Pain location and intensity communication apparatus and method

• US 5,720,502 A
• Filed: 11/08/1996
• Issued: 02/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sam Westfall
• Original Assignee: John R. Cain
• Inventors: Cain, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Andrea L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDOLL, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US08/744,434
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 283/67, 283/70, 283/173, 283/115, 283/900, 434/112, 434/262, 434/267, 434/270, 434/272, 434/274
• US Class Current: 283/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/004 Questionnaires, statistics for manually- or mechanically-operated teaching appliances G09B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/90 Medical record

Abstract

The present invention comprises a preprinted chart, or, in the case of software, a programmed screen display, on which is displayed front and back silhouettes of a patient. Alongside the silhouettes are provided a number of series of icons which illustrate various patient conditions, such as burn, cut, bruise, etc. with each icon series color coded to indicate pain intensity. A 24 hour row and column pain intensity time chart is provided which is also pain intensity color coded. A veterinary version of the pain intensity chart is provided for animals.

Claims

1. A patient pain communication apparatus comprising:

a) a graphic display medium including;

i) a first display area including at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body;

ii) a second display area including a plurality of icons representing particular patient pain conditions, at least some of said icons including coding to represent pain intensity; and

wherein

iii) said icons are movable from said second display area to said first display area such that they can be positioned on said body graphic image to indicate either pain location or both pain location and intensity.

2. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said icon coding is color coding with different colors representing different pain intensities.

3. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of icons includes some icons which incorporate information on injury types.

4. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said injury types include one or more of the following:

a) broken bones;

b) burns;

c) cuts; and

d) numbness.

5. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, and further including movable icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which are weight bearing.

6. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of icons includes icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which should not be touched.

11. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, and further including movable icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which are experiencing no pain.

12. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said graphics display area comprises a two dimensional chart and said icons comprise removable and replaceable stickers.

13. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said graphics display area comprises a computer screen and said icons are computer graphics which are selectable and movable via a "point, click and drag" cursor method.

14. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is designed for human patient use and where said at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body represents a portion of a human body.

15. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 14, wherein there are two of said graphic images representing a portion of a body with a first of said graphic images representing a front silhouette and the second of said graphic images representing a rear silhouette.

16. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is designed for veterinary patient use and where said at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body represents a portion of an animal body.

17. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 16, wherein there are two of said graphic images representing a portion of a body with a first of said graphic images representing a left side silhouette and the second of said graphic images representing a right side silhouette.

7. A patient pain communication apparatus, comprising:

a) a graphic display medium including;

i) a first display area including at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body;

ii) a second display area including a plurality of icons representing particular patient pain conditions;

iii) a third display area including a time based pain intensity chart; and

wherein

iv) said icons are movable from said second display area to said first display area such that they can be positioned on said body graphic image to indicate pain location.

8. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 7, said time based pain intensity chart including a row and column matrix with a time scale represented on either the row or column and a pain intensity scale being represented on the remaining one of the row and column.

9. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said plurality of icons includes icon(s) which incorporate information on pain intensity, said pain intensity icons being movable to said row and column matrix.

10. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 8, and further including icon(s) which indicate a sleeping patient, said sleeping patient icons being movable to said row and column matrix.

18. A patient pain communication apparatus comprising:

a) a graphic display medium including a computer screen driven by a programmed computer, said display mediums including;

i) a first display area including at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body;

ii) a second display area including a plurality of icons representing particular patient pain conditions with at least some of said icons including coding representing pain intensity, said icons being computer graphics which are selectable and movable via a "point, click and drag" cursor method such that they are movable from said second display area to said first display area such that they can be positioned on said body graphic image to indicate pain location.

19. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said icon pain intensity coding is color coding with different colors representing different pain intensities.

20. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said plurality of icons includes some icons which incorporate information on injury types.

21. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said injury types include one or more of the following:

a) broken bones;

b) burns;

c) cuts; and

d) numbness.

22. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 18, and further including movable icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which are weight bearing.

23. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said plurality of icons includes icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which should not be touched.

28. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said apparatus is designed for human patient use and where said at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body represents a portion of a human body.

29. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 28, wherein there are two of said graphic images representing a portion of a body with a first of said graphic images representing a front silhouette and the second of said graphic images representing a rear silhouette.

30. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said apparatus is designed for veterinary patient use and where said at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body represents a portion of an animal body.

31. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 30, wherein there are two of said graphic images representing a portion of a body with a first of said graphic images representing a left side silhouette and the second of said graphic images representing a right side silhouette.

24. A patient pain communication apparatus, comprising:

a) a graphic display medium including a computer screen driven by a programmed computer, said display mediums including;

i) a first display area including at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body;

ii) a second display area including a plurality of icons representing particular patient pain conditions with at least some of said icons including coding representing pain intensity, said icons being computer graphics which are selectable and movable via a "point, click and drag" cursor method such that they are movable from said second display area to said first display area such that they can be positioned on said body graphic image to indicate pain location; and

iii) a third display area including a time based pain intensity chart.

25. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 24, said time based pain intensity chart including a row and column matrix with a time scale represented on either the row or column and a pain intensity scale being represented on the remaining one of the row and column.

27. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 25, wherein said plurality of icons includes icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which are experiencing no pain.

26. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 26, and further including icon(s) which indicate a sleeping patient, said sleeping patient icons being movable to said row and column matrix.

32. A patient pain communication apparatus comprising:

a) a graphic display medium including a two dimensional chart comprising;

i) a first display area including at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body;

ii) a second display area including a plurality of icons representing particular patient pain conditions with at least some of said icons including coding representing pain intensity, said icons being removable and replaceable stickers which can be removed from said second display area and attached to said first display area such that they can be positioned on said body graphic image to indicate either pain location or both pain location and intensity.

33. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said icon pain intensity coding is color coding with different colors representing different pain intensities.

34. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said plurality of icons includes some icons which incorporate information on injury types.

35. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said injury types include one or more of the following:

a) broken bones;

b) burns;

c) cuts; and

d) numbness.

36. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 34, and further including removable and replaceable sticker icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which are weight bearing.

37. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said plurality of icons includes icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which should not be touched.

42. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said apparatus is designed for human patient use and where said at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body represents a portion of a human body.

43. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 42, wherein there are two of said graphic images representing a portion of a body with a first of said graphic images representing a front silhouette and the second of said graphic images representing a rear silhouette.

44. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said apparatus is designed for veterinary patient use and where said at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body represents a portion of an animal body.

45. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 44, wherein there are two of said graphic images representing a portion of a body with a first of said graphic images representing a left side silhouette and the second of said graphic images representing a right side silhouette.

38. A patient pain communication, comprising:

a) a graphic display medium including a two dimensional chart comprising;

i) a first display area including at least one graphic image representing a portion of a body;

ii) a second display area including a plurality of icons representing particular patient pain conditions with at least some of said icons including coding representing pain intensity, said icons being removable and replaceable stickers which can be removed from said second display area and attached to said first display area such that they can be positioned on said body graphic image to indicate either pain location or pain location and intensity; and

iii) a third display area including a time based pain intensity chart.

39. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 38, said time based pain intensity chart including a row and column matrix with a time scale represented on either the row or column and a pain intensity scale being represented on the remaining one of the row and column.

41. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 41, and further including removable and replaceable sticker icon(s) which incorporate information on areas which are experiencing no pain.

40. A patient pain communication apparatus as in claim 41, and further including removable and replaceable sticker icon(s) which indicate a sleeping patient, said sleeping patient icons being movable to said row and column matrix.