support to healthcare providers who spend hours on their feet.

In today’s healthcare landscape, accuracy is everything. From diagnosing conditions to prescribing treatments, healthcare providers rely on precise data to make decisions that can save lives. However, a surprising gap exists in one crucial area—patient weight measurement.

While Americans trust NTEP-certified scales to weigh bananas and other groceries at the store, medical scales used to calculate drug dosages or monitor a patient’s health are not always held to the same stringent standards. This discrepancy can have serious consequences, especially when medication dosages depend on accurate weight reading.

The short answer is YES, medical equipment does have a role in helping to ensure data security and privacy in healthcare.

Today, more than ever data security and privacy are critical concerns, as sensitive patient information is frequently transmitted, stored, and analyzed through digital means. While much of the focus in securing healthcare data is on software solutions, medical equipment also plays a pivotal role. With advances in technology, some medical devices are now equipped with features  designed to ensure data security, helping to protect patient information from unauthorized access and cyber threats.

This article explores how medical equipment contributes to data security and privacy in healthcare, with examples of device features to look for that bolster data protection.

Spot monitors, also known as vital signs monitors, play a critical role in recording and tracking key health parameters such as blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation.

In today’s healthcare environment, patient satisfaction is more important than ever. Patients expect high-quality care, but they also desire comfort, convenience, and a sense of safety when they visit their doctor’s office or hospital. One obvious contributor to patient satisfaction is the medical equipment used during their visit, particularly medical exam tables. These exam room essentials play a key role in ensuring patients feel at ease during their examinations.

The healthcare environment is constantly evolving, requiring facilities to adapt swiftly to new technologies, treatment methods, and patient needs. One area often overlooked in the evolution process is the casework—the cabinets, counters, and storage systems integral to medical environments. Converting to modular casework can offer significant benefits in terms of efficiency, cost savings, and adaptability. But what exactly is modular casework, and why should medical facilities consider this option?

Cold and flu season is here, again, and that means bracing for an influx of coughing, sneezing, and sniffles. But while patients might treat these symptoms as a seasonal inconvenience, healthcare facilities know better: flu season can quickly escalate into a public health challenge. According to the CDC, the annual flu season typically leads to millions of illnesses and hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations each year. In fact, during the 2022-2023 flu season, there were an estimated 26 million illnesses, 290,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000 deaths related to the flu¹.

While flu vaccines remain essential, there’s another tool in your infection prevention arsenal: hygiene stations. And as we face another cold and flu season, now’s the perfect time to assess whether your current hygiene stations are still up to the task. Spoiler alert: if you installed them during the pandemic, it might be time for an upgrade.