Hygiene monitoring system

• US 9,396,638 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Wildman, Timothy D., Gallant, Dennis J., Hausman, Phillip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US14/302,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/80 for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

A system and method is provided for monitoring hygiene compliance.

Claims

1. A system comprising

locating and tracking equipment to track the whereabouts of caregivers in a healthcare facility, the locating and tracking equipment including a plurality of badges, each badge being transported by an associated caregiver in the healthcare facility, each badge being operable to transmit badge information,

a plurality of handwashing equipment sensors, each handwashing equipment sensor of the plurality of handwashing equipment sensors being associated with respective handwashing equipment, each handwashing equipment sensor being operable to transmit handwashing information,

at least one remote computer device configured to receive the badge information and the handwashing information, the at least one remote computer device operating to determine compliance with a handwashing protocol of the healthcare facility based on the badge information and the handwashing information, the at least one remote computer device also receiving from the handwashing equipment data regarding a maintenance status of the handwashing equipment,

and

a plurality of indicators, each indicator being located in a respective room of the healthcare facility in which the handwashing equipment is located and spaced from the plurality of badges, each indicator being operable to display textual messages regarding compliance with the handwashing protocol in response to at least one signal sent from the at least one remote computer device which is located remotely from the handwashing equipment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data regarding maintenance status of the handwashing equipment relates to a faucet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data regarding maintenance status of the handwashing equipment relates to a hand washing agents dispenser.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the handwashing protocol comprises caregivers washing their hands within a threshold amount of time after the locating and tracking equipment detects presence of the caregiver in a patient room.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the handwashing protocol comprises caregivers washing their hands within a threshold amount of time after the locating and tracking equipment detects that the caregiver has exited the patient room.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each badge includes a first receiver to receive wireless signals.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first receiver receives wireless signals of a type different than those that are transmitted by the badge.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each badge transmits radio frequency (RF) signals and/or infrared (IR) signals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the handwashing equipment comprises one or more handwashing agents dispensers.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of alert indicators that remind associated caregivers to wash their hands.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each alert indicator of the plurality of alert indicators is incorporated into a respective badge of the plurality of badges.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein each alert indicator is located in a respective room of a plurality of patient rooms.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein each alert indicator of the plurality of alert indicators is signaled by the at least one remote computer device to activate when a handwashing condition exists for the associated caregiver.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of alert indicators comprise lights.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of alert indicators comprise audible indicators.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of alert indicators comprise tactile indicators.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the locating and tracking equipment includes a plurality of infrared communication units, each infrared communication unit being located in a respective patient room of the healthcare facility, each infrared communication unit being associated with the respective patient room in a database of the at least one remote computer device, and each infrared communication unit communicating wirelessly with each of the plurality of badges that are located in the associated patient room.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the data regarding maintenance status of the handwashing equipment indicates whether a hand washing agents container is low.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the data regarding maintenance status of the handwashing equipment also indicates one or more of the following:

whether a hand washing agents cassette needs to be changed;

whether a hand washing agents path needs to be changed;

or whether a towel container is low.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein in addition to indicating whether the hand washing agents container is low, the data regarding maintenance status of the handwashing equipment also indicates two or more of the following:

whether the hand washing agents cassette needs to be changed;

whether the hand washing agents path needs to be changed;

or

whether the towel container is low.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein in addition to indicating whether the hand washing agents container is low, the data regarding maintenance status of the handwashing equipment also indicates all three of the following:

whether the hand washing agents cassette needs to be changed;

whether the hand washing agents path needs to be changed;

or

whether the towel container is low.