Hill-Rom Hospital Beds in Compliance With New FDA Guidelines

BATESVILLE, Ind., March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Hill-Rom, a leading global provider of health care solutions, supports and adheres to the Hospital Bed System Dimensional and Assessment Guidance to Reduce Entrapment on display now at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Web site.

The Guidance will be officially issued tomorrow and published in the Federal Registry.

All Hill-Rom beds manufactured today meet the guidelines specified by the FDA, and upgrade kits are available to help hospitals bring their older Hill- Rom beds into compliance.

Hill-Rom has been a member of the FDA’s Hospital Bed Safety Workgroup since its inception. Also, the company was instrumental in helping launch the 1995 FDA Patient Safety Alert about entrapment risks and has actively evolved its own bed rail and bed designs over the succeeding years in the absence of published guidance.

“The goal is zero entrapments,” said Rolf Classon, president and CEO of Hill-Rom. “We are committed to applying our clinical expertise and our highest technology to ensure we produce the safest beds possible.”

Hill-Rom cautions customers that, while beds shipped from its facilities meet the federal guidelines, patient safety from entrapments is about more than just design. Many factors, including whether the mattress and rails are damaged or worn down, can effect whether the bed is in compliance. Hospitals and long-term care facilities must constantly be aware of their patients’ safety regarding entrapment.

Every health care professional should have access to information that will educate them on the risks as well as provide helpful information to assess their patients and identify the appropriate actions to minimize the risk.

Hill-Rom is available to help customers understand the FDA guidelines and what they mean for patients and facilities, and work with customers to develop strategies for ensuring that existing beds minimize the risk of entrapment.

For more information on bed safety, visit http://www.hill-rom.com/ or e-mail BedSafety@Hill-Rom.com .

About Hill-Rom

Hill-Rom helps health care professionals safely deliver effective and efficient care to their patients in acute care, long-term care and home care environments. The company’s extensive product and service offering includes: patient care beds, stretchers, therapeutic surfaces and devices, patient flow and workflow solutions, nurse communication systems, headwalls and facility assessments.

In addition, the company provides comprehensive asset management programs and on-demand medical equipment rental, utilizing its nearly 200 service centers located strategically throughout the United States. The company also offers expert clinical and equipment services and programs that can help improve asset productivity, operational efficiency and patient outcomes. Hill-Rom’s global headquarters is based in Batesville, Ind., and employs approximately 6,500 people worldwide. It is an operating company of Hillenbrand Industries . Hill-Rom’s Web site is http://www.hill-rom.com/ .

   Media Contact:    Brian Gregg   Public Relations Manager   (812) 934-8692   Brian.Gregg@Hill-Rom.com  

Hill-Rom

CONTACT: Brian Gregg, Public Relations Manager of Hill-Rom,+1-812-934-8692, or Brian.Gregg@Hill-Rom.com

Web site: http://www.hill-rom.com/