Hospital beds get digital upgrade

A major manufacturer of hospital beds is seeking to transform the ubiquitous furniture into a source of medical data, the latest sign of hospitals’ digital transformation. Hill-Rom Holdings Inc. said its newest hospital-bed model will include sensors to monitor patients’ heart and respiratory rates. The sensors will check a patient’s vital signs 100 times a minute and alert nurses when signs suggest the patient’s condition may worsen, said Hill-Rom Chief Executive John Groetelaars.