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Types of Hospital Beds: Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Bed

David L

Understanding Your Options: Long-Term Care, Med-Surge, Adjustable, and More

When you're shopping for a hospital bed for home use or facility care, it's important to understand the different types available.
Choosing the right bed depends on the user's health needs, lifestyle, space, and caregiver support.

Here’s a complete breakdown of the main types of hospital beds:


Long-Term Care Beds

Best For:

  • Patients needing daily medical care or extended recovery

  • Homecare or skilled nursing facilities

Features:

  • Designed for 24/7 long-term use

  • Lower bed heights to help reduce fall risk

  • Heavy-duty frames and enhanced durability

  • Options for Trendelenburg and Reverse Trendelenburg positioning

  • Higher weight capacities available


Med-Surge Beds

Best For:

  • Hospital, rehab, or post-surgical recovery settings

  • Patients who need frequent repositioning or higher clinical care

Features:

  • Advanced positioning controls (multi-section adjustments)

  • Integrated scales, alarms, and medical monitoring features

  • Built for high-acuity environments

  • Typically higher priced due to advanced technology


Adjustable Beds

Best For:

  • Home use when medical-grade functionality isn’t required

  • Seniors or individuals who want lifestyle comfort features

Features:

  • Adjustable head and foot sections for sleeping, reading, or relaxing

  • Not designed for heavy caregiving or safety standards required in hospital beds

  • Available in Twin XL, Queen, King sizes

  • Optional features like massage, zero-gravity positioning, and lighting


Full-Electric Beds

Best For:

  • Homecare patients who need easy, independent control

Features:

  • Head, foot, and overall bed height adjusted with a remote control

  • Minimal caregiver effort required

  • Great for those who need frequent position changes


Semi-Electric Beds

Best For:

  • Budget-conscious buyers who still want some electric adjustment

Features:

  • Electric adjustments for head and foot sections

  • Manual crank for adjusting bed height

  • Balance of affordability and convenience


Manual Beds

Best For:

  • Basic short-term use

  • Buyers looking for the most affordable option

Features:

  • All adjustments (head, foot, height) are done manually with a crank

  • Requires caregiver effort to reposition the user

  • Limited convenience compared to electric models


Bariatric Beds

Best For:

  • Individuals requiring higher weight capacity and wider sleeping surfaces

Features:

  • Reinforced heavy-duty frames

  • Wider bed widths (42", 48", 54")

  • Weight capacities often between 500–1,000+ lbs

  • Specially designed for safety and comfort for larger users


Low Beds

Best For:

  • Patients at high risk for falls

  • Homecare environments prioritizing safety

Features:

  • Can lower closer to the floor than standard beds

  • Helps minimize injury risk from accidental falls

  • Often combined with fall mats for added safety


Hi-Low Beds

Best For:

  • Both homecare and professional care settings

  • Patients and caregivers who need maximum height flexibility

Features:

  • Very wide range of height adjustment

  • Easier transfers into and out of bed

  • Great for rehabilitation and recovery phases


Quick Comparison Chart

Bed Type Best For Key Features
Long-Term Care Bed Extended daily use Low-bed design, heavy-duty frame
Med-Surge Bed Hospitals, rehab centers Clinical features, multi-positional
Adjustable Bed Comfort and lifestyle use Head/foot adjustment, luxury features
Full-Electric Bed Homecare needing easy adjustment Electric head, foot, height control
Semi-Electric Bed Budget-friendly, moderate assistance Electric head/foot, manual height
Manual Bed Basic short-term use Manual crank adjustments
Bariatric Bed Higher weight capacity needs Wider frame, reinforced structure
Low Bed High fall-risk patients Very low minimum height
Hi-Low Bed Versatile positioning, easy transfers Full height range adjustability

 


Need Help Choosing the Right Bed?

Our advisors are ready to help you find the best option based on your medical needs, budget, and home setup.

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