Exam Room and Clinic Equipment: IV Stands, Treatment Cabinets, Privacy Screens and Instrument Tables

Setting up or refreshing an exam room, a rehab clinic or a care facility usually means buying the same handful of items: something to hang fluids from, somewhere to store supplies, a screen for privacy, a surface for instruments, a light, a stool and a table. This guide covers what to compare on each, with examples from our range, and ends with a room checklist.

These are equipment notes, not clinical guidance. Follow your facility's policies and the manufacturer's instructions for setup, cleaning and weight limits, and ask your clinical team if a piece of equipment will be used in a way the listing does not describe.

What should you compare on an IV stand?

An IV stand, or IV pole, holds bags on hooks at the top of an upright pole that rolls on a caster base. Compare the number of hooks, the height adjustment, the number of legs in the base and the caster size. The Stainless Steel Deluxe IV Stand from Graham-Field is chrome-plated stainless steel on a five-leg base with 2 inch nylon swivel casters. Two-hook and four-hook stands are also listed, as is a telescoping pole. A wider base with more legs is generally steadier when moved, so check the base size against the space around the bed or chair.

How do you choose treatment cabinets and storage?

Treatment cabinets keep supplies within reach and can roll from room to room. The Four-Drawer Rolling Treatment Cabinet comes from the UMF modular casework range built for exam rooms. It rolls on 2 inch twin wheel casters and is offered in 15 colors. Small, medium and large cabinets, two-door rolling cabinets and models with a top section are also listed. Measure the wall or corner where the cabinet will sit, and check whether you need drawers, doors or both.

Utility carts are another storage option. The Graham-Field stainless steel utility cart, for example, lists a 400 lb load capacity, or 133 lb per shelf, and stands 36 inches tall overall.

What should you compare on a privacy screen?

A privacy screen divides a shared room or blocks the view from a door. Compare the number of panels, the panel material and whether the screen rolls or stands on fixed feet. The Three Panel Privacy Screen with Wheels rolls on four 3 inch hooded casters and uses flame retardant vinyl panels, and the listing names nursing homes, exam rooms and doctor's offices as typical settings. Standard and non-wheeled three-panel screens are also available.

What is a Mayo instrument table?

A Mayo-type table holds a flat tray over a bed, chair or exam table on a single-sided base, so it can slide in close. The Grafco Mayo-Type Instrument Table has a 12.5 by 19 inch stainless steel tray, and its chrome-plated base rolls on casters that do not lock. Its height adjusts from 31 to 50 inches, it arrives in knockdown form for assembly, and the listed capacity is 25 lb, evenly spread. Fixed stainless Mayo stands come in 13 by 19 inch and 16 by 21 inch tray sizes, and a rolling medical utility table is listed too. Always check the weight capacity before setting equipment on a tray.

What should you look for in an exam lamp?

An exam lamp puts light where you need it without holding a flashlight. The Goose Neck Exam Lamp has a 16 inch flexible arm that can be pointed where you need it and swivels a full 360 degrees. Height runs from 48 to 72 inches, the base is weighted steel to keep it upright, and it plugs into a 3-prong outlet. Check the cord length against the outlet positions in the room.

Stools and seating for staff

Clinicians often work from a rolling stool. The Chattanooga Pneumatic Stool has a round, thick foam swivel seat and a gas spring for raising and lowering, and it lists a 350 lb capacity. Compare the seat height range, whether there is a backrest and the caster type for your floor.

What should you compare on a treatment table?

Exam and rehab tables are the largest item in the room. Our treatment table collection includes Chattanooga Adapta platforms and tables. The Adapta Summit, for example, lists a 450 lb capacity, a scissor lift with six pedal controls and retractable casters. When comparing tables, check the weight capacity, the height range, the number of sections, the power needs and the footprint, and leave room to walk around three sides.

Instruments and small equipment

Our tools and equipment collection also lists hand instruments such as forceps, scissors and needle holders, plus kick buckets, specimen containers, eye charts and reflex hammers. Most instruments are listed by pattern name and length, so match both when reordering.

What should you compare on each item?

Always check the weight capacity on the listing before loading a tray, shelf or table.

Cleaning and upkeep

Every surface in an exam room gets wiped down often, so check what the manufacturer allows. Stainless steel, chrome plating, vinyl panels and table upholstery each have their own cleaning instructions, and some cleaners can dull a finish or crack vinyl over time. Ask us for the manual if it is not on the listing. It also helps to check casters every few months and to tighten any knobs or clamps that have loosened with use.

Room checklist

• Measure the room and sketch where the table, cabinet, screen and stand will go.
• Leave clear paths for walking around the table and for wheelchairs or lifts.
• Check the weight capacity of tables, trays and carts.
• Match casters to the floor and check which ones lock.
• Find outlets for the lamp, the table and any powered items.
• Confirm assembly requirements and lead times with us before a move-in date.

Talk to us

Furnishing several rooms or ordering in quantity? Call 1-877-861-8000, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Pacific, or email contactus@medsupplynow.com. Orders of $50 or more get free US shipping. Browse our tools and equipment, treatment tables and healthcare supplies.

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