Method and a system for optimizing hospital beds and ambulance allocations via a computer network

• US 7,912,736 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Phil Wyatt
• Original Assignee: Phil Wyatt
• Inventors: Wyatt, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALTSCHUL, AMBER L
• Application Number:
  US10/880,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,457 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• 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: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method and a system for optimizing hospital beds and ambulance allocations via a computer network are provided. The method and the system determine the status of emergency rooms and/or the status of beds in emergency rooms of hospitals via a computer network. The system and the method allocate emergency rooms and/or the beds in the emergency rooms of the hospitals to ambulances and/or ambulance services. The system and the method diverts or bypasses patients to emergency rooms of other hospitals for medical treatment.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating personnel of an ambulance with a delivery of a patient in the ambulance to a room in a hospital using a computer network and a database connected to the computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting a status of the room into the database wherein the status of the room indicates an availability of the room to receive the patient;

inputting a wait time for the room into the database wherein the wait time indicates a length of time the patient will wait to receive medical treatment in the room;

inputting a processing time into the database wherein the processing time indicates an average length of time required to process the patient at the hospital;

inputting information about the patient into the database;

making a determination to deliver the patient to the room based upon the status of the room, the wait time, the processing time and the information about the patient;

communicating the determination to the personnel of the ambulance wherein the personnel of the ambulance transport the patient based on the determination; and

changing the status of the room in the database based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

providing a first access to the database to the personnel of the ambulance.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

communicating the determination to the hospital.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

assigning a color to represent the status of the room.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

updating the information about the patient in the database by the personnel of the ambulance.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

remotely accessing the database.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

calculating the wait time for the room based on the length of time the patient will wait to receive medical treatment in the room.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

inputting a wait list into the database wherein the wait list indicates a number of patients in the hospital awaiting medical treatment.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

calculating the processing time for the patient based on the average length of time required to process the patient at the hospital.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

generating a report wherein the reports summarizes the status of the room, the wait time, the processing time and the information about the patient.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

updating the status of the room in the database based on an availability of the room to receive the patient.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

accessing the database with a hyperlink in a webpage on the computer network .

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

updating the wait time in the database based on the length of time the patient will wait to receive medical treatment in the room.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

updating the processing time in the database based on the average length of time required to process the patient at the hospital.

15. A system for allocating a room from a plurality of rooms in a hospital to a patient in an ambulance based upon healthcare services required by the patient wherein the room is necessary to provide the healthcare services to the patient, the system comprising:

a computer network;

a database associated with the computer network;

means for inputting information into the database wherein the information is associated with the room and further wherein the information indicates a status of the room wherein the status of the room is an availability of the room to receive the patient wherein the information indicates a wait time for the room wherein the wait time is a length of time the patient will wait to receive the healthcare services in the room wherein the information indicates a processing time wherein the processing time is an average length of time required to process the patient at the hospital and further wherein the information indicates the healthcare services required by the patient wherein the database matches the room to the patient based upon the information in the database wherein the patient is delivered to the hospital based on the information in the database wherein the information in the database is accessed via the computer network;

a plurality of computers connected to the computer network to access the information in the database via the computer network wherein one of the plurality of computers is located within the ambulance wherein another of the plurality of computers is located within the hospital; and

reports generated by the database from the information wherein the reports summarize the information wherein the reports are accessible by the plurality of computers via the computer network.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for providing a bulletin to the ambulance wherein the bulletin directs delivery of the patient to the hospital.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for updating the information in the database from the ambulance.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a code associated with the room wherein the code is a color.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a remote server located outside of the hospital wherein the database is contained on the remote server; and

a website providing access to the database.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for providing a bulletin to the hospital wherein the bulletin indicates the room that will receive the patient.