> Of Jim Elwell > Sent: 10 May 2002 19:47 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:19997] metric in hospitals > >When I visited her in the University of Utah hospital, I >noticed a white board inside the entrance to the Neuro >Critical Care unit, which listed each room, patient's name, >and patient's height and weight, and other info. > >The heights and weights were in centimeters and kilograms! No colloquial >units.
How far has the metric system penetrated medicine? Drug labels? Dose instructions to patients? Are all American pharmacists fully metricated by law? What about doctors? It would be bizarre to mix systems. I found the following: "Apothecary symbols dram minim Misunderstood or misread (symbol for dram misread for "3" and minim misread as "mL"). Use the metric system" http://www.med.utah.edu/accred/newsletters/march02.html "Most hospitals use the metric system for weighing babies." http://www.med.utah.edu/healthinfo/pediatric/hrnewborn/assess_lh.htm I also found this Medicaid statement: "Starting July 1, 1998, pharmacies must bill using metric decimal quantities to the second decimal when entering the units dispensed" http://hlunix.hl.state.ut.us/medicaid/html/july98mib.html American College of Physicians: "Use the metric system except for therapies that use standard units" http://www.acponline.org/journals/news/feb97/prbr297.htm -- Terry Simpson Human Factors Consultant [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.connected-systems.com Phone: +44 7850 511794
