Automatic Hospital Bed Accounting System

• US 20080189132A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kelli Minson, Matthew Minson
• Original Assignee: Kelli Minson, Matthew Minson
• Inventors: Minson, Matthew, Minson, Kelli
• Application Number:
  US11/671,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

This automatic system, devoid of data entry requirement, is the only assurance of a current and immediately accurate means of determining bed availability. It would rely upon a method of automatic electronic entry of data when a patient is placed in a bed. Beds would be defined by preprogrammed electronic identifiers that would “describe” them with specificity (e.g. critical care, surgical/medical, etc.).

Claims

1. An automatic identifier “

trigger”

(bar code, sequence identifier, radio frequency) of occupancy would initiate whenever a patient was assigned to a bed and would “

mark”

in the system as “

occupied”

.

2. The “

mark”

could be tied to a manual entry as in a bar code swipe or tied to entering registration so that a redundancy exists.

3. The “

mark”

would automatically upload to a central computer server and be communicated in real time to any subscribing or connected dispatch center computer terminal.

4. The bed typing would be pre-programmed or correspond to a bar code or other identifier so that the computer and system would automatically determined the bed, type, and number of availability upon being triggered (barcode swipe, or other electronic signal such as a chip).

5. Numerous facilities would be electronically linked and the updating of the system would occur instantly.

6. The bed type and number will change as patients are assigned and occupy the beds

7. Conversely when a patient ceases to occupy a bed (death, or discharge or transfer) the system alters correspondingly.

8. This change in status follows the same pattern of entry as occupancy and shows in the system and on computer screens in the same fashion.

9. This system would allow real time updating of bed type and occupancy.

10. A dynamic computer screen capacity would show the bed type changes in a moment by moment basis without the need for manual data entry.

11. This system could be expandable to an unlimited number of facilities and would be especially valuable during a disaster or pandemic.