Poll says hospitals burdened by obese patients

Last Updated: 2003-12-18 16:51:29 -0400 (Reuters Health)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. hospitals are buying expensive new equipment such as reinforced toilets and oversized beds to treat the growing number of severely obese patients, according to a survey released on Thursday.

Novation, a group-purchasing organization for hospitals and other health-care institutions, found that hospitals are seeing more severely obese patients, people who are overweight by at least 100 pounds.

The group quoted 80 percent of hospitals as saying they had treated more severely obese patients in the last year than ever before, with 17 percent saying they had remodeled to accommodate the largest patients.

"We are finding that hospitals across the country are buying more large-size beds, larger blood pressure cuffs, wider, reinforced wheelchairs and larger versions of other basic supplies to adjust to patient needs," Jody Hatcher, senior vice president of Novation, said in a statement.

More than 30 percent of U.S. adults are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This translates to 59 million people.

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 30 or more. BMI is a measure of weight versus height, and the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, is increased in obese individuals.

Web sites such as http://fatcities.com offer furniture to accommodate people weighing 500 pounds and more, while http://funeraldepot.com has a line of oversized caskets.

Wausau Hospital in Wausau, Wisconsin, told Novation it spent $200,000 this year to remodel rooms, order special equipment and train staff to deal with extremely obese patients.

"We've had to buy special, longer surgical gloves and even needles and syringes," said Kent Demien, director of materials management at Wausau. "Standard equipment becomes obsolete on many of our larger patients."

Demien said many patients or hospital visitors are too heavy for a wall-mounted toilet, which can handle up to 300 pounds. The hospital plans to replace them with pedestal commodes that can support 2,000 pounds.

The Novation survey polled administrators from 69 U.S. hospitals representing small, rural hospitals and large urban centers.


http://www.reutershealth.com/archiv...218elin005.html

Sounds like the hospitals need to stop belly-aching. Hospitals are for all people to use and if they happen to be obese then why not steer these people into a healthier direction. Be less critical and more helpful. Stop showing news stories zooming in on people that are overweight or aiming the cameras at these faceless people's stomachs. Do something more hands on about it. Them stating how they had to get everything reinforced to me sounds like they are taking a pot shot at the people who are struggling with this weight epidemic. People who read this that aren't fighting the daily struggle with weight, see this hospital article and pass this among their fellow colleagues as a way to poke fun at those that are not so lucky to easily control their weight. When they lose the battle like many of us have, they gain weight and it can avalanche in seemingly no time. The hospitals could have made these changes and not have said one word. Anyone would figure that a bigger person would need a bigger bed or whatever. To me, this was wrong.

Alienation is never the right way to go!!!!

It's interesting how Drake interpreted that press release about obese patients, doreen T.

I read it and didn't think the hospitals were complaining at all. Just stating a fact. I actually thought it was a rather sad reflection of how the policies of the government regarding food have affected the population. As I read it, I though to myself that something has to be done soon to help people make better choices. Regardless of how much or little money you have you can't make good food choices if you don't have the right information to begin with. And let's face it, we've all been told for decades that high carb foods are healthy. Eat tons of fruit, lots of mashed potatoes, rice etc. and you'll be healthy. We know that's not so and for some people it becomes a battle for life.

I'm glad the low carb way of eating is becoming more and more popular. I just wish more doctors would endorse it and maybe even have public service messages that promote it. Wouldn't it be great if the surgeon general took a stance and endorsed low carbing!