Context-aware method and system for facilitating the delivery of healthcare to patients within a clinical environment monitored by real-time locating apparatus
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- (a) authenticating a user of a kiosk, wherein the kiosk includes a housing;
(b) in response to authenticating the user of the kiosk, retrieving a record associated with the user; and
(c) ejecting a tag disposed inside the housing into a tray accessible by the user, the ejecting comprising;
(i) actuating a switch integrated into the tag;
(ii) in response to actuating the switch, generating an identification signal from a signal generator of the tag, wherein the identification signal is associated with the tag;
(iii) sensing the identification signal with a signal receiver disposed in the housing; and
(iv) in response to sensing the identification signal, associating the record with the tag.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A context-aware method and system for facilitating the delivery of healthcare to patients within a clinical environment monitored by real-time locating apparatus including auto-ID patient tags where patients having tags are located within the environment in real time by the apparatus are provided. The system includes a plurality of self-service units where one or more of the units is configured to store a plurality of auto-ID patient tags and where the one or more of the units includes a dispensing mechanism to dispense stored tags. The system further includes a control computer subsystem coupled to the at least one of the units and including at least one user interface. The subsystem still further includes a processor operable to execute software instructions and a memory operable to store software instructions accessible by the processor. The subsystem still further includes a set of software instructions stored in the memory to at least partially perform the steps of: identifying an incoming patient; assigning a stored auto-ID patient tag to the identified patient to obtain a tag assignment; transmitting a signal over a communication channel to an electronic medical record subsystem to link the tag assignment to a medical record of the patient whereby the patient becomes a linked patient; and controlling the dispensing mechanism to dispense a stored tag to the linked patient.
17 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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(a) authenticating a user of a kiosk, wherein the kiosk includes a housing; (b) in response to authenticating the user of the kiosk, retrieving a record associated with the user; and (c) ejecting a tag disposed inside the housing into a tray accessible by the user, the ejecting comprising; (i) actuating a switch integrated into the tag; (ii) in response to actuating the switch, generating an identification signal from a signal generator of the tag, wherein the identification signal is associated with the tag; (iii) sensing the identification signal with a signal receiver disposed in the housing; and (iv) in response to sensing the identification signal, associating the record with the tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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(a) a locating apparatus; (b) a plurality of tags, wherein each tag is reusable, wherein each tag is configured to transmit a location signal used by the locating apparatus to establish real-time location of the tag, wherein each tag comprises a switch;
wherein each tag is configured to transmit an identification signal upon actuation of the switch;(c) a kiosk, wherein the kiosk is configured to store and dispense the plurality of reusable tags, wherein the kiosk comprises a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense stored tags and actuate the switch of the tag being dispensed, wherein the kiosk comprises a first receiver configured to receive the identification signal of a dispensed tag; and (d) a user interface, wherein the user interface is operatively coupled with the dispensing mechanism, the user interface configured to send a dispensing signal to the dispensing mechanism to dispense one of the plurality of tags. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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(a) a tag comprising; (i) a switch integrated into the tag; (ii) a signal generator, wherein the signal generator is operably coupled with the switch, wherein the signal generator is configured to generate a signal when the switch is actuated; and (b) a kiosk comprising; (i) a dispensing mechanism, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense the tag, wherein dispensing mechanism is configured to actuate the switch when the tag is dispensed; (ii) a first signal receiver, wherein the first signal receiver is associated with the dispensing mechanism, wherein the first signal receiver is configured to receive the signal generated by the dispensed tag; (iii) a receiving mechanism, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to receive the tag, wherein the receiving mechanism is configured to actuate the switch when the tag is received; (iv) a second signal receiver, wherein the second signal receiver is associated with the receiving mechanism, wherein the second signal receiver is configured to receive the signal generated by the received tag. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification