Hill-Rom and Stryker in the SNF Market
Hill-Rom (now part of Baxter International following a 2021 acquisition) and Stryker's Medical division are the two dominant bed manufacturers in U.S. long-term care. Walk into most skilled nursing facilities and you'll find a mix of both brands — Hill-Rom CareAssist beds on the long-term care floors, Stryker InTouch or MedSurg beds in the rehab unit, and potentially older TotalCare or Secure II beds that migrated from acute care hospitals over the years.
Most common Hill-Rom models in SNFs:
- CareAssist ES — The standard long-term care bed, widely deployed across SNFs
- TotalCare series — Acute care beds that often transition to SNF post-acute units
- Progressa — Pulmonary therapy bed with integrated percussion and vibration
- Compella — Bariatric bed rated to 1,000 lbs, increasingly common as SNF census trends bariatric
- Advanta — Mid-tier SNF bed with integrated scale option
Most common Stryker models in SNFs:
- InTouch — Long-term care and post-acute bed
- MedSurg 3002S — Widely used acute/sub-acute bed
- Go Bed II — Low-height fall-prevention bed for SNF fall risk residents
- Big Boy Bariatric — High-capacity bariatric bed (rated to 850 lbs)
- Secure II — Older acute care bed common in SNF post-acute units
Are Hill-Rom and Stryker Beds PCREE Equipment?
This question comes up in nearly every SNF survey preparation conversation. The short answer: if the bed has electrical components, it is PCREE equipment under NFPA 99.
Hospital beds with the following features require PCREE electrical safety testing (leakage current, ground resistance, touchpoint current):
- Electric height, head, or foot adjustment motors
- Integrated patient scales (Hill-Rom CareAssist with scale option, Stryker beds with scale)
- Nurse call system integration
- Bed exit alarms
- Specialty therapy functions (Progressa air surface, percussion/vibration)
Manual/crank beds with no electrical components are not PCREE equipment and do not require electrical safety testing — though they still benefit from annual mechanical PM.
Most SNF beds from Hill-Rom and Stryker are electrically powered, which means your entire bed inventory is likely PCREE equipment and should be included in your facility's electrical safety testing program under NFPA 99.
What Hill-Rom and Stryker Bed PM Includes
A complete preventive maintenance visit for Hill-Rom or Stryker beds covers:
- Cleaning and lubrication — All mechanical joints, deck pivot points, and actuator linkages
- Motor and actuator testing — Full range of motion in all planes (height, Trendelenburg, head, foot), measuring speed and smoothness
- Side rail inspection — Latch mechanisms, pivot points, and lock engagement across all positions
- Brake testing — All casters locked and confirmed under load
- Nurse call and bed exit alarm testing — Signal verification to the nurse station
- Scale calibration — For beds with integrated scales, zeroing and span verification
- PCREE electrical safety testing — Leakage current (chassis and patient lead), ground continuity, power cord inspection
- Frame and weld inspection — Visual check for cracks, deformation, or damage
- Documentation — Service report with all findings, pass/fail results, and next PM due date
Common Issues Found During Hill-Rom and Stryker Bed PM
Technicians servicing SNF bed inventories regularly find:
- Side rail latch failure — Latches that engage but release under light force, a fall risk citation waiting to happen
- Actuator slowing — Height or head/foot actuators that are slow or stall under load, typically due to worn motor brushes or contaminated drive mechanisms
- Power cord damage — Frayed, crushed, or pinched cords, especially on beds near doorways or against walls
- Brake wear — Casters that don't hold firmly under lateral force, particularly on older units
- Scale drift — Integrated scales that read incorrectly due to load cell contamination or calibration drift
- Bed exit alarm failure — Sensors or alarms that don't trigger reliably, often from cleaning solution ingress
Most of these issues are not apparent to facility staff during normal use — which is exactly why annual PM catches them before they become survey citations or resident incidents.
Hill-Rom vs. Stryker: Service Considerations
Both brands are well-supported in the aftermarket. Hill-Rom (Baxter) and Stryker both offer OEM service contracts, which are typically the most expensive option. Third-party biomedical technicians with brand-specific training can service both lines at a fraction of OEM pricing while meeting the same documentation standard CMS expects.
When selecting a technician for Hill-Rom or Stryker bed service, confirm:
- Experience with the specific models in your facility
- Availability of OEM or equivalent replacement parts
- PCREE testing equipment capability (if including electrical safety testing in the same visit)
- Documentation format — the service report should include enough detail to satisfy a CMS surveyor
Schedule Hill-Rom or Stryker Bed Service
Medical Equipment Repair Network connects SNFs with qualified biomedical technicians for hospital bed PM, PCREE testing, and repair across all 50 states. CMS-ready documentation included. Free quote within 24 hours.
Get a Free Quote →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Both manufacturers recommend annual PM, and CMS surveyors expect bed maintenance records as part of the facility's Equipment Management Program. Electrically powered beds also require PCREE electrical safety testing under NFPA 99.
If the bed has electrical components (motors, integrated scales, nurse call, bed exit alarms), it is PCREE equipment under NFPA 99 and requires periodic electrical safety testing. Manual/crank beds with no electrical components are not PCREE equipment, though they still benefit from annual mechanical PM.
Per-bed PM costs in SNFs typically range from $75 to $150 per bed depending on model complexity, travel, and local market rates. Facilities with 80–120 beds often negotiate annual PM contracts at a flat rate. Contact Medical Equipment Repair Network for a free quote based on your facility's bed inventory.
OEM service contracts (from Hill-Rom/Baxter or Stryker directly) are typically 2–4x more expensive than qualified third-party biomedical technicians. Third-party techs with brand-specific training can meet the same documentation standard CMS expects while saving facilities significant cost — especially on large bed inventories.