A hospital bed or hospital cot is a bed specially designed for hospitalized patients or others in need of some form of health care. These beds have special features both for the comfort and well-being of the patient and for the convenience of health care workers. Common features include adjustable height for the entire bed, the head, and the feet, adjustable side rails, and electronic buttons to operate both the bed and other nearby electronic devices.
Link to Pukang
Hospital beds and other similar types of beds such as nursing care beds are used not only in hospitals, but in other health care facilities and settings, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, outpatient clinics, and in home health care.
While the term hospital bed can refer to the actual bed, the term bed is also used to describe the amount of space in a health care facility, as the capacity for the number of patients at the facility is measured in available "beds".
There are various pros and cons for the different types of hospital beds, depending on the functions and features available, among other factors.[2]
Beds with adjustable side rails first appeared in Britain some time between and .[3]
In the mattress company Andrew Wuest and Son, Cincinnati, Ohio, registered a patent for a type of mattress frame with a hinged head that could be elevated, a predecessor of the modern day hospital bed.[4]
The modern 3-segment adjustable hospital bed was invented by Willis Dew Gatch (-), chair of the Department of Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine, in .[5] This type of bed is sometimes referred to as the Gatch Bed.[6] The crank was added by Henry Ford.[6]
The modern push-button hospital bed was invented in , and it originally included a built-in toilet in hopes of eliminating the bedpan.[7]
Alternating pressure mattresses use computer-controlled pumps to inflate and deflate automatically in order to lower the risk of bed sores.[8]
Many modern hospital beds are able to feature a bed exit alarm whereby a pressure pad on or in the mattress arms an audible alert when a weight such as a patient is placed on it, and activating the full alarm once this weight is removed. This is helpful to hospital staff or caregivers monitoring any number of patients from a distance (such as a nurse's station) as the alarm will trigger in the event of a patient (especially the elderly or memory impaired) falling out of the bed or wandering off unsupervised. This alarm can be emitted solely from the bed itself or connected to the nurse call bell/light or hospital /paging system.[9] Also some beds can feature a multi-zone bed exit alarm which can alert the staff when the patient start moving in the bed and before the actual exit which is necessary for some cases.
In the event of the bed occupant suddenly requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation, some hospital beds offer a CPR function in the form of a button or lever which when activated flattens the bed platform and put it in lowest height and deflates and flattens the bed's air mattress (if installed) creating a flat hard surface necessary for CPR administration.[10]
Beds can be raised and lowered at the head, feet, and their entire height. While on older beds this is done with cranks usually found at the foot of the bed, on modern beds this feature is electronic.
Today, while a fully electric bed has many features that are electronic, a semi-electric bed has two motors, one to raise the head, and the other to raise the foot.[11]
Raising the head (known as a Fowler's position) can provide some benefits to the patient, the staff, or both. The Fowler's position is used for sitting the patient upright for feeding or certain other activities, or in some patients, can ease breathing, or may be beneficial to the patient for other reasons.[11]
Raising the feet can help ease movement of the patient toward the headboard and may also be necessary for certain conditions.
Raising and lowering the height of the bed can help bring the bed to a comfortable level for the patient to get in and out of bed, or for caregivers to work with the patient.
There are 5 function beds which comes with many functions such as head elevation, foot elevation, Trendelenburg, reverse Trendelenburg positions with height adjustment options.[12] These types of beds are typically used in ICUs and for patients who are high dependent.
Beds have side rails that can be raised or lowered. These rails, which serve as protection for the patient and sometimes can make the patient feel more secure, can also include the buttons used for their operation by staff and patients to move the bed, call the nurse, or even control the television.[13]
There are many types of side rails to serve different purposes. While some are simply to prevent patient falls, others have equipment that can aid the patient themself without physically confining the patient to bed.
Side rails, if not built properly, can be of risk for patient entrapment. In the United States, more than 300 deaths were reported as a result of this between and .[14] As a result, the Food and Drug Administration has set guidelines regarding the safety of side rails.[15]
In some cases, use of the rails may require a physician's order (depending on local laws and the policies of the facility where they are used) as rails may be considered a form of medical restraint.
Many specialist hospital beds are also produced to effectively treat different injuries. These include standing beds, turning beds and legacy beds. These are usually used to treat back and spinal injuries as well as severe trauma.
Some advanced beds are equipped with columns which help tilt the bed to 15–30 degrees on each side. Such tilting can help prevent pressure ulcers for the patient, and help caregivers to do their daily tasks with less of a risk of back injuries.[16]
Wheels enable easy movement of the bed, either within parts of the facility in which they are located, or within the room. Sometimes movement of the bed a few inches to a few feet may be necessary in patient care.
Wheels are lockable. For safety, wheels can be locked when transferring the patient in or out of the bed.[17]
A hospital bed can cost over US$.00; on average with different costs associated with completely manual functions, 2-motor functions and fully electric 3-motor functions (whole bed going up and down). Other costs are associated with bariatric heavy duty models that also offer extra width.[18]
Hospital beds can make a patient's spine more rounded because a patient who sits up a lot, such as when watching television, tends to slip down.[19] Some of the category a bed manufacturers are providing their beds with a built-in function which acts as an anti-slip. LINET is providing Ergoframe while others have different names.[20]
During the s, patient safety had been a concern with hospital beds.
In , a 3-year-old Milwaukee girl hospitalized for pneumonia was killed when crushed by a mechanical hospital bed.[21]
In , an 11-year-old Illinois boy was strangled to death by a hospital bed.[22]
Medicare covers different types of durable medical equipment (DME), which may include an adjustable bed if a person meets the criteria.
For people with certain medical conditions, such as a broken hip or paraplegia, an adjustable bed can mean greater comfort and a lower risk of further injury.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website medical beds for sale.
This article looks at Medicare coverage requirements. It also examines the costs and financial assistance.
Medicare considers prescribed adjustable beds, including hospital beds, as DME. Therefore, it may cover the cost as long as a doctor certifies that a person needs the bed for home use.
However, there are different types of adjustable beds, and Medicare does not cover them all. For Medicare to consider an adjustable bed as DME, the bed must:
In general, doctors do not consider an adjustable bed useful or necessary for a person who is not sick or injured. According to Medicare’s definitions, lounge beds — whether they use manual or electric power — are not DME.
Medicare divides its coverage into parts, with each part offering coverage for different aspects of healthcare.
Medicare Part B pays for DME, including adjustable beds.
Part B also covers some medical testing and some medications, such as infusions or vaccinations.
Learn more about Medicare Part B.
Medicare will only consider an adjustable bed as DME if it adjusts either from the head or foot, allowing a person to elevate different body parts as necessary.
The bed should also have side rails that an individual can lower or raise.
Medicare may cover part of the cost for necessary modifications to a person’s adjustable bed, such as having an air-fluidized bed for reducing pressure. Other Medicare-covered adjustments may include:
For someone to be eligible for an adjustable bed that qualifies as DME, their doctor must write a prescription stating that the bed is medically necessary.
According to the eligibility requirements, the bed is a medical necessity if a person needs:
In the prescription, the doctor must describe the person’s condition and diagnosis to explain why the adjustable bed is medically necessary.
Examples of conditions for which people may need an adjustable bed include:
Although Medicare helps pay for adjustable beds, a person is usually still responsible for paying a portion of the costs. Various factors can also affect the costs, such as the type of bed and the rental or purchase terms.
The person must rent or buy the bed from a supplier that accepts Medicare assignment. This means the supplier agrees to the price Medicare sets for renting or purchasing the equipment.
If someone purchases or rents a bed from a supplier that does not accept Medicare, that supplier may charge more than the Medicare-approved amount, and Medicare will not cover the cost.
If a person rents the bed, Medicare covers the monthly payments, and the supplier covers the cost of repairs. Medicare will cover the rental costs for 13 months of continuous use. After this time, the supplier must transfer ownership to the user.
To find a supplier, a person can use Medicare’s online tool or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-).
Many different adjustable beds are available, with various options for purchase or rental.
Cost factors will include:
After a person’s doctor certifies that a bed is medically necessary and the person obtains it from a Medicare-approved supplier, they will pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.
If a person has not met their Medicare Part B deductible, it will apply to the purchase or rental. For , the Medicare Part B deductible is $257.
As Medicare does not fully cover the costs of an adjustable bed, a person may need financial assistance to pay for the deductible or copay relating to an adjustable bed.
Some of the potential sources of help with costs include:
A person may wish to ask their doctor about potential sources of financial support in their community.
Below are answers to common questions about getting cover for adjustable beds.
A doctor can write a prescription for an adjustable bed. In order for Medicare to cover some of the costs of an adjustable bed, a doctor must write a prescription stating that the bed is medically necessary.
Medicare might cover part of the cost of an adjustable Tempur-Pedic bed. However, there are numerous eligibility requirements. A person can contact Medicare to find out more.
Medicare may cover part of the cost of a Sleep Number bed, depending on factors such as eligibility and the availability of other adjustable beds. A person can contact Medicare to discuss their coverage.
The company is the world’s best hospital trolleys supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.