Caregiver and equipment monitoring and control system

• US 7,443,302 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Schuman, Richard J., Riley, Carl W., Kramer, Kenneth L., Jacques, William L. II, Reeder, Ryan Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US11/075,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20050168341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/286.06, 340/286.07, 340/506, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/686.1, 340/825.19, 340/825.49, 340/825.5, 340/825.69, 340/539.1, 340/825.52, 340/825.72, 128/903, 128/904, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• 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: A61G 12/00 Accommodation for nursing, e.g. in hospitals, not covered by groups A61G1/00 - A61G11/00, e.g. trolleys for transport of medicaments or food service or tea-tables, trolleys or wagons A47B31/00; Prescription lists
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/70 with special adaptations, e.g. for safety or comfort
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05 Parts, details or accessories of beds devices for prevention against falling out A47C21/08, A47D7/00 ; mattresses A47C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0506 Head or foot boards head or foot boards for comfort or ergonomics A47C19/022
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/222 Personal calling arrangements or devices, i.e. paging systems selective calling systems and call receivers H04W84/00, H04W68/00
• 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 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 : for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 : Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 : Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A hospital monitoring system for monitoring hospital personnel, a plurality of patient locations for patients, and associated devices is configured to control the associated devices based on the presence of hospital personnel or alarms.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring a caregiver and an associated device having a plurality of patient controls that is located in a patient location, comprising:

a sensor system configured to detect the presence of the caregiver; and

a computer coupled to the associated device and the sensor system, the computer configured to alter at least one of the patient controls based on the presence of the caregiver in the patient location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to selectively lock out at least one of the plurality of patient controls if the caregiver is not detected in the patient location.

3. The system of claim1, wherein the computer is configured to selectively lock out at least one of the plurality of patient controls if the caregiver is detected in the patient location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm, and the computer is configured to silence the alarm when the caregiver is detected in the patient location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

and the computer is configured to detect the alarm, silence the alarm when the caregiver is detected in the patient location, and require the caregiver to silence the alarm if the alarm is issued when the caregiver is detected in the patient location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

and the computer is configured to detect the alarm, silence the alarm when the caregiver is detected in the patient location, and silence the alarm after a predetermined amount of time if the alarm is issued when the caregiver is detected in the patient location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

and the computer is configured to detect the alarm, and lock out at least one of the plurality of patient controls upon detecting an alarm.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

and the computer is configured to detect the alarm, and lock out at least one of the plurality of patient controls when the alarm is detected and the caregiver is detected in the patient location.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

and the computer is configured to detect the alarm, and lock out at least one of the plurality of patient controls when the alarm is detected and the caregiver is not detected in the patient location.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer includes a caregiver database associating the caregiver with a patient, and the computer is configured to lock out at least one of the plurality of patient controls when the caregiver associated with a patient is detected in the patient location.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

the computer includes a caregiver database associating the caregiver with a patient; and

the computer is configured to silence the alarm when the caregiver associated with a patient is detected in the patient location.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

the computer includes a caregiver database associating the caregiver with a patient, and an alarm database associating a plurality of alarms with the caregiver; and

the computer is configured to silence the alarm when the caregiver associated with a patient is detected in the patient location and the caregiver is associated with the alarm.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has an alarm;

and the computer is configured to detect the alarm, and alter the associated device when the alarm is detected.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to determine overrides for the associated device, and not alter the associated device if an override exists.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the override is based on the time of day.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the associated device has an alarm and the alarm has an associated event magnitude;

the computer is configured to detect the alarm; and

the override is based on the event magnitude.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device has to control a plurality of features;

and the computer selectively enables activation of at least one of the plurality of features if the caregiver is not detected in the patient location.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device is a bed.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the bed further comprises a plurality of lockouts configured to prevent actuation of the patient controls based on a lockout status;

and the computer is configured to prevent changes to the lockout status when the caregiver is not detected in the patient location.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device is an environmental device.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device is a television.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated device is a room temperature control.

23. A method of controlling a device having a patient control that is located in a monitored location, the method comprising:

determining the presence of a caregiver in the monitored location; and

altering the state of the patient control based on the presence of the caregiver in the monitored location.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of

silencing an alarm associated with the device when the caregiver is present in the monitored location.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of

detecting an alarm associated with the device;

determining whether the caregiver is present in the monitored location when the alarm is initially detected;

silencing the alarm after a predetermined amount of time if the caregiver is present in the monitored location when the alarm is initially detected; and

silencing the alarm when the caregiver is initially detected in the monitored location if the caregiver is not present in the monitored location when the alarm is initially detected.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

associating the caregiver with a patient; and

associating the caregiver with an alarm associated with the device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of

silencing the alarm when the caregiver associated with the patient and associated with the alarm is present in the monitored location.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of altering the state of the patient control of the device based the presence of the caregiver includes the step of

detecting an alarm associated with the device;

and

preventing patient control of the device when an alarm is detected.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of altering the state of the patient control of the device based the presence of the caregiver includes the step of

preventing patient control of the device when the caregiver is present in the monitored location.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of altering the state of the patient control of the device based the presence of the caregiver includes the step of

enabling patient control of the device when the caregiver is present in the monitored location.

31. A method of controlling a device having a patient control that is located in a monitored location, the method comprising:

associating the device to the monitored location;

determining the presence of a caregiver in the monitored location; and

altering the state of the patient control based on the presence of the caregiver in the monitored location.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of

silencing an alarm associated with the device when the caregiver is present in the monitored location.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of

detecting an alarm associated with the device;

determining whether the caregiver is present in the monitored location when the alarm is initially detected;

silencing the alarm after a predetermined amount of time if the caregiver is present in the monitored location when the alarm is initially detected; and

silencing the alarm when the caregiver is initially detected in the monitored location if the caregiver is not present in the monitored location when the alarm is initially detected.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

associating the caregiver with a patient; and

associating the caregiver with an alarm associated with the device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of

silencing the alarm when the caregiver associated with the patient and associated with the alarm is present in the monitored location.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of altering the state of the patient control of the device based the presence of the caregiver includes the step of

detecting an alarm associated with the device;

and

preventing patient control of the device when an alarm is detected.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of altering the state of the patient control of the device based the presence of the caregiver includes the step of

preventing patient control of the device when the caregiver is present in the monitored location.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of altering the state of the patient control of the device based the presence of the caregiver includes the step of

enabling patient control of the device when the caregiver is present in the monitored location.

39. A method of controlling devices in a monitored location, the method comprising:

associating alarm conditions with the devices;

monitoring the monitored location for a triggering alarm condition;

associating the devices with the monitored location;

altering the state of the devices based on the triggering alarm condition;

associating an alarm priority with the triggering alarm condition; and

preventing patient control of selective devices based on the alarm priority.

40. A method of controlling devices in a monitored location, the method comprising:

associating alarm conditions with the devices;

monitoring the monitored location for a triggering alarm condition;

associating the devices with the monitored location;

altering the state of the devices based on the triggering alarm condition;

associating an alarm priority with the triggering alarm condition; and

altering the state of the devices based on the alarm priority.

41. A method of controlling devices in a monitored location, the method comprising:

associating alarm conditions with the devices;

monitoring the monitored location for a triggering alarm condition;

associating the devices with the monitored location;

altering the state of the devices based on the triggering alarm condition;

associating an override condition to the triggering alarm condition; and

not altering the state of the devices when the triggering alarm condition is detected if the override condition exists.