Been to the hospital before? An emergency ward or a maternity ward? Did you see the patients being attended to on beds? Those beds are called specialty beds.
Specialty beds are made for healthcare and medical-related causes. They are designed to cater to specific healthcare needs or provide additional comfort and functionality to patients.
In almost every medical ward, there is a different design of specialty beds made specifically for that medical procedure or section.
Commonly, they are innovative pieces of equipment found in medical facilities. As many different medical fields exist, so do their numbers and designs.
Ranging from beds for operations in the theater to maternity beds for pregnant women and the like.
Subsequently, if peradventure, you find yourself in the hospital again, either for a loved one or a friend. Knowing these beds and what they are meant for will help you know when your own is not treated properly.
From adjustable positions to pressure relief and mobility assistance, they are designed to address specific medical conditions and improve patients’ health.
10 Types Of Specialty Beds
Specialty beds find applications in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, quarantine camps, and home care.
They are essential in managing medical conditions such as mobility issues, pressure ulcers, respiratory problems, and more.
Interestingly, these beds can be customized to meet the diverse needs of patients. Providing not only comfort but also crucial support in their treatment and recovery journey.
Hence, these 10 types of specialty beds—know them and know their purposes and uses.
1. Hospital Beds
Hospital beds are a basic standard kind of bed in medical facilities, mostly adjustable. They can be raised or lowered to assist patients in getting in and out of bed easily.
Some have features like an adjustable head, side rails, and foot sections for patient comfort.
They come in a certain size in the general healthcare ward; for emergency conditions, these hospital beds are specialized beds for patient care.
They are designed for comfort, safety, and medical needs. Hospital beds are adjustable to allow patients to be raised or lowered as required.
Also, they often come with features like a small rolling tire on the four legs. This tire makes room for any need to translocate a patient from one ward to another.
Each tire has a featured brake setup that helps healthcare providers control when to stop these tires from moving or ceasing. A hospital bed is focused solely on convenience and treatment.
2. Bariatric beds
Bariatric beds offer enhanced support and safety for heavier individuals and obese patients. These beds provide higher weight capacities, wider frames, and more specialized construction.
They help reduce the risk of injury and improve comfort. Healthcare providers find it comforting to use this chair.
However, accommodating heavier individuals has drawbacks, such as their larger size and weight. Hence, they require more space and that can be an issue when operations or health care will need to take place in a smaller room.
Additionally, these beds tend to be more expensive and may not fit standard bedroom dimensions, limiting their practicality for some users alone.
They are equipped with features like adjustable height, head, and foot positions. All these features make them suitable for use in medical facilities.
3. Pressure-relief beds
Bedridden patients—those who are immobile or have dislocations—should use this bed. By shifting weight and relieving pressure on areas of risk, pressure-relief beds aid in the prevention of pressure ulcers.
These specialty beds are beneficial in many medical situations, but they primarily enhance blood circulation.
Although they work well to avoid bedsores, pressure-relief beds have certain drawbacks. They may be expensive, which restricts accessibility.
Furthermore, they may need special care, personnel training, and maintenance because of their intricate systems and unique features, which might be problematic in some healthcare environments.
Specialty beds called pressure-relief beds are made to relieve pressure sores, also known as bedsores, and to provide comfort for those who are bedridden or have restricted movement.
These mattresses evenly distribute body weight using a variety of technologies, including foam or air systems. To improve patient care and general well-being, they are frequently employed in hospital settings.
4. Pediatric beds
This bed has a very important role in child delivery. Pediatric beds are specially designed medical beds for infants and children in healthcare settings. Side rails for protection, and colorful designs to create a child-friendly environment.
Pediatric beds are of the highest importance in pediatric hospitals, clinics, and pediatric wards within general hospitals. These beds are tailored to meet the unique needs of children in a healthcare setting
5. Maternity Beds
These beds are the most celebrated and well designed, maybe because life is brought into this world 90% on this bed. Maternity beds are designed for child labor and delivery, making them most vital in hospitals and special delivery clinics.
They are designed to support expectant mothers before, during, and after childbirth. They are equipped with features that enhance comfort and facilitate medical care during labor and delivery.
These beds often have adjustable positions to adapt to different birthing techniques, and some come with integrated monitoring and support systems.
Maternity beds play a critical role in ensuring the safety and well-being of both the mother and newborn during the childbirth process.
A support frame for the mother’s open legs and a supporting framework for her lower back to help her push the baby out. These beds provide a comfortable and functional environment for healthcare providers.
6. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Beds
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds are specialized hospital beds equipped with more advanced monitoring and life-support equipment.
The ICU is a crucial bed for treating critically ill patients, including those with severe injuries, fractures, life-threatening illnesses, or post-surgical recovery.
ICUs provide constant medical supervision and care, where the healthcare provider can easily monitor the patient’s progress on medications.
They offer critical healthcare services such as mechanical ventilation, intravenous medications, and the observation of vital signs.
The ICU is a blend of technology and medical advancement, and because of the blend, it is always expensive to purchase. The number of ICU beds in a healthcare facility shows how prepared a community is to respond to emergencies.
7. Surgical Tables
Surgical beds are another kind of specialty bed found in the operation ward alone. They are also known as operating tables or OT tables and are specialized beds made for surgical operations.
They provide a stable and adjustable platform for patients during surgery.
Surgical beds or tables come in various types to accommodate different surgical specialties. These procedures entail that surgeons will stand by for some time or even for hours, hence the need for a framework to support surgeons.
Orthopedics, neurosurgery, or even general surgery are some of the operations that can be done on these beds.
They are designed in a way to fit precise positioning and to ensure the patient’s safety and the efficiency of the surgery.
These tables are often equipped with features like height adjustment, rolling tires, and radiolucent capabilities for X-rays. These features allow surgeons to work with precision and comfort.
8. Orthopedic Beds
Orthopedic beds are specialized beds for conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system, offering body support, optimal comfort, and spinal alignment.
These beds feature memory foam or high-density foam mattresses that help patients relieve pressure on joints and muscles.
Hence, for patients having orthopedic issues, back pain, or joint discomfort, this bed is ideal. Orthopedic beds aim to not only improve sleep quality but also reduce pain.
These beds promote overall well-being by providing the right level of support, resulting in a restful and pain-free night’s sleep.
9. Psychiatric Beds
This is a specialty bed that features a more complex design with a specific purpose, is built to prevent self-harm, and often has features like tamper-resistant hardware. Aiding and providing appropriate treatment support to those with mental crises.
These beds are equipped with rails strong enough to withstand pressure. Only found in hospitals and therapeutic environments for patients requiring psychiatric evaluation, treatment, and observation.
The availability of psychiatric beds is critical to supporting individuals with mental illnesses. Without proper care and supervision, individuals with psychiatric crises cannot normally be tamed. But this bed can make the job a bit easier for them.
10. Recovery Beds
Recovery beds are specialized medical facilities built to aid patients in recovering comfortably. Sometimes patients suffer more from post-illness, post-surgery, or other medical operations. Most times, it depends on where they rest during the recovery stage.
These beds have features like ergonomic design and customizable positions. They have aided in improving patient comfort and speeding up recuperation.
Hospitals, clinics, and post-operative recovery units are common places to find them. Recovery beds are essential to the post-operative and post-treatment care of patients.
They minimize pain and problems and aid in the patient’s return to strength and movement on time.
Prices for specialty beds
It’s crucial to remember that these are only rough estimates and that final costs may change depending on things like brand, quality, and extra features.
Speak with local vendors, medical specialists, or providers of medical equipment to obtain the most accurate pricing.
Notably, the price of a basic hospital bed can range from $500 to $2,000. More sophisticated models that come with electronic adjustability and extra functions might cost up to $5,000 or more.
Final words
In healthcare facilities, specialty beds are essential to guarantee patient comfort, safety, and proper treatment. They improve the standard of healthcare delivered by being specifically designed to satisfy certain medical problems or during specific medical procedures.
