In Part 1, we saw how hospital beds transformed from bare wooden frames to multi-segmented, manually cranked platforms. By the mid-20th century, the stage was set for electrification, high-profile custom designs, and the nascent idea that a bed could actually improve patient outcomes rather than just provide a place to lie down. Now, in Part […]

When you enter a hospital room today, the bed may look like a standard fixture: adjustable, automated, and equipped with various safety features. Yet, just two centuries ago, hospital beds were little more than basic wooden frames. Patients shared large wards, with minimal attention to comfort or safety. So what changed—and how did we get […]

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020 and 2021, it placed extraordinary pressure on every aspect of healthcare systems. Ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), and testing supplies quickly became headline issues—but one key resource also took center stage: hospital beds. Far from being simple furnishings, these beds proved essential to patient care, […]