SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATION TRACKING OF PATIENTS IN A VITAL-SIGNS MONITOR SYSTEM

• US 20120029312A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Jafri, Amir, Beaudry, Serge
• Application Number:
  US12/844,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029312A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0204 of power management
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0437 Trolley or cart-type apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• 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

Systems and methods of tracking a patient within a facility via a vital-signs patch attached to the patient are disclosed. A first signal is received from a bridge, the first signal comprising information indicative of a vital-signs patch attached to a patient. The patient is identified based at least in part on the information. Location of the patient is determined based on a known location of the bridge within the facility.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a patient within a facility via a vital-signs patch attached to the patient, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal from a bridge, the first signal comprising information indicative of a vital-signs patch attached to a patient;

identifying the patient based at least in part on the information; and

determining location of the patient based on a known location of the bridge within the facility.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal from the bridge is received by a surveillance server, the surveillance server configured to collect data relating to one or more vital-signs of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises accessing a database comprising information indicative of associations between vital-sign monitor patches and patients.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises extracting information indicative of the patient from the first signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises accessing a database comprising information indicative of locations of a plurality of bridges within the facility.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is generated by the bridge in response to a second signal received by the bridge, the second signal comprising information indicative of the vital-sign monitor patch.

7. A vital-sign monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of vital-sign monitor patches configured to monitor one or more vital-signs of patients to whom the vital-sign monitor patches are attached;

a surveillance server configured to collect data relating to the one or more vital-signs of the patients from the plurality of vital-sign monitor patches; and

a plurality of bridges at respective locations within a facility and configured to provide data connections between the plurality of vital-sign monitor patches and the surveillance server;

wherein the surveillance server is configured to;

receive a first signal from a bridge in the monitoring network, the first signal comprising information indicative of a vital-sign monitor patch attached to a patient,

identify a patient based at least in part on the first signal, and

determine location of the patient based on a known location of the bridge within the facility.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more vital-signs include at least one of body temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the surveillance server is configured to identify the patient by accessing a database comprising information indicative of associations between vital-sign monitor patches and patients.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the surveillance server is configured to determine the location of the patient by accessing a database comprising information indicative of locations of the plurality of bridges within the facility.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the database is associated with the surveillance server.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the surveillance server is configured to identify the patient by extracting information indicative of the patient from the first signal.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the surveillance server is configured to send a second signal comprising a request for a search of at least one of the vital-sign monitor patch and the patient to the plurality of bridges, the first signal generated by the bridge in response to the second signal.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the vital-sign monitor patch has a plurality of communication links with two or more bridges among the plurality of bridges.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the surveillance server is configured to receive a plurality of signals from the two or more bridges, the plurality of signals comprising information indicative of signal strengths of respective communication links.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the surveillance server is configured to use location of a bridge reporting a highest signal strength as the location of the patient.

17. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one bridge among the plurality of bridges includes a memory for storing a list of vital-sign monitor patches with which the at least one bridge has established communication links.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the list further includes information indicative of patients to whom the vital-sign monitor patches are attached.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one bridge is configured to update the list when the at least one bridge has established a new communication link with a vital-sign monitor patch.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one bridge is configured to update the list when the at least one bridge has lost an existing communication link with a vital-sign monitor patch.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one bridge is configured to send the first signal to the surveillance server when the at least one bridge has established a new communication link with a vital-sign monitor patch.