Systems and methods for monitoring health care workers and patients
First Claim
1. A method for promoting hygienic practices comprising:
- providing a monitor capable of transmitting information;
detecting whether a person is in close proximity to or in contact with a patient whether or not the person possesses the monitor;
determining whether the person possesses the monitor and has actuated a sanitizing device; and
generating a caution or warning signal unless the person in close proximity or in contact with the patient possesses the monitor and has actuated the sanitizing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring one or more patients to ensure compliance with required hygienic procedures and/or to ensure only authorized persons are allowed to attend to such patients. One system includes detectors that may be sequentially activated as a person approaches a patient. Activation of the detectors, in sequence, causes a signal to be transmitted by a controller. If the person is wearing a monitor and has complied with the required hygienic procedure, the monitor transmits a responsive signal to the controller that is encoded to indicate such compliance. If the person is either not wearing a monitor or the monitor does not transmit an appropriate responsive signal, the controller can provide a warning signal and cause a violation of protocol to be recorded. The system may include a portable sanitizer that is capable of functioning as a monitor. The systems and methods do not, however, require monitors worn by health care workers or other persons. Sensors may be associated with a hospital bed and/or a patient.
216 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for promoting hygienic practices comprising:
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providing a monitor capable of transmitting information; detecting whether a person is in close proximity to or in contact with a patient whether or not the person possesses the monitor; determining whether the person possesses the monitor and has actuated a sanitizing device; and generating a caution or warning signal unless the person in close proximity or in contact with the patient possesses the monitor and has actuated the sanitizing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for promoting hygienic practices comprising:
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detecting whether a person has come within a first distance of a patient; detecting whether the person has come within a second distance of a patient that is closer to the patient than the first distance and in close proximity to the patient; determining whether the person has caused the actuation of a sanitizing device, and generating a first selected message if the person has been detected sequentially coming within the first and second distances of the patient without having caused the actuation of the sanitizing device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for promoting hygienic practices, comprising:
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a patient support apparatus; a proximity sensor operatively associated with the patient support apparatus, the proximity sensor being responsive to the presence of a person in close proximity to and/or in contact with the patient support apparatus and capable of generating an electrical signal upon the person'"'"'s entering such close proximity and/or contact, and an indicator device operatively associated with the proximity sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for monitoring patients, comprising:
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a patient support apparatus; a first detector for detecting whether a person has come within a first selected distance of the patient support apparatus; a second detector for detecting whether the person has come within a second selected distance of the patient support apparatus that is in close proximity to and/or in contact with the patient support apparatus and closer to the patient support apparatus than the first selected distance; a processing assembly for determining whether the person has actuated the first and second detectors, and an indicator device operatively associated with the processing assembly for generating a first message if the processing assembly has determined that the first detector and then the second detector have been actuated in sequence. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for monitoring a patient, comprising:
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a proximity sensor operatively associated with the patient, the proximity sensor being responsive to contact or near contact with the patient or an article worn by or in contact with the patient by another person and capable of generating an electrical signal upon such contact; an indicator device operatively associated with the proximity sensor. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification