APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING USE OF RESOURCES BY HEALTHCARE EMPLOYEES
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring activity and use of resources by a healthcare employee, said system comprising:
- a plurality of resource identification devices, each one being located adjacent a different resource, use of which is to be monitored, and each one emitting a first wireless signal containing a resource identifier; and
a data acquisition device carried by the healthcare employee, wherein when the data acquisition device is proximate to any one of the plurality of resource identification devices the data acquisition device receives the first wireless signal emitted by that one resource identification device and records the resource identifier carried by the first wireless signal, and the data acquisition device including a transmitter for transferring each recorded resource identifier to an external apparatus.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system that monitors use of resources by healthcare employees includes a plurality of resource identification devices located adjacent different resources, such as pieces of plumbing fixture, medical equipment, documents and hospital rooms. Each resource identification device emits a wireless signal containing a resource identifier. A plurality of healthcare employees carry separate data acquisition devices which receive the wireless signal when nearby a resource identification device. Upon receiving a wireless signal, the data acquisition device records the date and time of day and the resource identifier carried by the wireless signal. The information stored in each data acquisition device along with an employee identifier are employed to monitor the activity and use of resources by employees, and create reports about activity and use of the resources by the healthcare employees.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A system for monitoring activity and use of resources by a healthcare employee, said system comprising:
-
a plurality of resource identification devices, each one being located adjacent a different resource, use of which is to be monitored, and each one emitting a first wireless signal containing a resource identifier; and a data acquisition device carried by the healthcare employee, wherein when the data acquisition device is proximate to any one of the plurality of resource identification devices the data acquisition device receives the first wireless signal emitted by that one resource identification device and records the resource identifier carried by the first wireless signal, and the data acquisition device including a transmitter for transferring each recorded resource identifier to an external apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10)
-
-
9. (canceled)
-
11. A method for monitoring activity and use of resources by a healthcare employee, said method comprising:
-
locating a separate one of a plurality of resource identification devices adjacent each resource use of which is to be monitored, wherein each resource identification device emits a first wireless signal containing a resource identifier; the healthcare employee carrying a data acquisition device while at work; the data acquisition device receiving the first wireless signal when proximate to one of the plurality of resource identification devices; and the data acquisition device recording the resource identifier carried by the first wireless signal; and thereafter, transferring the resource identifier from the data acquisition device to an external apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27-39. -39. (canceled)
Specification