Patient support apparatus alert system

• US 8,344,860 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, Williams F. Jr., Allen, James M., Huster, Keith A., Riley, Carl W., Glidewell, Patricia A., Vanderpohl, Irvin J., Schuman, Richard J., Mathura, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US13/471,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20120223821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/506, 340/517, 340/521, 340/524, 340/525, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/286.02, 340/286.07
• US Class Current: 340/286.07
• 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 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• 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 7/0516 with height adjustability
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0527 Weighing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1021 Inflatable cushions
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0092 Cuffs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 : Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 : Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 : Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/04 : responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons G08B21/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0438 : Sensor means for detecting
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/005 : Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 : Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 : using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 : Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 : ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• 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 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

A system including a patient support apparatus that has an adjustable height, a brake and a siderail. The system also includes a processor receiving at least two of the following signals: a first signal indicating a brake condition of the brake, a second signal indicating a siderail condition of the siderail, and a third signal indicating a height condition of the patient support apparatus. The system has a user input configured to allow a person to make a selection of any one or more of the brake, siderail and height conditions for monitoring. The system includes a light that has a first state when any of the selected brake, siderail and height conditions indicate an alarm condition and that has a second state when all of the selected brake, siderail and height conditions of the selection indicate no alarm condition.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a patient support apparatus having an adjustable height, and comprising a brake and a siderail;

a processor receiving at least two of the following signals;

a first signal indicating a brake condition of the brake, a second signal indicating a siderail condition of the siderail, and a third signal indicating a height condition of the patient support apparatus;

a user input configured to allow a person to make a selection of any one or more of the brake, siderail and height conditions for monitoring, wherein the processor receives an input from the user input indicating the selection; and

a light, wherein the light has a first state when any of the at least one or more of the brake, siderail and height conditions of the selection indicate an alarm condition and wherein the light has a second state when all of those of the brake, siderail and height conditions of the selection indicate no alarm condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input is also configured to allow the person to select a status of at least one of the brake, siderail and height conditions that is considered to correspond to the associated alarm condition.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the status comprises at least one of a siderail up status and a siderail down status.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the light is spaced from the patient support apparatus.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the light is included as part of a dome light assembly.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input is spaced from the patient support apparatus.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user input is included as part of a computer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the user input includes a display screen of the computer.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein any alarm conditions associated with the brake, siderail and height conditions of the selection are displayed on the display screen of the computer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a display screen.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first state of the light comprises an on state and the second state of the light comprises an off state.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first state comprises flashing the light so that the light periodically is in the on state.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one message is sent to a portable wireless communication device in response to the occurrence of the alarm condition associated with any of the brake, siderail and height conditions of the selection.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the portable wireless communication device comprises at least one of a pager, a wireless telephone handset, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

15. A method comprising:

receiving from an input device a selection indicating any one or more conditions of a patient support apparatus to monitor, wherein the one or more conditions from which to select include brake set, patient support low, and siderail up;

causing a light to have a first status if all of the selected conditions are met;

causing the light to have a second status if any of the selected conditions are not met; and

receiving from the input device a modification of the selection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first status includes the light being off.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second status includes the light being on.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second status includes the light flashing such that the light is on periodically.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the patient support apparatus comprises a hospital bed.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising sending at least one message to a portable wireless communication device in response to any of the one or more conditions selected for monitoring not being met.