What Are the Characteristics of a Good Stethoscope?

Stethoscopes are critical medical equipment, but you may be surprised at how challenging it is to find a good stethoscope that works the best for your medical team. Stethoscopes are not one size fits all; they are highly sensitive. Finding the right stethoscope can impact patient outcomes to the point of making or breaking them.

Three Main Types of Stethoscopes

Acoustic

Acoustic stethoscopes were the first kind of stethoscope developed. These classic scopes have a two-sided chest piece with two sound collection components. The larger side is the diaphragm that is used to pick up high-frequency sounds. The other, known as the bell (smaller in size) picks up sounds of lower frequencies.

Littman

Littman stethoscopes are perfect for collecting sounds spanning a wide range of frequencies. These stethoscopes are built to work on a pressure-frequency basis. The pressure with which the diaphragm is applied to the patient’s body is going to determine the frequency of the sound you hear. Higher the pressure, the higher the frequency of the sound you hear.

Electronic

Electronic stethoscopes are the most sophisticated out of the three. These scopes are Bluetooth enabled, meaning they can record the sound. They also offer highly precise levels of sound receiving. Electronic scopes are considerably expensive and are favored by doctors whose practice involves delicate diagnostic procedures.

How to Decide if it Is a Good Stethoscope?

Accurate

The most important factor that goes into deciding whether the stethoscope you choose is a good one is the level of accuracy it provides. Any good stethoscope, no matter what type, should amplify the sounds from inside the body and cancel surrounding noise for best results. The scope’s accuracy is often determined by the tubing. When buying, ensure that the tubing is thick and sturdy enough.

Comfort

This is the part that a lot of doctors seem to get wrong. Since you will be wearing your scope a lot throughout your practice, always make sure that you pick a comfortable fit. Ideally, the scope should come with different-sized ear tips. The length should be enough that it can be comfortably used on a patient.

Affordable

It also matters that the stethoscope comes with a reasonable price tag. Avoid getting the first scope that you come across; instead, go through a couple of dealers and compare the different pieces. Remember that a lesser price does not mean compromising on premium quality.

Introducing Doctor’s Dispensing Medication in Office

The practice of doctors dispensing medication in the office is termed physician dispensing. Sometimes also referred to as ‘in-office dispensing’ or ‘point-of-care dispensing,’ here the prescription medication is supplied directly to the patient via the physician’s clinic and sometimes even the physician themselves.

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**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of the patient-doctor relationship.