Five Types of Medical Equipment

By | September 16, 2013

Buying all medical equipment is not possible. You need to choose a medical equipment according to your requirements. Each equipment has its own unique characteristics and it is very important to know for what the equipment should be used and how each equipment functions.

Medical equipment are categorized based on their functions. There are five major types of medical equipment such as diagnostic, laboratory, therapeutic, life support and monitoring. Read the article to know how each equipment functions and for what it is used for.

In diagnostics – The name itself suggests that the job involves diagnosing diseases or health conditions of patients. Diagnostic equipment is the foremost tool that helps in knowing the diseases. Without diagnosis, treatment is not recommended. There are many diagnostic equipment like ultrasound machines for scanning, MRI for identifying tumors, anesthesia machines for giving anesthesia, ECG for cardiogram, etc. Diagnosis is again of many types such as clinical diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis and radiology diagnosis, based on the diagnosis there are equipment available.

Laboratory equipment – This equipment is specifically used in laboratories for analyzing diseases. It gives accurate results without any errors which helps in knowing the treatment of the diseases. They reduce laborious process, cut down time and produce results optimally. Some of the equipment include DNA analyzers which help in studying DNA sequencing and has important role in Forensic department.

  • Blood sample analyzer – The equipment is used for blood tests to know some fevers, blood groups, etc. Dilution of sample is automated to get quick results.
  • Hematology analyzers – The equipment is used for blood clotting checks, it is used for calculating the total blood cells count (RBC+WBC).

Therapeutic equipment – It is used after surgeries for speedy recovery of patients. They include infusion pumps. They help in pain relief, slight movements, etc.

Life support equipment – They are generally used in intensive care units for critical cases. For example, feeding tubes, mechanical ventilators and oxygen infusion machines when patients lack oxygen.

Monitoring equipment – They are used for monitoring the condition of the patient from time to time. Some equipment include heart monitors to check heart beat, hemodynamic monitors to check blood pressure, respiratory monitors to see whether the patient is supplied with sufficient oxygen, child birth monitors, blood glucose monitors, etc.

Every medical equipment is unique in its functions. Accurate knowledge of the equipment and their functionalities is crucial before purchasing the equipment.