5 Must-Have Features for a Patient-Friendly Exam Table

Patient-friendly exam tables are a key ingredient in ensuring the satisfaction as well as safety of all who visit your spa or medical practice. Even the most skilled practitioners cannot do their jobs effectively without the right tools.

An expensive facial is diminished by an uncomfortable spa bed; a relaxing massage is weakened by a cheaply made table; and a patient exam on the wrong type of table can be difficult and even unsafe for both the patient and the provider.

The right patient table is within reach if you know how to shop for it. Check out the must-have features below to ensure a patient-friendly exam table is guaranteed in your practice.

1. Comfort

Patients or clients on an exam table may be visiting your practice seeking relief, and the last thing you want is for them to feel uncomfortable. This is especially true for those with appointments for massages or chiropractic adjustments. They may be suffering from back, neck, or other pain before they even lie down on the exam table.

A patient-friendly exam table is made with high-quality and durable materials that are padded suitably to provide support and comfort and feel soft to the touch. Upholstery materials should be free of any irritants that would affect the skin, and in most cases, a table should also provide some type of head/neck support and cushioning.

Don't just rely on a manufacturer's promises: test out the exam table for yourself! Before you put patients or clients on an exam table, have your own staff sit in and lie on them and adjust them to various positions to ensure comfort.

2. Safety

Clients and patients come in all ages and sizes, and tables must be designed so that they are safe for all. A patient-friendly exam table can be mounted safely and with ease (see more on adjustments below) and is also sturdy and secure throughout a procedure.

Depending on the specific treatments done in your office, you may need a table with extra security measures such as grab bars. Older patients will feel more secure with these types of features, and you might also consider adding a no-slip mat next to the table for extra precaution.

When shopping for a patient-friendly exam table, be sure to look at detailed information from the manufacturer, such as testing standards. Skimping on exam tables and buying ones constructed with cheap materials and unskilled labor may result in injury to clients and providers. Check out consumer reviews to be sure other providers have been happy with the exam tables.

3. Height Adjustments

Your clients may be petite in stature or towering, and the patient tables need to accommodate all of them. A shorter patient should not need to take a running start to make it onto the exam table, and height adjustments are another feature that makes the exam tables patient-friendly.

The adjustment features overlap with safety since they allow patients to get on and off of the exam table without falling or straining. Height adjustments are also important for the provider: changing the height of the table may make a procedure more effective and reduce strain on the provider, which could lead to injury.

Ideally, the height adjustments will be motorized (more on this below), but in some models, they may be manual.

4. Maximum Weight Capacity

You should aim to purchase the exam table with the highest maximum weight capacity in order to serve the broadest range of patients and clients.

The manufacturer designates the weight capacity, and should be easily identified in their guidelines. Consider not only the clients you serve now but also those you might serve in the future. Adhering to the maximum weight capacity of an exam table is important to ensure the safety of both the client and the provider.

Additionally, consider the size of the exam table and how it will fit into your space. It is always a good idea to tape out the measurements in your patient rooms and be sure you have enough room to comfortably work around the table.

5. Power Controls

Power controls make an exam table not only patient-friendly but also provider-friendly. The ability to adjust various components on the exam table or to lift and lower it as needed can be done easily with power controls instead of manual effort, which could lead to strain and injury.

Before purchasing exam tables, consider all of the ways you may need to move them and take a close look at the functions of the power controls to be sure the table offers you the most versatility.

Patient-Friendly Exam Tables: Care and Maintenance

Even the highest-quality exam tables need proper care and maintenance from time to time. Following through with this will extend the life of your purchase and ensure patient safety.

Make sure you and your team routinely inspect exam tables to check for the following:

• Any tears, stains, or holes in the upholstery
• Any loose or missing hardware
• Any buildup of dirt and debris

Exam tables should be cleaned thoroughly between client procedures; be sure you use cleaning products that are both safe for the table's upholstery and also won't irritate the skin.

Spa Source offers a wide variety of patient-friendly exam tables to providers specializing in everything from facials to chiropractic adjustments. Reach out to us to learn more about our products, and let us help you find the best tables for your specific needs.