Talking Scale May Help Patients Lose Weight
Doctors Say Scales Reducing Readmissions, Saving Money
clickondetroit.com

If your scale could talk, what would it say? Doctors say a scale that voices its concerns about your weight may help save some patients' lives. More than 30 St. John homecare patients with congestive heart failure are now equipped with talking scales that determine daily a patients' accurate weight and symptoms, like shortness of breath.

And, if you're overweight, the scale let's you know it, Local 4 reported.

A patient's answers to the scale's questions are transferred through a telephone line to a program coordinator who tracks the patient's weight and any changes. That information is then passed on to a doctor who can then alter or adjust a patient's medication.

"It improves their quality of life," said Jeanne Butler, of St. John home care. "They know someone is watching, so they follow the rules."

Health officials say the scales are reducing readmissions to hospitals and are saving time and money.

"We just finished a new study and we reduced readmissions by 50 percent," said Lynn Bowden, program coordinator at St. John.

Officials say another impressive feature of the scale is it can measure patients up to 500 pounds, where most scales can only measure up to around 330 pounds.