Optimizing Patient Care With Modern Weight Management Tools
Andrew Cuthbert |Taking accurate weight measurements allows you to provide patients with precise assessments of their body weight and overall health. Modern tools significantly aid this process, helping you take the most exact measures of important metrics like mass, BMI, waist circumference, and more.
Digital tools, including electronic health records, can also aid patient care. Here are the innovative weight tools your practice should be leveraging.
Essential Weight Measuring Tools in Clinical Practice
Whether your practice wants to help patients on their weight loss journeys or simply provide them with accurate health metrics, using modern, reliable weight tools is a must. Such tools help practitioners accurately track patients’ weight, BMI, and obesity levels.
Advanced Weight Scales
Many healthcare professionals have begun upgrading their patient scales for more modern, advanced models. Advanced scales streamline the process of taking a patient’s weight through digital displays and integrated height rods for BMI calculations. They also have high weight capacities, allowing them to accommodate all patients.
Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculators
Modern tools make measuring and calculating body mass index (BMI) easy. Calculators like the Body Weight Planner by NIDDK or the CDC’s Adult BMI Calculator help patients pinpoint a healthy goal to aim for. These tools also offer personalized health management planning, helping you give tailored advice.
Waist Circumference Measuring Tools
Accurate waist circumference tools are vital for precisely measuring a person’s belly fat and determining their risk for relevant health conditions. Modern medical practices use specialized medical measuring tapes that expand up to 80 inches, offer measurements down to the millimeter, do not stretch during use, and retract for easy storage.
Digital Tools for Weight Management
Implementing a few digital weight loss tools may also aid your practice’s weight management efforts. Consider adopting these platforms as well.
Electronic Health Records (EHR) With Integrated Weight Management Features
Using electronic health records (EHR) allows patients to access their health data from anywhere. Many EHR systems include weight management features, such as:
- Healthy weight tracking, adjusted for a patient’s age, height, and other factors
- Goal-setting features with automatic reminders
- Progress monitoring to encourage patients to continue working toward their goals
These features allow patients to see visual indicators of their progress, which may make it easier for them to stay on track toward a healthy weight.
Patient Engagement and Communication Platforms
Maintaining open patient communication also encourages them to adhere to their management plans. Weave is a patient engagement platform with a wide range of integrated communication tools, such as:
- Appointment reminders to prevent no-shows and encourage patients to schedule check-ups
- Two-way texting that allows patients to text your practice with any questions or concerns
- Email marketing templates to make engaging your patient base simple
Leverage these features to help patients stay engaged and informed throughout their health journeys.
Implementing Weight Management Tools in Your Practice
Before you begin adopting weight tools in your practice, review these tips to facilitate a smooth rollout that supports staff and patients.
Staff Training and Education
Train your staff on the proper usage of all measurement instruments and digital platforms. Teach them how to interpret data and the steps to determining a healthy weight on a case-by-case basis.
You might also offer workshops or seminars regularly to help your team stay up to date on the latest advancements in weight management.
Enhancing Patient Experience
Along with training staff, make sure patients feel comfortable with new instruments and take steps to create a positive, welcoming environment within your practice. You have the opportunity to enhance the patient experience by cheering on their wins, helping patients understand that mass is just a small indicator of health, and allowing them to participate in their own care through digital tools.
Let Weave Help You Improve Patient Care and Experience
Using appropriate weight tools in your practice helps you deliver accurate data for patients who are overweight or experiencing obesity and looking to get their health back on track. Through comprehensive solutions like Weave, you can streamline communication and enhance patient engagement, creating a more positive experience for everyone.
Get a demo of Weave’s platform today to learn more about the benefits it could bring to your practice.
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