Emergent situation notification during transport of a patient support apparatus

• US 10,335,334 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Seim, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil H
• Application Number:
  US15/949,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20180296415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/30 characterised by sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0524 characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

A patient-support status system includes a patient support apparatus adapted to support a patient thereon. A user interface is coupled to the patient support apparatus to move therewith and configured to receive a user input associated with a status of the patient. A location-detection system is configured to provide location data associated with a location of the patient support apparatus in a healthcare facility. A communication unit is coupled to the patient support apparatus and configured to communicate the status and the location data to a remote computer in response to receipt of the user input.

Claims

1. A patient-support status system comprising

a patient support apparatus adapted to support a patient thereon, the patient support apparatus including control circuitry including memory storing the identity of the patient support apparatus,

a user interface coupled to the control circuitry and monitoring for a user input associated with an emergent situation of the patient during transportation of the patient on the patient support apparatus,

a location-detection system coupled to the control circuitry of the patient support apparatus, the location detection system communicating with location identifiers in a healthcare facility to provide a real-time location of the patient support apparatus as the patient support apparatus moves through the healthcare facility, and

a transceiver coupled to the control circuitry, the transceiver communicating the patient support apparatus identity and the real-time location to a remote computer in response to receipt of the user input.

2. The patient-support status system of claim 1, further comprising a battery coupled to the patient support apparatus and configured to power control circuitry, the user interface, location detection system, and the transceiver.

3. The patient-support status system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to communicate patient identification information to the remote computer.

4. The patient-support status system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver communicates through a radio frequency (RF) transmission.

5. The patient-support status system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver communicates through an infrared (IR) transmission.

6. The patient-support status system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver communicates through a wireless transmission.

7. The patient-support status system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is located on a siderail of the patient support apparatus.

8. The patient-support status system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate the status and the location data to the remote computer via a waypoint.

9. The patient-support status system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive alert data from the remote computer, the alert data displayed on the user interface.

10. The patient-support status system of claim 9, wherein the alert data comprises at least one of healthcare facility data, healthcare facility personnel data, or patient data.

11. A method of communicating a location of a patient-support apparatus comprising

receiving a user input associated with an emergent situation of a patient supported on the patient support apparatus at a user interface coupled to the patient support apparatus and moving therewith,

providing real-time location data associated with a location of the patient support apparatus in the healthcare facility at the time of the emergent situation with a location-detection system having multiple location identifiers located throughout the healthcare facility, and

communicating, with a transceiver coupled to the patient support apparatus, the emergent situation and the location data to a remote computer in response to receipt of the user input.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising powering the user interface, location detection system, and transceiver with a battery coupled to the patient support apparatus.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating patient identification information to the remote computer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating through a radio frequency (RF) transmission.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating through an infrared (IR) transmission.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating through a wireless transmission.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating the status and the location data to the remote computer via a waypoint.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, at the transceiver, alert data from the remote computer.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying the alert data on the user interface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the alert data comprises at least one of healthcare facility data, healthcare facility personnel data, or patient data.

21. A healthcare facility location communication system comprising

a remote computer located in a healthcare facility for monitoring a patient status, and

a patient support apparatus adapted to support the patient thereon, the patient support apparatus comprising

a user interface to receive a user input associated with an emergent situation of the patient,

a location-detection system configured to provide real-time location data associated with a location of the patient support apparatus in the healthcare facility at the time of the emergent situation, and

a transceiver configured to communicate the status and the location data to a remote computer in response to receipt of the user input.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the a patient support apparatus further comprises a battery coupled to the patient support apparatus and configured to power the user interface, location detection system, and transceiver.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the transceiver is further configured to communicate patient identification information to the remote computer.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the transceiver communicates through a radio frequency (RF) transmission.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the transceiver communicates through an infrared (IR) transmission.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the transceiver communicates through a wireless transmission.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the user interface is located on a siderail of the patient support apparatus.

28. The system of claim 21, further comprising a waypoint, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate the status and the location data to the remote computer via the waypoint.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive alert data from the remote computer, the alert data displayed on the user interface.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the alert data comprises at least one of healthcare facility data, healthcare facility personnel data, or patient data.