Proxy caregiver interface

• US 9,044,361 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Bell, Randall J., Allen, James M., Tallent, Dan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, BRITTANY M
• Application Number:
  US13/556,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 560/0, 561/3, 561/6, 715/738
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/00 Beds specially adapted for nursing; Devices for lifting patients or disabled persons stretchers with facilities for picking up patients or disabled persons A61G1/003
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/002 having adjustable mattress frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A patient support apparatus for use in a healthcare facility has associated therewith a graphical user interface (GUI) that is operable to display information pertaining to features of the patient support apparatus and to display information pertaining to features of other patient support apparatuses. Under some circumstances, the GUI may also be used to control functions of some of the other patient support apparatuses. A bed data server is communicatively coupled to the patient support apparatus and to the other patient support apparatuses to control information flow to the GUI from the other patient support apparatuses.

Claims

1. A patient support apparatus for use in a healthcare facility having at least one other patient support apparatus, the patient support apparatus comprising

a patient support structure to support a patient,

a graphical user interface (GUI) mounted to the patient support structure, and

control circuitry carried by the patient support structure and coupled to the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface being operable to display information pertaining to features of the patient support apparatus and to display information pertaining to features of the at least one other patient support apparatus, the patient support apparatus and the GUI being situated in a first room of a healthcare facility and the at least one other patient support apparatus being situated in a second room of the healthcare facility, wherein the GUI is operable to control functions of the patient support apparatus and to control functions of the at least one other patient support apparatus, wherein the patient support apparatus comprises at least one of a hospital bed, a surgical table, an examination table, or a stretcher and wherein the at least one other patient support apparatus comprises at least one of a hospital bed, a surgical table, an examination table, or a stretcher.

2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the GUI includes visual indicia to indicate that the GUI is in a mode in which the at least one other patient support apparatus is controllable with the GUI.

3. The patient support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the visual indicia comprises a colored border around a periphery of the GUI.

4. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein during use of the GUI to control functions of the patient support apparatus, the GUI includes a field that is selectable to obtain a menu of the at least one other patient support apparatus that may be controlled using the GUI.

5. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the GUI includes visual indicia to indicate that the GUI is in a mode in which the data shown on the GUI pertains to one of the at least one other patient support apparatus and not the patient support apparatus.

6. The patient support apparatus of claim 5, wherein the visual indicia comprises a colored border around a periphery of the GUI.

7. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein during use of the GUI to display information pertaining to the patient support apparatus, the GUI includes a field that is selectable to obtain a menu of the at least one other patient support apparatus that may have associated information displayed on the GUI.

8. The patient support apparatus of claim 7, wherein if a first screen pertaining to the patient support apparatus is displayed on the GUI when the field is initially selected by a user to display the menu, then in response to one of the at least one other patient support apparatus being selected by the user from the menu, corresponding information to that of the first screen is shown on the GUI for the selected patient support apparatus.

9. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patient support apparatus comprises a first hospital bed and the at least one other patient support apparatus comprises a plurality of hospital beds.

10. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the patient support structure comprises a bed frame having a siderail that is moveable between a raised position to serve as a barrier inhibiting a patient from exiting the patient support structure and a lowered position permitting a patient to exit the patient support structure and the GUI is mounted to the siderail.

11. The patient support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the GUI is mounted to at least one of a wall and a piece of architectural equipment that is located in a room in which the patient support structure is located.

12. A system comprising

a first patient support apparatus having mounted thereon a graphical user interface (GUI) to view first data pertaining to the first patient support apparatus,

a second patient support apparatus, the first patient support apparatus and the GUI being situated in a first room of a healthcare facility and the second patient support apparatus being situated in a second room of the healthcare facility, wherein the GUI is operable to control functions of the first patient support apparatus and to control functions of the second patient support apparatus, wherein the first patient support apparatus comprises at least one of a hospital bed, a surgical table, an examination table, or a stretcher and wherein the second patient support apparatus comprises at least one of a hospital bed, a surgical table, an examination table, or a stretcher, and

a bed data server remote from the first and second patient support apparatuses and communicatively coupled to the first and second patient support apparatuses, the bed data server providing second data pertaining to the second patient support apparatus to the first patient support apparatus for display on the GUI in response to user inputs entered on the GUI of the first patient support apparatus.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the GUI of the first patient support apparatus includes visual indicia to indicate that the GUI is displaying data pertaining to the second patient support apparatus.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the visual indicia comprises a colored border around a periphery of the GUI.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the visual indicia includes a room designator that indicates a location in a healthcare facility at which the second patient support apparatus is located.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the GUI is usable to control functions of the first patient support apparatus but not the second patient support apparatus.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a third patient support apparatus communicatively coupled to the bed data server, the bed data server providing third data pertaining to the third patient support apparatus to the first patient support apparatus for display on the GUI in response to user inputs entered on the GUI of the first patient support apparatus.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the GUI displays a field that is selectable to obtain a menu that lists designators for the second and third patient support apparatuses for selection by a user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the designators each comprise at least one of a patient identifier and a room location identifier.