Healthcare management

• US 9,317,659 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Balinski, Peter A., Musial, John G., Patil, Sandeep R., Shiraguppi, Riyazahamad M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tomaszewski, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/034,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20140358573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A computer system obtains data from at least one sensor monitoring for health risk conditions, wherein a list of health risk conditions are pre-defined and stored in a server. The computer system determines that a health risk condition exists within an area based on the obtained data. The computer system determines a sanitization procedure for the health risk condition. The computer system initiates sanitization operations for the area according to the determined sanitization procedure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining data from at least one sensor monitoring for health risk conditions, wherein a list of health risk conditions are pre-defined and stored in a server;

obtaining patient history data from at least one sensor, of the one or more sensors, indicating a history of locations visited by a person;

determining, by one or more computer processors, that a health risk condition exists within an area based on the obtained data, wherein the area is a location visited by the person;

determining, by one or more computer processors, a sanitization procedure for the health risk condition;

initiating, by one or more computer processors, sanitization operations for the area according to the determined sanitization procedure by using a motor-driven, mobile automated cleaning device of one or more motor-driven, mobile automated cleaning devices communicatively coupled to the one or more computer processors; and

cleaning the area using the motor-driven, mobile automated cleaning device, wherein the motor-driven, mobile automated cleaning device responds to the health risk condition according to the data from the at least one sensor of the one or more sensors.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor monitors the area for health risk conditions based on perceived events occurring within the area.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor monitors a person for health risk conditions based on one or more perceived actions of the person, paleness, jaundice, excessive sweating, temperature, heart rate, sneezing, coughing, weakness of breath, wheezing, air particulates, body functions of the person, and vital signs of the person.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein determining the sanitization procedure for the health risk condition comprises:

determining severity of the health risk condition;

determining at least one cleaning agent effective against the health risk condition; and

based on the severity of the health risk condition, scheduling a cleaning of the area with the at least one cleaning agent.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein determining the sanitization procedure further comprises:

determining at least one surface type of the area;

wherein determining the at least one cleaning agent effective against the health risk condition is further based on the at least one surface type.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein initiating sanitization operations for the area according to the determined sanitization procedure comprises:

locating a motor-driven, mobile automated cleaning device of the one or more motor-driven, mobile automated cleaning devices proximate to the area and capable of performing the sanitization procedure; and

electronically communicating to the motor-driven, mobile automated cleaning device to begin at a scheduled time.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein initiating sanitization operations for the area according to the determined sanitization procedure comprises:

notifying staff of the health risk condition and the determined sanitization operation.