Universal caregiver interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10290071-B2
Application number	US-201414223355-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 29, 2013
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A care system includes a mobile communication device, a remote server, and a patient support system in communication with either or both of the mobile communication device and the remote server. The mobile communication device operates as a user interface for the patient support system. The remote server provides computing power for the patient support system for resource intensive computing tasks. A system for use in a healthcare facility includes patient care devices located in a patient room. The system also includes an application server located remotely from the patient room. The application server stores application software associated with each patient care device. The system further includes a universal caregiver interface situated in the patient room and in communication with the application server. The universal caregiver interface receives application software from the application server. The universal caregiver interface is then usable to control the operation of each of the plurality of patient care devices in accordance with the application software.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for use in a healthcare facility having a plurality of patient rooms, the system comprising
a plurality of patient care devices located in a first patient room of the plurality of patient rooms, wherein the plurality of patient care devices includes a hospital bed and a lift that is separate from the hospital bed and that is configured to lift a patient,
an application server located remotely from the first patient room, the application server having stored therein application software associated with each patient care device of the plurality of patient care devices, and
at least one universal caregiver interface situated in the first patient room and in communication with the application server, the at least one universal caregiver interface receiving application software from the application server adapted to control movement of a movable component of each patient care device of the plurality of patient care devices including the hospital bed and the lift, the application software for each patient care device being sent to the at least one universal caregiver interface from the application server automatically in response to presence of the respective patient care device being detected in the first patient room, the at least one universal caregiver interface then being adapted to be used to control the operation of each of the plurality of patient care devices in accordance with the application software, wherein the application server also sends validation information to each of the patient care devices in the first patient room, the validation information adapted to enable the patient care devices to confirm that received device command messages sent from the at least one universal caregiver interface are authorized commands for controlling movement of the movable component of the patient care devices, wherein the lift comprises a ceiling lift, wherein at least one of the patient care devices other than the hospital bed and the ceiling lift lacks any user inputs thereon but is configured to be controlled by the at least one universal caregiver interface in accordance with the respective application software, wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface includes a single room ready input that, when selected once, results in the universal caregiver interface sending messages to set a bed scale of the hospital bed to zero, to open at least one motorized window blind of the first patient room, and to cancel one or more room notifications associated with the first patient room.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one caregiver interface comprises a first universal caregiver interface mounted to a wall of the patient room.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein after the application software for the plurality of caregiver devices in the first patient room is received by the first universal caregiver interface, the first universal caregiver interface is operable by a caregiver to communicate control commands wirelessly to at least one of the plurality of patient care devices without involving the application server.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein after the application software for the plurality of caregiver devices in the first patient room is received by the first universal caregiver interface, the first universal caregiver interface is operable by a caregiver to communicate control commands to at least one of the plurality of patient care devices via the application server.

5. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room, the first universal caregiver interface serving as a hub to collect data from each of the plurality of patient care devices in the room, and the first universal caregiver interface sending the data to the EMR computer device for storage in an electronic medical record of a patient located in the patient room.

6. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a computer on wheels (COW) that is transportable to the first patient room, the first universal caregiver interface serving as a hub to collect data from each of the plurality of patient care devices in the first patient room, and the first universal caregiver interface sending the data wirelessly to the COW in response to the COW being transported to the first patient room and after a communication link is established between the COW and the first universal caregiver interface.

7. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a wireless communication device carried by a caregiver, the first universal caregiver interface serving as a hub to collect data from each of the plurality of patient care devices in the first patient room, the first universal caregiver interface sending at least some of the data wirelessly to the wireless communication device in response to the wireless communication device being transported to the first patient room and after a communication link is established between the wireless communication device and the first universal caregiver interface.

8. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a second universal caregiver interface, the second universal caregiver interface comprising a tablet computer that is carried by a caregiver.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a receiver located in the first patient room, the receiver being in communication with the application server, and the second universal caregiver interface receiving the application software from the application server in response to the second universal caregiver interface being transported into the first room by the caregiver and communicating a wireless signal to the receiver.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the receiver is included as part of a wireless access point and the application server sends the application software to the second universal caregiver interface via the wireless access point.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first and second universal caregiver interfaces are each usable to control the hospital bed.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the application server sends application software to the hospital bed for use in controlling at least one patient care device other than the hospital bed via a user interface of the hospital bed.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second universal caregiver interfaces are each usable to control the lift.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second universal caregiver interfaces includes an input for bed exit coordination in which the lift is moved to a use position, a bed exit alarm of the hospital bed is suppressed, and a patient exit from the hospital bed is charted to an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application server sends application software to the hospital bed for use in controlling at least one patient care device other than the hospital bed via a user interface of the hospital bed.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one universal caregiver interface includes an input for bed exit coordination in which the lift is moved to a use position, a bed exit alarm of the hospital bed is suppressed, and a patient exit from the hospital bed is charted to an electronic medical records (EMR) computer device located remotely from the patient room.

17. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a thermostat to control room temperature and at least one room light, the at least one universal caregiver interface receiving environment controls application software from the application ser

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Heil Thomas F
• Agdeppa Eric D
• Dixon Steven A
• Howell Charles A
• Gillis Thomas M
• Howell Benjamin E
• Saucier Christian
• Rempel Kelli F
• Huster Keith A
• Vanderpohl Iii Irvin J
• Robinson Andrew S
• Butler Mary L
• Bello Bryan J
• Hood Michael S
• Davidson Frederick C
• Girardeau David M

Classifications

• G16H40/40

  for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title

• G06F19/3418

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06Q50/22 Primary

  Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services · CPC title