Managing a patient injured in an emergency incident

• US 20090063191A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VerdaSee Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: VerdaSee Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: James, Harry B., Vasquez, Reuben C., Vasquez, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US11/895,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063191A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method and system employed by emergency responders to an emergency incident in the management of individuals injured in emergency incidents. An injured patient is tagged with a triage tag that has a bar code and an RFID inlay that identify the patient. At least one of the bar code and RFID inlay are scanned by a portable optical/electronic unit. As the patient is moved through various zones in which the condition of the patient is evaluated and, if necessary, the condition of the patient is treated, patient evaluation data is recorded in the in the portable optical/electronic unit and a command computer in association with patient identification data.

Claims

1. A method for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident comprising the steps of:

placing a plurality of wireless electronic transmitter/receiver communications units at selected locations in the site of an emergency incident to establish a wireless electronic communications network;

providing a triage tag having a bar code and an RFID inlay each containing patient identity data that identifies a selected patient in the selected area;

placing the triage tag on the selected patient;

conducting a first patient evaluation of the condition of the selected patient;

recording first patient evaluation data on the triage tag;

providing a wireless optical/electronic transmitter/receiver reader;

scanning at least one of the bar code and the RFID inlay of the triage tag of the selected patient with the reader to record in the reader the patient identity data;

recording the first patient evaluation data in the reader;

providing a command computer having a wireless transmitter/receiver;

transmitting the patient identity data and the first patient evaluation data from the reader to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network;

recording the patient identity data and the first patient evaluation data in the command computer;

conducting a second patient evaluation of the condition of the selected patient;

recording second patient evaluation data in the reader;

transmitting the patient identity data and the second patient evaluation data from the reader to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network; and

recording the patient identity data and the second patient evaluation data in the command computer.

2. A method for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 1 further including the steps of:

(a) accessing the patient identity data and the first patient evaluation data recorded in the command computer prior to conducting the second patient evaluation;

(b) receiving in the reader the patient identity data and the first patient evaluation data prior to conducting the second patient evaluation.

3. A method for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 1:

(a) wherein the reader is operated by a first emergency responder managing the selected patient in a patient identification zone where the selected patient is identified and the first patient evaluation is conducted; and

(b) the method further includes the steps of;

(1) moving the selected patient to a patient treatment zone where the condition of the selected patient is treated,

(2) providing a second wireless optical/electronic transmitter/receiver reader operated by a second emergency responder managing the selected patent in the patient treatment zone,

(3) scanning at least one of the bar code and the RFID inlay of the triage tag of the selected patient with the second reader to record in the second reader the patient identity data,

(4) receiving in the second reader the first patient evaluation data prior to treating the selected patient in the patient treatment zone,

(5) conducting a second patient evaluation of the condition of the selected patient in the patient treatment zone,

(6) conducting treatment of the condition of the selected patient in the patient treatment zone,

(7) recording the second patient evaluation data in the second reader,

(8) transmitting the patient identity data and the second patient evaluation data from the second reader to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network, and

(9) recording the patient identity data and the second patient evaluation data in the command computer.

4. A method for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 3 further including the steps of:

(a) moving the selected patient to a patient staging zone from where the selected patient is transported to a remote destination for further treatment;

(b) providing a third wireless optical/electronic transmitter/receiver reader operated by a third emergency responder managing the selected patent in the patient staging zone;

(c) scanning at least one of the bar code and the RFID inlay of the triage tag of the selected patient to record in the third reader the patient identity data;

(d) receiving in the third reader the second patient evaluation data prior to transporting the selected patient to the remote destination;

(e) transporting the selected patient to the remote destination;

(f) recording patient destination data of the remote destination to which the selected patient is transported and patient transport data of the transport means by which the patient is being transported to the remote destination in the third reader and;

(g) transmitting the patient identity data, the patient destination data, and the patient transport data from the third reader to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network;

(h) recording the patient identity data, the patient destination data, and the patient transport data in the command computer;

(i) transmitting the patient identity data, the patient evaluation data, the patient destination data, and the patient transport data from the command computer to a headquarters facility; and

(j) recording the patient identity data, the patient evaluation data, the patient destination data, and the patient transport data at the headquarters facility.

5. A method for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 3 further including the steps of:

(a) recording patient treatment data in the second reader;

(b) transmitting the patient treatment data from the second reader to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network; and

(c) recording the patient treatment data in the command computer.

6. A method for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 5 further including the steps of:

(a) conducting patient treatment of the condition of the selected patient while the selected patient is in the patient identification zone;

(b) recording patient treatment data of the treatment of the selected patient conducted while the selected patient is in the patient identification zone in the reader operated by the first emergency responder;

(c) transmitting the patient treatment data from the reader operated by the first emergency responder to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network; and

(d) recording the patient treatment data transmitted from the reader operated by the first emergency responder in the command computer.

7. A system for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident comprising:

a wireless electronic communications network including a plurality of wireless electronic transmitter/receiver communications units disposed at selected locations in the site of an emergency incident;

a triage tag having a bar code and an RFID inlay each containing patient identity data that identifies a selected patient in the selected area;

a wireless optical/electronic transmitter/receiver reader having;

(a) means for scanning at least one of the bar code and the RFID inlay of the triage tag of the selected patient to record the patient identity data of the selected patient,

(b) means for recording patient evaluation data of the condition of the selected patient, and

(d) transmitting the patient identity data and the patient evaluation data from the reader to a command computer via the communications units of the communications network; and

a command computer having a wireless transmitter/receiver and data recording means for;

(a) receiving via the communications units of the communications network and the transmitter/receiver of the command computer the patient identity data and the patient evaluation data transmitted from the reader,

(b) recording in the data recording means the patient identity data and the patient evaluation data, and

(c) transmitting via the transmitter/receiver of the command computer and the communications units of the communications network the patient identity data and the patient evaluation data to the reader.

8. A system for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 7:

(a) wherein the reader is operated by a first emergency responder managing the selected patient in a patient identification zone where the selected patient is identified; and

(b) the system further includes a second wireless optical/electronic transmitter/receiver reader operated by a second emergency responder managing the selected patent in a patient treatment zone where the selected patient is treated, said second reader having means for;

(1) scanning at least one of the bar code and the RFID inlay of the triage tag of the selected patient to record in the second reader the patient identity data,

(2) receiving from the data recording means in the command computer the patient evaluation data recorded in the command computer,

(3) recording in the second reader patient evaluation data received from the data recording means in the command computer and patient evaluation data developed while the patient is in the patient treatment zone, and

(4) transmitting the patient identity data and the patient evaluation data from the second reader to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network.

9. A system for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 8 further including:

(a) a third wireless optical/electronic transmitter/receiver reader operated by a third emergency responder managing the selected patent in a patient staging zone from where the selected patient is transported to a remote destination for further treatment, said third reader for;

(1) scanning at least one of the bar code and the RFID inlay of the triage tag of the selected patient to record in the third reader the patient identity data,

(2) receiving from the data recording means in the command computer the patient evaluation data recorded in the command computer,

(3) recording patient destination data of the remote destination to which the selected patient is transported, and

(4) transmitting the patient identity data and the patient destination data from the third reader to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network; and

(b) means for recording the patient identity data and the patient destination data in the command computer.

10. A system for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 9 wherein each of the readers include:

(a) means for displaying drop-down menus having a plurality of data entry selections that display options for entering data associated with the selected patient;

(b) means for selecting a data entry option; and

(c) means for entering data associated with the selected patient selecting options.

11. A system for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim according to claim 10 wherein:

(a) the second reader has means for;

(1) recording patient treatment data, and

(2) transmitting the patient treatment data to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network; and

(b) the command computer has means for recording the patient treatment data.

12. A method for managing a patient injured in an emergency incident according to claim 11 wherein:

(a) the reader operated by the first emergency responder has means for;

(1) recording patient treatment data, and

(2) transmitting the patient treatment data to the transmitter/receiver of the command computer via the communications units of the communications network; and

(b) the command computer has means for recording the patient treatment data transmitted from the reader operated by the first emergency responder.