Universal Caregiver Interface

• US 20140297327A1
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Heil, Thomas F., Agdeppa, Eric D., Dixon, Steven A., Howell, Charles A., Howell, Benjamin E., Saucier, Christian, Rempel, Kelli F., Huster, Keith A., Vanderpohl, Irvin J. III, Robinson, Andrew S., Butler, Mary, Hood, Michael S., Gillis, Thomas M., Bello, Bryan J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,290,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A care system includes a mobile communication device, a remote server, and a patient support system in communication with either or both of the mobile communication device and the remote server. The mobile communication device operates as a user interface for the patient support system. The remote server provides computing power for the patient support system for resource intensive computing tasks. A system for use in a healthcare facility includes patient care devices located in a patient room. The system also includes an application server located remotely from the patient room. The application server stores application software associated with each patient care device. The system further includes a universal caregiver interface situated in the patient room and in communication with the application server. The universal caregiver interface receives application software from the application server. The universal caregiver interface is then usable to control the operation of each of the plurality of patient care devices in accordance with the application software.

Claims

1. A system comprising

a server,

a beacon identifying a physical location,

a patient support system associated with the physical location and in electrical communication with the server, and

a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device including a first communication system for communicating with the server and a second communication system capable of detecting the beacon, the mobile computing device operable to transmit a signal to the server indicative of the beacon and a control command indicative of a desired change in state of the patient support system,

wherein the server processes the signal and transmits the control command to the patient support system through the electrical connection.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second communications systems comprise wireless communication systems, wherein the server is in electrical communication with the patient support system through physical communications connection, wherein the first communication system is a 3G communication system, wherein the second communications system is a Bluetooth®

communications system, wherein the electrical connection is an Ethernet connection, and wherein the mobile computing device controls functions which are not accessible from a user interface on the patient support system.

3. A system comprising

a server,

a patient support system including first communications circuitry in electrical communication with the server and second communications circuitry, and

a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device including first communication circuitry for communicating with the server and second communication circuitry capable of communicating with the second communications circuitry of the patient support system, the mobile computing device operable to receive a signal from the patient support system, establish a one-to-one communications link with the second communications circuitry of the patient support system, and transmit to the server a signal indicative of the ongoing communications with the patient support system, and transmit information from the patient support system to the remote server,

wherein the server processes the signal and transmits the information from the patient support system to a hospital information system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the mobile computing device includes operational circuitry used by a caregiver to enter patient related information, wherein the mobile computing device associates the patient related information with the information from the patient support system and transmits the associated data to the remote server, wherein the remote server transmits instructions intended for the patient support system to the mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device is configured such that a user may optionally allow the instructions from the server intended for the patient support system to be transmitted by the mobile computing device to the patient support system, wherein the patient support system includes a user interface, and wherein the remote server is operable to enable the mobile computing device to access functionality of the patient support system that is not accessible from the user interface, the functionality accessible being dependent on the authority level of the mobile computing device.

5. A system comprising

a server, and

a first patient support system including first communications circuitry in communication with the server and a controller, the controller operable to control functionality of the patient support system,

wherein the controller of the first patient support system is operable to communicate data to the server, the data communicated to the server being processed by the server to reduce the processing load of the controller of the first patient support system, and upon completion of the processing of the data, the server is operable to return the results of the processed data to the controller of the first patient support system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system further comprises a second patient support system including first communications circuitry in communication with the server and a controller, the controller operable to control functionality of the patient support system, wherein the controller of the second patient support system is operable to communicate data to the server, the data communicated to the server being processed by the server to reduce the processing load of the controller of the second patient support system, and upon completion of the processing of the data, the server is operable to return the results of the processed data to the controller of the second patient support system, wherein the first and second patient support systems each further include second communications circuitry and wherein the system further comprises a mobile computing device including communications circuitry operable to communicate with the second communications circuitry of each of the first and second patient support systems, the mobile computing device including operations circuitry which permits the mobile computing device to be paired with only one of the first and second patient support systems, wherein the controllers of the first and second patient support systems transfer data to the server which is associated with non-critical functionality of the patient support systems to reduce the processing load on the controllers, wherein mobile computing device acts as a user interface for the patient support system with which the mobile computing device is paired, wherein the first patient support system further includes second communications circuitry and wherein the system further comprises a mobile computing device including communications circuitry operable to communicate with the second communications circuitry of the first patient support system, the mobile computing device including operations circuitry which permits the mobile computing device to be paired with the first patient support system, and wherein mobile computing device acts as a user interface for the first patient support system when the first patient support system and the mobile computing device are paired.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller of the first patient support system transfers data to the server which is associated with non-critical functionality of the patient support systems to reduce the processing load on the controller.

8. A system for use in a healthcare facility having a plurality of patient rooms, the system comprising

a plurality of patient care devices located in a first patient room of the plurality of patient rooms,

an application server located remotely from the first patient room, the application server having stored therein application software associated with each patient care device of the plurality of patient care devices, and

at least one universal caregiver interface situated in the first patient room and in communication with the application server, the at least one universal caregiver interface receiving application software from the application server, the at least one universal caregiver interface then being usable to control the operation of each of the plurality of patient care devices in accordance with the application software.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one caregiver interface comprises a first universal caregiver interface mounted to a wall of the patient room, wherein after the application software for the plurality of caregiver devices in the first patient room is received by the first universal caregiver interface, the first universal caregiver interface is operable by a caregiver to communicate control commands wirelessly to at least one of the plurality of patient care devices without involving the application server, wherein after the application software for the plurality of caregiver devices in the first patient room is received by the first universal caregiver interface, the first universal caregiver interface is operable by a caregiver to communicate control commands to at least one of the plurality of patient care devices via the application server, further comprising an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room, the first universal caregiver interface serving as a hub to collect data from each of the plurality of patient care devices in the room, and the first universal caregiver interface sending the data to the EMR computer device for storage in an electronic medical record of a patient located in the patient room, further comprising a computer on wheels (COW) that is transportable to the first patient room, the first universal caregiver interface serving as a hub to collect data from each of the plurality of patient care devices in the first patient room, and the first universal caregiver interface sending the data wirelessly to the COW in response to the COW being transported to the first patient room and after a communication link is established between the COW and the first universal caregiver interface, further comprising a wireless communication device carried by a caregiver, the first universal caregiver interface serving as a hub to collect data from each of the plurality of patient care devices in the first patient room, the first universal caregiver interface sending at least some of the data wirelessly to the wireless communication device in response to the wireless communication device being transported to the first patient room and after a communication link is established between the wireless communication device and the first universal caregiver interface, further comprising a second universal caregiver interface, the second universal caregiver interface comprising a tablet computer that is carried by a caregiver, further comprising a receiver located in the first patient room, the receiver being in communication with the application server, and the second universal caregiver interface receiving the application software from the application server in response to the second universal caregiver interface being transported into the first room by the caregiver and communicating a wireless signal to the receiver, wherein the receiver is included as part of a wireless access point and the application server sends the application software to the second universal caregiver interface via the wireless access point, wherein at least one of the plurality of patient care devices comprises a hospital bed and the first and second universal caregiver interfaces are each usable to control the hospital bed, wherein the application server sends application software to the hospital bed for use in controlling at least one patient care device other than the hospital bed via a user interface of the hospital bed, wherein a second of the plurality of patient care devices comprises a lift and the first and second universal caregiver interfaces are each usable to control the lift, wherein each of the first and second universal caregiver interfaces includes an input for bed exit coordination in which the lift is moved to a use position, a bed exit alarm of the hospital bed is suppressed, and a patient exit from the hospital bed is charted to an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of patient care devices comprises a hospital bed and the application server sends application software to the hospital bed for use in controlling at least one patient care device other than the hospital bed via a user interface of the hospital bed.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of patient care devices comprises a hospital bed and a lift, the at least one universal caregiver interface includes an input for bed exit coordination in which the lift is moved to a use position, a bed exit alarm of the hospital bed is suppressed, and a patient exit from the hospital bed is charted to an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one motorized window blind, a thermostat to control room temperature, and at least one room light, the at least one universal caregiver interface receiving environment controls application software from the application server, and the at least one universal caregiver interface being usable to control the operation of each of the at least one motorized window blind, the thermostat, and the at least one room light in accordance with the environment controls application software, wherein at least one of the plurality of patient care devices comprises a hospital bed and wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface includes an input that is selected to place the patient room in a night mode in which the at least one motorized window blind is closed, the thermostat is adjusted, the at least one room light is turned off, and a bed exit system of the hospital bed is enabled, wherein at least one of the plurality of patient care devices comprises a hospital bed, and wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface includes a room ready input that is selected to set a bed scale of the hospital bed to zero, to open the at least one motorized window blind, and to cancel any room notifications associated with the patient room.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of patient care devices includes an intravenous (IV) pump which is usable to deliver medicine to a patient, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface is usable to initiate the delivery of the medicine to the patient by operation of the IV pump, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface sends a message to an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room to indicate at least one of a time at which medicine deliver to the patient was started and the medicine delivery to the patient, and wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface receives an order pertaining to the delivery of the medicine to the patient.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface comprises a tablet computer that is carried by a caregiver, further comprising a receiver located in the first patient room, the receiver being in communication with the application server, and the tablet computer receives the application software from the application server in response to tablet computer being transported into the first room by the caregiver and communicating a wireless signal to the receiver, wherein the receiver is included as part of a wireless access point and the application server sends the application software to the tablet computer via the wireless access point, wherein at least one of the plurality of patient care devices comprises a hospital bed and the tablet computer is usable to control the hospital bed, wherein the application server sends application software to the hospital bed for use in controlling at least one patient care device other than the hospital bed via a user interface of the hospital bed, wherein a second of the plurality of patient care devices comprises a lift and the tablet computer is usable to control the lift, and wherein the tablet computer includes an input for bed exit coordination in which the lift is moved to a use position, a bed exit alarm of the hospital bed is suppressed, and a patient exit from the hospital bed is charted to an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface comprises a user interface of a first patient care device of the plurality of patient care devices and wherein the first patient care device comprises a hospital bed.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface comprises a smart phone or an in-room computer.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface comprises a wireless mobile device carried by a caregiver and wherein default patient data displayed on a display screen of the wireless mobile device varies automatically depending upon the caregiver'"'"'s location within the healthcare facility, wherein the default patient data comprises at least one or more of the following:

(i) heart rate data and respiration data when the caregiver is located in the patient room with the patient,

(ii) at least one of a previous radiological image and a current radiological image when the caregiver is in a radiology portion of the healthcare facility with the patient, and

(iii) laboratory test results when the caregiver is in a laboratory testing portion of the healthcare facility with the patient, and wherein the default data displayed on the display of the wireless mobile device is filtered based on the caregiver'"'"'s role.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface comprises a wireless mobile device carried by a caregiver and wherein default patient data displayed on a display screen of the wireless mobile device varies automatically depending upon a patient schedule, wherein the default patient data comprises heart rate data and respiration data when the patient is scheduled to be in the patient room, wherein the default patient data comprises at least one of a previous radiological image and a current radiological image when the patient is scheduled to be in a radiology portion of the healthcare facility, wherein the default patient data comprises laboratory test results when the patient is scheduled to be in a laboratory testing portion of the healthcare facility, and wherein the default data displayed on the display of the wireless mobile device is filtered based on the caregiver'"'"'s role.

19. The system of claim 8, further comprising a patient interface that is used by a patient to communicate with the at least one universal caregiver interface.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the patient interface is also used to control at least one patient care device of the plurality of patient care devices.