Best Examination Tables
Choosing the right examination table shapes every consult you run. This HealthTec range covers the examination table, examination couch, treatment table and medical examination table styles used across GP clinics, physio rooms and allied health practices, from two-section models to electric-backrest options.
Electric Height Adjustable Bariatric Examination Table | 350kg Capacity
Two-Section vs Three-Section Examination Tables
Section count is the first decision. A two-section examination table has a fixed base and a hinged head-end, enough for general consults, injections and basic checks. A three-section, or universal, table adds a separate leg-section that drops away for procedures needing full-length access, such as gynaecological exams or minor treatments. Physio and allied health rooms often lean toward three-section models because the extra articulation supports a wider range of positions. GP consult rooms with simpler needs are usually well served by a two-section table.
Two-Section Examination Tables
The standard choice for general practice. Two-section tables keep a compact footprint, cost less than three-section or electric models, and suit rooms where consults are mostly seated or reclined rather than fully supine. Look for vinyl upholstery that wipes down easily between patients and a paper roll holder built into the head-end.
Three-Section (Universal) Examination Tables
Also sold as universal examination tables, three-section models add a drop-down leg section for full-length procedures. This makes them the better fit for physio, sports medicine and gynaecology use, where the practitioner needs access along the whole body. The extra section adds width to the footprint, so measure the room before ordering, particularly if the table also needs to support a mechanical or electric backrest lift.
Mechanical vs Electric Backrest Examination Tables
Backrest adjustment is the second decision. Mechanical tables use a gas strut or ratchet to raise and lower the backrest by hand, a reliable option for practices on a tighter budget. Electric tables use a motor to lift the backrest, and often the whole table height, at the press of a button. This matters most in high-turnover clinics, where staff reposition the table dozens of times a day, and for practices treating bariatric or lower-mobility patients who need the table height itself to adjust.
Mechanical Backrest Examination Tables
A simple, dependable option for GP clinics with steady but not high-volume consult schedules. Mechanical backrests have fewer moving parts to service, cost less upfront, and still give the practitioner a usable range of recline positions.
Electric Backrest Examination Tables
Electric backrest and hi-lo height adjustment suit busy physio and allied health rooms, where the table needs to move between patients quickly and safely. Electric tables also make it easier for patients with reduced mobility to get on and off the table at a lower height, an important consideration for bariatric and aged-care-adjacent clinics.
What's the difference between a two-section and three-section examination table?
A two-section table has a fixed base and hinged head-end, suited to general consults. A three-section, or universal, table adds a drop-down leg section for full-length procedures, common in physio and gynaecology use.
Should I choose a mechanical or electric examination table?
Mechanical suits lower-volume clinics on a tighter budget. Electric suits high-turnover physio or allied health rooms, and practices needing adjustable table height for bariatric or lower-mobility patients.
What weight capacity does a GP or physio clinic examination table need?
Match the table's rated weight capacity, or safe working load, to your typical patient base. Bariatric electric models are available for clinics that regularly see higher-capacity patients.
Do examination tables need to meet any medical device standards in Australia?
Most examination tables are general clinical furniture rather than regulated medical devices, but always confirm compliance requirements with your supplier before purchase, particularly for tables used in procedures.