Control system for patient support apparatus

• US 9,539,155 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Johannigman, Nicole, Morrison, William A., Seim, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US13/803,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20140115784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 700/157, 560/0, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/16 Touchpads
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/70 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/90 for heating
• 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 7/012 raising or lowering of the whole mattress frame A61G7/005, A61G7/008 take precedence
• 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: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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

A system includes a patient support apparatus that has one or more therapies. The therapies are optionally available depending on the acuity of the patient. A request for enablement of a therapy is transferred to a service provider for approval and, when approved, the therapy is enabled by the service provider. The patient support apparatus may be in communication with a server that is in communication with multiple patient support apparatuses so that the server is operable to selectively enable therapies on various patient support apparatuses.

Claims

1. A system comprising

a first patient support apparatus having at least one therapy device that is optionally and independently operational, the device being configured to be, when enabled for operation, capable of providing a distinct therapy to a patient supported on the patient support apparatus, the first patient support apparatus including (i) a control system operable to enable or disable operation of the therapy device under software control, and (ii) a user input device coupled to the control system, the user input device operational to receive a user input requesting enablement or disablement of the therapy device, wherein the control system is operable to communicate the request externally from the first patient support apparatus, and

a server spaced apart from the first patient support apparatus, the server in communication with (a) the control system of the first patient support apparatus and (b) a computer device at a service provider,

wherein the server is operable to receive the request for enablement or disablement of the therapy device from the control system of the first patient support apparatus,

wherein the server is operable to transmit a received request for enablement or disablement of the therapy device to the computer device at the service provider,

wherein the computer device is operable to process the request for enablement or disablement of the therapy device to determine whether the requested enablement or disablement of the therapy device is authorized, and to provide a signal to the server indicative of the permissibility of the request,

wherein the server is operable to provide instructions to the control system to enable or disable the particular device of the first patient support apparatus, and

wherein the server is operable to generate a bill for the enabled therapeutic device based the amount of time the therapeutic device is enabled.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is in communication with a hospital information system, the hospital information system operational to receive a user input at a location remote from the first patient support apparatus requesting enablement or disablement of a particular therapy device of the first patient support apparatus and communicate the request to the server independently of the control system of the first patient support apparatus.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the server is operable to transmit an authorization of the instructions to the control system to enable or disable the particular therapy device through the hospital information system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer device at the service provider is operable to monitor for an input from a user providing an indication that a particular therapy device of the first patient support apparatus is to be enabled or disabled, and to transmit an instruction to enable or disable the device to the server, and the server is operable to enable or disable the device based on the input from the user at the computer device at the service provider.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system of the first patient support apparatus further includes a controller having a processor and a memory device, the processor in communication with the memory device, and a sensor in communication with the controller, the sensor operable to detect a parameter related to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus or a status of a component of the first patient support apparatus, wherein the memory device includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, monitor a signal from the sensor and determine whether the signal from the sensor indicates that an event has occurred, and, if an event has occurred, add the occurrence to a record associated with the first patient support apparatus.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the memory device includes further instructions that, when executed by the processor, determines whether the event is a patient event.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the memory device includes further instructions that, when executed by the processor, determines whether caregiver interaction is required to respond to the patient event, and, if caregiver interaction is required, communicates with a caregiver to prompt interaction by the caregiver with the patient support apparatus.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the memory device includes further instructions that, when executed by the processor, logs the event and the caregiver interaction.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the memory device includes further instructions that, when executed by the processor, determines whether a non-patient event has occurred.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide air fluidized therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide micro-climate management therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide percussion therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide deep vein thrombosis therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide air fluidized therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide micro-climate management therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control system of the first patient support apparatus further includes a controller having a processor and a memory device, the processor in communication with the memory device, and a sensor in communication with the controller, the sensor operable to detect a parameter related to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus or a status of a component of the first patient support apparatus, wherein the memory device includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, monitor a signal from the sensor and determine whether the signal from the sensor indicates that an event has occurred, and, if an event has occurred, add the occurrence to a record associated with the first patient support apparatus.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory device includes further instructions that, when executed by the processor, determines whether the event is a patient event.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory device includes further instructions that, when executed by the processor, determines whether caregiver interaction is required to respond to the event, and, if caregiver interaction is required, communicates with a caregiver to prompt interaction by the caregiver with the patient support apparatus.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide percussion therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy device is configured to be optionally enabled to provide deep vein thrombosis therapy to a patient supported on the first patient support apparatus.