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Hill-Rom History
For more than 75 years, Hill-Rom has helped make a positive difference in the lives of patients and caregivers.
Hill-Rom’s Founder - William A. Hillenbrand
In 1927, William A. (Bill) Hillenbrand and his aunt Mary Mitchell initiated a project to open a community hospital. To staff the hospital, they turned to a family friend, Father Charles B. Moulinier, founder and president of the Catholic Hospital Association.
Father Moulinier had long admired the fine oak furniture being crafted by the local artisans and thought its beauty stood in harsh contrast to the cold metal furniture of hospital patient rooms. Bill realized he could "bring the home into the hospital" by offering hospitals wooden furniture to help create a warmer, more comfortable environment.
For the next two years, he researched his idea thoroughly by talking with doctors, nurses, interns, hospital administrators, and maintenance and housekeeping staff. Knowing his furniture had to be comfortable, functional and durable, he also studied safety designs.
In October 1929, as the country plummeted into the Great Depression, Bill founded Hill-Rom and began an unconventional marketing plan. He persuaded hospitals to furnish their private rooms with his wooden furniture for six months free of charge. If they weren’t satisfied, they could simply return the furniture. After the trial periods, none of the furniture was returned and some hospitals placed orders for more.
From its inception, Hill-Rom has listened to its customers and created a long line of industry "firsts." With each innovation, the goal was to help increase efficiency, safety and comfort of the products that would be used by caregivers and patients. Some early innovations include:
1933: |
first adjustable-crank, double pedestal overbed table |
1948: |
first adjustable height “Hi-Lo” bed |
1949: |
first short siderails were introduced as a patient aid |
1952: |
first electric motor bed |
1956: |
first all-electric bed |
1964: |
first retractable bed |
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In the 1960s, Hill-Rom developed the electric bedside cabinet. The cabinet integrated a nurse call system as well as switches for lights, radio and TV. The idea of centralized services led to the concept of customized headwalls.
During the 1970s, Hill-Rom continued its tradition of innovative firsts, introducing tuckaway siderails, central brake and steer systems, and a siderail integrated communication and control system. Hill-Rom also extended its design excellence to the critical care environment leading to the innovation of the power column and critical care beds.
During the 1970s, ‘80s, 90s, and even into the new century, Hill-Rom changed with the needs of its customers. The company expanded within the United States and abroad, while also expanding its product line and focus to help meet the ever-changing needs of the health care environment.
Some of the major events in Hill-Rom’s recent growth:
| 1972 |
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Hillenbrand Industries acquired Dominion Metalware Industries (DMI), a Canadian manufacturer of various sheet metal and steel products, and merged it into Hill-Rom. The Canadian facility was used for hospital bed manufacturing until 1990. Presently, Hill-Rom’s Mississauga, Ontario facility is the primary Canadian site for sales, service and support for all products manufactured in Batesville, Indiana, USA. |
| 1985 |
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Hillenbrand Industries acquired Support Systems International (SSI) and merged it into Hill-Rom. SSI, the company that produced and marketed Clinitron® Air Fluidized Therapy, was established in Charleston, South Carolina in 1976. . Presently, Hill-Rom’s Charleston, office has set a mission to be a Center of Excellence for wound care, providing clinical solutions for patients with chronic wounds and complications from immobility. |
| 1987 |
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Hill-Rom acquired the Borning company to expand into the labor and delivery area.
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| 1989 |
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As the American population began to age, Hill-Rom expanded into the long-term care arena, with a goal of providing caregivers the products and solutions they needed to help an aging population. One year later, Hill-Rom jumped into Home Care to help caregivers meet needs in that arena. |
| 1991 |
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The company established a European presence by acquiring Le Couviour, a French company. Founded in 1946 and based in Pluvigner, Le Couviour was a pioneer in bringing variable height, electrical beds to hospitals throughout France. In 1998, Pluvigner became Hill-Rom's primary manufacturing site for hospital beds and furniture in Europe. Today it serves as a certified research, development and test center. |
Early 1990s Hill-Rom also acquired L.C. Arnold (Germany) and Bukowansky (Austria) and established subsidiaries in Switzerland, Holland, Italy and the U.K. Both companies were integrated into Hill-Rom’s European operations.
The expanded European position complemented Hill-Rom's leadership in the United States and Canada and its distribution in South America and the Pacific Rim.
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| 1999 |
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Hill-Rom acquired Amatech Corp. of Acton, Mass., the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of surgical table accessories and patient positioning devices for the operating room. |
| 2002 |
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Hill-Rom expanded its global presence when it established offices in Hong Kong; Sydney, Australia; Dusseldorf, Germany; and in Dubai, U.A.E. |
| 2003 |
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Hill-Rom acquired Advanced Respiratory, Inc., of St. Paul, Minn., a company that manufactures The Vest™ Airway Clearance System, which can be used by the more than nine million Americans who suffer from chronic lung disorders and diseases. The Vest™ system’s automated high-frequency chest wall oscillation therapy has become a popular substitute for the more time-consuming and physically demanding manual chest physical therapy and can be used to treat more than 350 different diseases and conditions. |
| 2004 |
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Hill-Rom acquired MEDIQ, Inc., a Pennsauken, N.J., company that rents and manages moveable medical equipment, such as ventilators and infusion pumps. One day later, Hill-Rom acquired NaviCare Systems, Inc. of St. Paul, Minn., which offers health care facilities a real-time tool to monitor their capacity and patient flow. Both acquisitions were designed to strengthen Hill-Rom’s bid to help health care facilities become more efficient and effective in the care they deliver. |
| 2006 |
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Hill-Rom acquired Medicraft, the leading Australian manufacturer of hospital beds and furniture. |
| 2007 |
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Launched Envision® E700 Low Air Loss Therapy Surface. One surface addresses five key factors affecting pressure ulcer healing: Pressure, shear, friction, patient immobility and microclimate management. |
| 2008 |
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On April 1, 2008, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:HRC) announced completion of the spin-off of Hillenbrand, Inc., the parent company of Batesville Casket.
In October 2008, Hill-Rom acquired Liko. Based in Lulea, Sweden, Liko is a leading supplier and developer of lifes and slings that facilitate the safe movement and transfer of patients. |
| 2009 |
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Launched the newest med-surg bed, the Advanta™ 2 bed, Easy, Safe and Proven Technology. |
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Today's healthcare environment is very different than it was in 1929, but the company that Bill Hillenbrand founded has remained true to his vision.
Today, Hill-Rom works to help healthcare professionals safely deliver effective and efficient care to their patients in acute care, long-term care and home care environments. The company’s extensive product and service offering includes: patient care beds, stretchers, therapeutic surfaces and devices, patient flow systems, nurse communication systems, headwalls and facility assessments.
In addition, the company provides comprehensive asset management programs and on-demand medical equipment rental, utilizing its 200 service centers located strategically throughout the United States. The company also offers expert clinical and equipment services and programs that can help improve asset productivity, operational efficiency and patient outcomes.
Hill-Rom’s vision is a real-time, connected care environment that delivers actionable information to the right people at the right time. The company is in the process of interconnecting its portfolio of communication and patient flow solutions, along with its intelligent bed and therapy surface products, so they can share information among themselves and with other hospital products and systems. Delivering the right information to the right people at the right time helps hospital staff care for patients more safely, efficiently and effectively.
Hill-Rom’s global headquarters is based in Batesville, Ind. Hill-Rom's manufacturing and office facilities are located in Batesville, Ind.; Cary, N.C.; Charleston, S.C.; St. Paul, MN.; Acton, Mass.; Paris, Pluvigner and Montpellier, France. The company, which employs more than 6,000 employees worldwide, has service centers, subsidiaries and representatives throughout the world.
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