As the world struggles to keep up with rising instances of obesity, hospitals in United States are gearing up to provide healthcare to larger patients. A new hospital, DeKalb Medical Center at Hillendale, to be thrown open soon, would sport beds equipped to cater to the ‘large’ population – those that weight up to 500 pounds. Regular beds allow for a weight of up to 350 pounds.
“We’re seeing more larger patients, so we need the equipment to handle large-sized people,” said Carolyn Drumm, Hillendale assistant administrator. Even though the cost of such beds is higher, it saves the trouble and cost of renting extra mattresses to accommodate obese patients. “For us, it generates a significant cost.
In looking at that expense, we felt we should go ahead and purchase beds that can hold patients up to 500 pounds,” said Brent Robinson, who heads the patient-care services at DeKalb Medical Center. In addition, the hospital also has larger medical equipment like wheelchairs and even seats for obese patients.
According to the American Hospital Association, the problem of handling obese patients has spread to hospitals nationwide. “It’s an epidemic. It’s everywhere in the United States. When hospitals get obese patients, they need equipment. They have no choice, it's something they’re dealing with,” said Daniel Apuzzo of equipment manufacturer Tuffcare Inc. He added that the problem isn’t only of hospitals but also of medical equipment manufacturers. “We set up a guy last week who is 900 pounds. It was a 1,000-pound bed, but still he broke some of the features off it,” Apuzzo said.
Bearing the brunt of junk food and couch potato-ism are healthcare workers who have trouble moving obese patients around. “As our patients get larger, we’ve had more work injuries with our nursing staff. If you have a 400-pound patient, a lot of times it takes four nurses to lift the patient,” said Cindy Walker of Piedmont Hospital. It might sound funny to others, but the medical fraternity finds the phenomenon nothing to laugh about.
Recently, Hill-Rom Services Inc, a hospital equipment maker came to the rescue of such medical workers with ‘Air Pal’, a tool using high-pressure air for moving patients who weigh up to 1,200 pounds. “We’re seeing a significant increase in hospitals looking for help with this,” said Suzanne Bish of Hill-Rom.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 30 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. The phenomenon is increasing in children as well.
“One of our greatest responsibilities is that we're educating the public as to the dangers of obesity and making sure that the resources are there for people who want to change their lives. When those patients come in we make sure that they get dietary consults and get taught about the risk of being obese,” said DeKalb’s Robinson.
