Wireless healthcare communication system

• US 5,877,675 A
• Filed: 08/29/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jansys, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jansys, Inc.
• Inventors: Rebstock, Janice I., Rast, T. Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/705,307
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.06, 340/286.07, 340/539, 340/573.1, 340/825.08, 340/825.49, 340/825.36, 128/903, 128/904, 455/66, 455/90, 455/517, 455/524, 455/100
• US Class Current: 340/286.07
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A portable, three-way wireless communication system provides a patient with a direct link to a caregiver, as well as a central facility such as a nurse'"'"'s station. The system is comprised of a patient unit, a caregiver unit and a central station. The patient unit is designed to be small and portable, and can be worn on the patient'"'"'s wrist or the like. The unit permits a patient to send a request for assistance directly to an assigned caregiver, and provides for two-way voice communications between the patient and the caregiver. The unit stores information associated with the patient, such as identification, medications, attending physician, and the like. The caregiver unit is also portable, and provides two-way voice communications with patients and other caregivers. The unit displays information about each patient to whom the caregiver is assigned. The central station functions as a backup, in the event that a caregiver is not able to timely respond to a call from a patient. In addition, it stores more detailed information regarding patients, which can be accessed by the caregiver via their individual units. It also functions as a management quality control facility, by recording all transmissions that take place via any unit in the communication system, and providing reports that indicate the calls for assistance, times of the calls, times of the responses by caregivers, and the like. The system functions to indicate the locations of respective patients by means of a distributed network of sensors throughout an area of interest, such as the buildings and grounds of a healthcare facility.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system for healthcare facilities, comprising:

a portable patient communication unit that is adapted to be worn on the body of a patient, said patient communication unit including (a) means for transmitting a signal which indicates a request for assistance, (b) means for conducting wireless two-way voice communication, and (c) a memory and display device for storing and displaying information about a patient which is useful to a caregiver in providing assistance to the patient;

a portable caregiver communication unit that is adapted to be carried by a caregiver, said caregiver communication unit including (a) means for receiving assistance signals transmitted by the patient communication unit and alerting a caregiver of the receipt of such a signal, (b) means for conducting wireless two-way voice communications with the patient communication unit, and (c) means for storing and displaying information about individual patients;

a base unit for monitoring and recording assistance signals transmitted from the patient communication unit and for conducting wireless two-way voice communications with each of said patient communication unit and said caregiver communication unit; and

a plurality of transmit/receive units distributed throughout an area of interest for relaying assistance signals and two-way voice communications between each of said patient communication unit, said caregiver communication unit and said base unit, and for monitoring the location of said patient communication unit within said area of interest.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1 wherein said patient communication unit is adapted to be worn on the wrist of the patient.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said caregiver unit includes a signaling device for acknowledging to the base unit that a caregiver has responded to a call from a patient unit, and said base unit includes a timer for generating a warning signal if a response from a caregiver unit is not received within a predetermined period of time after receipt of a call from a patient unit.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said base unit includes means for polling said patient communication unit via said transmit/receive units, and means for identifying the location of the patient communication unit based on responses received at said transmit/receive units.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 4, wherein the location of a patient communication unit is determined on the basis of the relative strengths of signals received at said transmit/receive units from a patient communication unit in response to a polling signal.

6. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said base unit includes a memory storing information relating to the individual healthcare needs of a plurality of patients.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 6, further including a data communication port in each of said base unit and said caregiver communication units for connecting said caregiver communication units to said base unit to download information relating to the individual healthcare needs of patients from the memory in said base unit to the storing means in said caregiver communication units.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 7, further including a data communication port in each of said patient communication units for connecting said patient communication units to said base unit to download information relating to the individual healthcare needs of patients from the memory in said base unit to the memories in said patient communication units.

9. A patient communication unit for use in a wireless communication system for healthcare facilities, comprising:

a housing that is adapted to be worn on the wrist of a patient;

a manually actuated member on said housing for initiating a call for assistance;

a processor within said housing that is responsive to actuation of said member for transmitting a signal which indicates a request for assistance, said signal being uniquely encoded to identify the patient communication unit;

a memory associated with the processor for storing data relating to a patient;

a display device on said housing for displaying data stored in said memory; and

a wireless two-way voice communication device contained within said housing.

10. The patient communication unit of claim 9 wherein said communication device is voice-activated.

11. A wireless communication system for healthcare facilities, comprising:

a) a plurality of patient units, each of which includes;

means for conducting wireless voice communication, and

means for transmitting a unique call signal independently of voice communications;

b) a plurality of caregiver units, each of which is responsive to unique call signals from at least one associated patient unit for providing an alert indication, and each of which includes;

a memory for storing prerecorded information pertaining to the individual healthcare of a plurality of patients,

a display device for displaying said prerecorded information about patients,

means for selectively retrieving information about individual patients for display on said display device, and

means for initiating wireless voice communications with a patient unit associated with a patient whose information is displayed on said display device; and

c) a base unit for receiving said unique call signals from said patient units and including;

a memory storing said information with respect to a plurality of patients,

means for conducting wireless voice communication with each of said patient units and said caregiver units; and

means to download information relating to the individual healthcare needs of patients from the memory in said base unit to the memories in individual caregiver units, independently of said voice communications.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein each patient unit includes a memory for storing information pertaining to a patient, and a display device for displaying the stored information.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said base unit automatically records data pertaining to each call signal transmitted from the patient units.

14. The system of claim 11 further including a communication network comprising a plurality of transmit/receive units distributed throughout an area, each of said transmit/receive units functioning to relay call signals and voice communications between said patient units, said caregiver units and said base unit.

15. The system of claim 14 further including means for determining the location of respective patient units within said area.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said determining means includes means for individually polling each of said patient units, and means for identifying the location of a patient unit based upon responses to a polling signal received at said transmit/receive units.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 16, wherein said identifying means includes a plurality of receiver units dispersed throughout an area in which said patient units might be located, and the location of a patient unit is determined on the basis of the relative strength of signals received at said receiver units from a patient unit in response to a polling signal.