Healthcare Must-Haves

Band-Aids are just the beginning

Even in normal times, when the COVID pandemic isn’t surging through the world, your list of medicine cabinets must-haves remains pretty much the same.

Bandages, gauze pads and hydrogen peroxide, which are available everywhere, are essentials for accidental cuts. But there are more must-haves you’ll need before you head for Urgent Care. I’ve skipped rapid COVID tests, as some may give false readings. The gold-standard is the uncomfortable nose swab test. Some clinics administer the saliva test, which these days takes about five days before you get a result.

A no-touch forehead thermometer is No. 1 for your entire family. There are dozens available on Amazon. After reading the reviews, I bought the $20 iHealth model. Like other no-touch thermometers, it will vary by about one-half degree on successive readings. I take three readings and average them. There are more expensive models, but the iHealth seems to work just fine.

An oximeter, which measures blood oxygen saturation, costs about $20 on Amazon. The device has a clothespin-like feature; slip it on a finger and it will give you an oxygen-saturated reading and your pulse rate. Your doctor can tell you what your readings should be. I bought the Santimedical model, which uses two AAA batteries (included) that seem to last forever.

Blood pressure monitors come with a caveat. No matter what model you choose, they need to be calibrated with a doctor’s office machine. Steer clear of wrist monitors. The best ones have a cuff that wraps around your bicep. I like the Omron models that range upwards of $50. Cheaper ones may not give an accurate reading, and even the Omron model I bought on Amazon was off by about 10 points when compared to a professional monitor. Still, if the home monitor seems high, it’s worth a visit to your doctor’s office.

Heart monitors can be helpful, too. The Kardia devices (which I review in full here) cost from $70 to $180 on Amazon or at www.kardia.com. The least-expensive models measure whether your have atrial fibrillation, a common but potentially serious heart condition, along with pulse rate. They’re easy to use, too. Rest your index fingers on two metal pads and get the reading on your smartphone.

Paying attention to temperature, heart function and blood pressure will ultimately help you decide whether to make that trip to Urgent Care or even the ER. The tools you use to make that decision are inexpensive and widely available, too.

Summary
Low-cost medical gear can save you a trip to the doctor.