Visual display of room information

• US 8,732,573 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TeleTracking Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TeleTracking Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Nacey, Gene E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang, Haimei
• Application Number:
  US10/005,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20020158919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,572 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.06, 340/286.07, 340/286.08, 340/286.6, 340/286.7, 340/286.8, 705/2, 705/5, 705/3, 715/855
• US Class Current: 715/251
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for the visual display of room information for multiple units. Information of interest is graphically displayed in a manner which conveys the information to in a form which aids in comprehension of the information. Specifically, the information is preferably conveyed on the unit level through the use of a matrix. A graphical cell is used to represent each room in the unit. Components of the cell indicate key considerations for every room. Additional information may also be displayed by clicking on a component of the cell.

Claims

1. A method of graphically displaying room information, comprising:

displaying, on an electronic device, a matrix having a plurality of cells therein, at least one cell displaying hospital room information regarding room availability and patient occupancy in the room;

said matrix displaying the plurality of cells in column form; and

displaying, responsive to a click on a cell in the matrix of a patient occupied room, an overlay window having secondary room status information therein comprising patient specific information regarding the status of the room.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one cell is adapted to display the secondary room status information associated with at least one attribute of the cell.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the display of said secondary room status information is restricted.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the secondary room status information is displayed solely to authorized users.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the authorization of a user is determined by comparing a password provided by the user against a databank of passwords.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the room is a hospital room.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cell depicts a bed.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cell indicates whether the room is unoccupied.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cell indicates whether the room is occupied.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cell indicates whether the room is in stat condition.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the cell indicates whether a bed within the room is being made.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient specific information regarding the status of the room is selected from the group of information consisting of patient pending discharge, patient pending transfer, and patient confirmed discharge.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises three levels.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the three levels include:

a first level displaying a room number;

a second level displaying current status of a bed within a room associated with the cell; and

a third level containing one or more user defined attributes.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one column of cells comprises summary information regarding a patient care unit associated with the at least one column of cells, and wherein the summary information regarding a patient care unit associated with the at least one column of cells includes a number of staffed beds, a reserved capacity of the patient care unit, a number of assigned beds, and a census now number.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the patient care unit includes one or more of a critical care unit and an intensive care unit.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein each cell includes textual information regarding room availability and patient occupancy of the room.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the patient specific information regarding the status of the room comprises patient specific bed status information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the patient specific bed status information comprises impending bed availability information derived from the patient specific bed status information.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the patient specific bed status information is not emergency patient condition information.