MEDICAL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING FALLS

• US 20080272918A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sally Ingersoll
• Original Assignee: Sally Ingersoll
• Inventors: INGERSOLL, SALLY
• Application Number:
  US11/744,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/043 detecting an emergency event, e.g. a fall
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical device is beneficial to protect a patient in a care facility from a fall by remotely alerting a caregiver of patient'"'"'s unsafe mobility before the fall using a motion sensor having an alarm. The medical device uses an operating module with a wireless transmitter integrated into the motion sensor for broadcasting the alarm as an alert signal to notify the caregiver of patient'"'"'s unsafe motion. A wireless receiver with the caregiver receives the alert signal from the wireless transmitter. The alert signal identifies the motion sensor that was activated so the caregiver can respond to prevent the patient from falling.

Claims

1. A medical device to protect a patient in a care facility from a fall by remotely alerting a caregiver of patient'"'"'s motion before the fall comprising:

a motion sensor;

an operating module and a wireless transmitter in communication with the motion sensor for broadcasting an alert signal to notify the caregiver of patient movement by a particular patient;

a wireless receiver with the caregiver for receiving the alert signal from the wireless transmitter; and

the alert signal for identifying the motion sensor that was activated so the caregiver can respond to prevent the patient from falling.

2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the wireless receiver has a reset button so the caregiver who responds first can send a reset signal from the wireless receiver to the motion sensor.

3. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is a pressure sensor positioned beneath where the patient lies or sits.

4. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is positioned to detect patient movement before the fall.

5. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the alert signal from the wireless transmitter displays on the wireless receiver the motion sensor activated, patient name, patient number, room number, and/or patient location.

6. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the wireless receiver sends a programming signal to the motion sensor to thereby program the operating module.

7. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the wireless receiver is a pager, a handheld or a cellular device.

8. A medical device to protect a patient in a care facility from a fall by remotely alerting a caregiver of patient'"'"'s motion before the fall comprising:

a motion sensor having a silent alarm;

a wireless transmitter powered by and integrated into the motion sensor;

an operating module adapted to convert the alarm to an alert signal broadcast from the wireless transmitter within the care facility;

a wireless receiver with the caregiver for receiving and displaying the alert signal from the wireless transmitter;

a reset button on the wireless receiver so the caregiver can send a reset signal from the wireless receiver to the operating module to reset the motion sensor; and

the alert signal for identifying the motion sensor that was activated so the caregiver can respond to prevent the patient from falling.

9. The medical device of claim 8 wherein the wireless receiver signals the caregiver with audible tones, visual cues, and/or vibration pulses when the motion sensor is activated.

10. The medical device of claim 8 wherein the wireless receiver is programmed to identify alert signals from multiple motion sensors.

11. The medical device of claim 8 wherein the motion sensor is a pressure sensor positioned to monitor unsafe motion of the patient.

12. The medical device of claim 8 wherein the wireless receiver has a visual display to interface with and program the operating module.

13. The medical device of claim 8 wherein the wireless receiver sends a programming signal to the operating module to cancel calls from, identify location of, activate, deactivate, and/or reset the motion sensor.

14. The medical device of claim 8 wherein the operating module associated with each motion sensor is programmed to broadcast information about the patient, room number, and/or location when the motion sensor is activated.

15. A method for protecting a patient from falling by remotely alerting a caregiver of patient motion within a care facility, the method comprising:

placing a motion sensor and a wireless transmitter in a patient'"'"'s room;

giving a wireless receiver to a caregiver, the wireless receiver having a reset button and a cancel call button;

integrating an operating module together with the wireless transmitter into the motion sensor;

broadcasting an alert signal when the motion sensor is activated to the wireless receiver to alert the caregiver of patient'"'"'s unsafe motion; and

sending a reset or a cancel call signal from the wireless receiver to the operating module using the rest or the cancel call button on the wireless receiver.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of programming the operating module using the wireless receiver to identify the patient, sensor location, room number, and/or patient number.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of converting an alarm from the motion sensor to send the alert signal for inaudible wireless broadcasting of the alert signal to prevent the patient from becoming annoyed, scared, or excited.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of displaying on the wireless receiver the patient, sensor location, room number, patient location, and/or patient number.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of activating the motion sensor using the wireless receiver.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of configuring an antenna within the care facility to relay the alert signal between the wireless transmitter and the wireless receiver.

21. A system comprising a medical device for protecting a patient from falling by remotely alerting a caregiver of patient movement before the fall using a motion sensor with an alarm, the system comprising:

a care facility using the motion sensor with the alarm;

a wireless transmitter connected to an operating module integrated into the motion sensor to convert the alarm to a silent alert signal broadcast within the care facility;

a wireless receiver worn by the caregiver for receiving and displaying the alert signal from the wireless transmitter; and

the alert signal to thereby identify the motion sensor that was activated so the caregiver can respond to prevent the patient from falling.