While authorities having jurisdiction (e.g., state Departments of Health) might chose use the FDA and HBSW documents to regulate bed use in healthcare facilities, the documents should not be interpreted as regulatory mandates (see also answer to Question 2). Because there are no national regulations that must be followed, the FDA dimensional guidance and HBSW documents might be viewed by some regulatory authorities or accrediting agencies as representing a “best practice” because they were developed by the long-term work of the HBSW. (The HBSW is a partnership among the FDA, the medical bed industry, national healthcare organizations, patient advocacy groups, and other federal agencies [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Department of Veterans Affairs]. Its goal is to reduce the risk of hospital bed system entrapment.) Best practices for safe and quality care are considered important by regulators regardless of the origin of the practice.
