MATTRESS FOR A HOSPITAL BED FOR USE IN A HEALTHCARE FACILITY AND MANAGEMENT OF SAME

• US 20090056027A1
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ball, David E., Stacy, Richard B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,461,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/690
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05 Parts, details or accessories of beds devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 ; mattresses A47C27/00
• 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

A mattress or support surface including an identifier to enable the mattress or support surface to be associated with a location in the healthcare facility and more particularly a room within the healthcare facility.

Claims

1. A mattress for use in a healthcare facility having a communications system and a plurality of bed frames, comprising:

a support member;

a unique electronic identifier, associated with the mattress, to uniquely identify the mattress, the unique electronic identifier comprising an internet protocol address; and

a transceiver, associated with the mattress and operably coupled to the communication system, to transmit the unique electronic identifier over the communication system.

2. The mattress of claim 1, further comprising a network interface device operably coupled to the transceiver, the network interface device adapted to store the unique electronic identifier.

3. The mattress of claim 2, further comprising an association device, coupled to the network interface device, the association device adapted to receive a signal indicative of an association with one of the plurality of bed frames.

4. The mattress of claim 3, wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver.

5. The mattress of claim 4, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a part of the network interface device.

6. A method of determining the location of a mattress within a health care facility having a communication system, a plurality of bed frames, and a plurality of mattresses, comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique identifier to each of the plurality of mattresses, the unique identifier comprising an internet protocol address;

placing one of the uniquely identified mattresses on one of the plurality of bed frames;

confirming placement of one of the uniquely identified mattresses on the one of the plurality of bed frames; and

sending the unique identifier assigned to one of the uniquely identified mattresses over the communication system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the confirming step comprises confirming placement of the one of the uniquely identified mattresses by actuating a device located on the one of the plurality of frames.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the device located on the one of the plurality of frames comprises a brake pedal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the device located on the one of the plurality of frames comprises a user activated device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user activated button comprises a mechanical button.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the user activated button comprises a touch screen display.

12. A system for use in a healthcare facility comprising:

a communication system;

a plurality of uniquely identified mattresses, each of the uniquely identified mattresses including a unique electronic identifier, the unique electronic identifier comprising a network address; and

a plurality of bed frames.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses comprise a support member and a transceiver, associated with the mattress, the transceiver being operably coupled to the communication system, to transmit the unique electronic identifier over the communication system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the unique electronic identifier comprises an internet protocol address.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the uniquely identified mattresses comprise a network interface device operably coupled to the transceiver, the network interface device adapted to store the unique electronic identifier.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a part of the network interface device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising an install confirmation device, to confirm association of one of the uniquely identified mattresses with one of the bed frames.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising a computing device coupled to the communication system to receive and store the unique electronic identifiers from the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the computing device provides an interface to present information regarding the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface presents information that identifies each mattress of the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses and that identifies a patient assigned to each mattress of the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface presents information that identifies each mattress of the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses and that identifies a location of each mattress in the healthcare facility.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface presents information that identifies each mattress of the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses and that identifies a type for each mattress.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface presents information that identifies each mattress of the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses and that identifies features provided by each mattress.

25. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface presents information that identifies each mattress of the plurality of uniquely identified mattresses and that identifies a history of use for each mattress.