PATIENT SUPPORT APPARATUS WITH REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20140259414A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Hayes, Michael Joseph, Becker, David Terrance, Dsaulniers, Annie
• Granted Patent: US 9,833,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/611
• 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 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• 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 7/0524 characterised by integrated accessories, e.g. bed control means, nurse call or reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A patient support apparatus includes a computer supported thereon that acts as a thin client for at least one network service available on a remote network to which the patient support apparatus has access. The thin client architecture of the patient support apparatus enables the patient support apparatus to dynamically change its functions, algorithms, features and other aspects more easily. The thin client architecture may be applied to generating alerts, performing maintenance functions, analyzing sensor data—including, but not limited to—weight sensors used to detect weight distributions on the patient support apparatus, implementing patient care protocols, performing patient assessments, accumulating information for billing, and monitoring patient movement. The patient support apparatuses may also function as local WiFi hotspots and/or as software access points to the healthcare network and/or the Internet. One or more Software-as-a-Service applications may run on the patient support apparatus.

Claims

1. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a support surface supported on the frame;

a display;

a transceiver adapted to communicate with a remote network; and

a computer supported on the patient support apparatus and in communication with the transceiver and the display, the computer configured to act as a thin client with respect to at least one network service available on the remote network.

2. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the computer is adapted to run a plurality of thin client applications, a first one of the thin client applications adapted to interact with a first network service available on the remote network, and a second one of the thin client applications adapted to interact with a second network service available on the remote network.

3. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service provides data for performing at least one of the following:

assessing a bed sore risk of a patient;

assessing a fall risk of a patient;

determining when a patient may be about to exit the patient support apparatus; and

determining if a patient has turned or not based on sensors positioned on board the patient support apparatus.

4. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 further including a plurality of force sensors adapted to detect information about a position of a patient on the support surface, the computer adapted to forward information generated from the force sensors to the network service and receive processed information back from the network service, wherein the processed information indicates whether the patient has or has not turned while positioned on the patient support apparatus.

5. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service generates billing information based on usage of the patient support apparatus.

6. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service communicates with at least one of the following:

an electronic medical records service;

a caregiver workflow service;

an admission, discharge and tracking (ADT) service;

a real time location service; and

a caregiver communication service.

7. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service monitors infection data.

8. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service is adapted to control at least a portion of screen space on the display.

9. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service is adapted to forward to the patient support an algorithm used to process one or more outputs from sensors positioned on board the patient support apparatus.

10. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 further including:

an elevation adjustment mechanism adapted to raise and lower the frame;

at least one motor adapted to pivot a section of the support surface about a generally horizontal axis;

a plurality of side rails coupled to the frame;

a control panel having controls for controlling the elevation adjustment mechanism and the motor;

a plurality of wheels; and

a brake for selectively locking and unlocking the wheels.

11. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service is configurable by employees of a healthcare facility in which the patient support apparatus is positioned such that the employees are able to configure what information is provided to the patient support apparatus by the network service.

12. The patient support apparatus of claim 11 wherein the network service provides a list of questions for assessing an aspect of a patient supported on the patient support apparatus.

13. The patient support apparatus of claim 12 wherein the computer receives the list of questions from the network service and displays the list of questions on the display.

14. The patient support apparatus of claim 12 wherein the list of questions provides an assessment of at least one of the following:

a patient'"'"'s susceptibility to developing bed sores and a patient'"'"'s fall risk.

15. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the computer is adapted to act as a thin client for a plurality of network services, and to allow a user to choose from the plurality of network services.

16. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the computer includes a software platform for supporting at least one software-as-a-service (SaaS) application, the SaaS application provided by the network service.

17. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 further including an exit detection system on the patient support apparatus, the exit detection system including a controller and a plurality of load cells positioned on the support surface that are adapted to detect weight supported on the support surface, the controller adapted to calculate a center of gravity of weight positioned on the support surface, and wherein the computer is adapted to forward the calculated center of gravity to the network application.

18. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service forwards information to the patient support apparatus that controls at least one circumstance under which the computer should issue an alert.

19. The patient support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the network service forwards an algorithm to the computer, the computer using the algorithm for carrying out at least one function on the patient support apparatus.

20. The patient support apparatus of claim 19 wherein the network service is adapted to change the algorithm based on data received from the patient support apparatus.

21. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a support surface supported on the frame;

a display;

a transceiver adapted to communicate with a remote network; and

a computer supported on the patient support apparatus and in communication with the transceiver, the computer configured to act as a wireless software access point for the remote network for devices positioned within communication range of the computer.

22. The patient support apparatus of claim 21 wherein the transceiver follows standards of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11.

23. The patient support apparatus of claim 22 further including a second transceiver different from the first transceiver, the second transceiver adapted to communicate with the computer and at least one device so that the at least one device can use the computer as a software access point.

24. The patient support apparatus of claim 23 wherein the second transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.

25. The patient support apparatus of claim 21 wherein the devices include other patient support apparatuses.

26. The patient support apparatus of claim 21 wherein the devices include smart phones and portable personal computing devices.

27. The patient support apparatus of claim 21 wherein the computer is adapted to provide Internet access to the devices.

28. A patient support apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a support surface supported on the frame;

a display;

a transceiver adapted to communicate with a remote network; and

a computer supported on the patient support apparatus and in communication with the transceiver and the display, the computer configured to operate an application that is partially carried out on the computer, and that is also partially carried out on a remote network service available on the remote network.

29. The patient support apparatus of claim 28 wherein the application monitors compliance with a protocol for providing to care to a patient supported on the support surface.

30. The patient support apparatus of claim 28 wherein the application performs at least one of the following:

assesses a bed sore risk of a patient;

assesses a fall risk of a patient;

determines when a patient may be about to exit the patient support apparatus;

generates billing information based on usage of the patient support apparatus, monitors infection data, and determines if a patient has turned or not based on sensors positioned on board the patient support apparatus.

31. The patient support apparatus of claim 28 wherein the application communicates with at least one of the following:

an electronic medical records service;

a caregiver workflow service;

an admission, discharge and tracking (ADT) service;

a real time location service; and

a caregiver communication service.

32. The patient support apparatus of claim 28 wherein the application provides a list of questions for assessing at least one of the following:

a patient'"'"'s susceptibility to developing bed sores and a patient'"'"'s fall risk.

33. The patient support apparatus of claim 32 wherein the remote network service is configurable by employees of a healthcare facility in which the patient support apparatus is positioned such that the employees are able to change the list of questions provided by the application.