SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PATIENT FALL DETECTION

• US 20180103874A1
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masimo Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Sung Uk, Al-Ali, Ammar, Kashif, Faisal
• Granted Patent: US 11,076,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• 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 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/057 Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor ventilation openings in mattresses A47C21/042; pneumatic or hydraulic mattresses A47C27/08

Abstract

A patient monitoring system to help manage a patient that is at risk of falling is disclosed. The system includes a patient-worn wireless sensor that can be affixed to the patient'"'"'s back that senses the patient'"'"'s motion and wirelessly transmits information indicative of the sensed motion to a patient monitor. The patient monitor receives, stores, and processes the transmitted information to determine whether the patient has fallen or is about to fall. Upon such detection, the system can notify the patient'"'"'s caretakers that the patient has fallen or is about to fall and therefore, is in need of immediate attention.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring an orientation of a patient'"'"'s back to reduce a risk of the patient developing a pressure ulcer on a portion of the patient'"'"'s body, the system comprising:

a sensor including an accelerometer, a processor, and a first wireless transceiver, said sensor configured to output a signal indicative of a possible change in an orientation of a back of said patient when said sensor is positioned on a portion of the patient'"'"'s back; and

a patient monitor comprising a signal processor, a memory device, a storage device, and a second wireless transceiver, said second wireless transceiver is configured to receive said signal from said sensor positioned on the portion of the patient'"'"'s back, and said signal processor is configured to process said signal to determine whether said possible change corresponds to an actual change in said orientation of the patient'"'"'s back, when said actual change has occurred, configured to record a patient turn event, to compare said patient turn event with a patient turn protocol, and when said possible change is not said actual change and no patient turn event occurs according to the patient turn protocol, said patient monitor is configured to notify a caregiver of a patient turn protocol violation,

wherein said signal processor is configured to determine whether said possible change corresponds to said actual change includes being configured to determine a difference between said orientation of said patient'"'"'s back at a previous time and at a current time based at least on said signal, and when said difference is above a threshold, recording said patient turn event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is affixed to the patient'"'"'s back between shoulder blades of the patient.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the patient'"'"'s back is an upper portion of the patient'"'"'s back.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the patient'"'"'s back is at approximately a center of the patient'"'"'s back.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said signal processor of said patient monitor is further configured to reset a patient orientation duration timer when said processor records said patient turn event.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising a third wireless transceiver, said third wireless transceiver configured to receive said signal from said sensor and to transmit said signal to said patient monitor.

7. The system of claim 6, comprising a power supply for said third wireless transceiver different from a power supply for said sensor or said patient monitor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a gyroscope.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an acoustic sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an ECG sensor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises one or more of an acoustic sensor, a temperature sensor and an ECG sensor.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said patient monitor is configured to determine measurements of one or more of the following parameters:

an acceleration, an angular velocity, a magnetic field, a respiration rate, a temperature, an impedance value, a moisture value, an oximetry value and an electrocardiogram.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said portion of said patient'"'"'s back is approximately flat.