Location-based automated staff-to-patient assignment system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017098045-A1
Application number	US-201615267197-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2016
Priority date	Oct 5, 2015
Publication date	Apr 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Technologies for location-based automated assignment of staff members of a healthcare facility include a plurality of proximity sensing devices communicatively coupled to a computer. The proximity sensing devices are each configured to detect a portable transceiver device carried by and associated with a particular staff member of the healthcare facility, as well as transmit location information to the computer. The computer is configured to receive the location information and determine whether to assign the staff member to a location of the staff member (i.e., the location of the proximity sensing device that detected the portable transceiver device). The computer is further configured to assign the staff member to the location of the staff member, as identified in the location information, based on a determination that the amount of time the staff member is detected in the location exceeds the duration threshold. Other embodiments are described herein.

First claim

1 . A method for location-based automated assignment, the method comprising:
receiving, by a computer, location information from a proximity sensing device communicatively coupled to the computer, wherein the proximity sensing device is located in a nursing unit of a healthcare facility, and wherein the location information includes an identifier of a staff member of the healthcare facility associated with a portable transceiver device detected by the proximity sensing device and a location of the proximity sensing device in the healthcare facility that detected the portable transceiver device; determining, by the computer, whether to assign the staff member to the location of the staff member based on whether an amount of time the staff member is detected in the location exceeds a duration threshold; and assigning, by the computer, the staff member to the location of the staff member based on a determination that the amount of time the staff member is detected in the location exceeds the duration threshold.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the staff member to the location comprises assigning the staff member to a patient assigned to the location.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the staff member comprises a room of a patient of the healthcare facility.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the staff member comprises a nursing unit of the healthcare facility.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the computer, an assigned area of the staff member; comparing, by the computer, the location of the staff member and the assigned area of the staff member to determine whether to assign the staff member to the location; and determining, by the computer, the amount of time the staff member is detected in the location, wherein assigning the staff member to the location comprises assigning the staff member to a patient assigned to the location based on the location of the staff member and a determination that the amount of time the staff member is detected in the location exceeds the duration threshold.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the amount of time the staff member is at the location comprises determining an amount of time the portable transceiver device has been detected at the location.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the computer and subsequent to assigning the staff member to the location of the staff member, additional location information for the staff member from another proximity sensing device located at another location different than the location; determining, by the computer, the amount of time the staff member is detected in the other location; cancelling, by the computer, the assignment of the staff member to the location of the staff member to which the staff member was previously assigned; and assigning, by the computer, the staff member to the other location in response to a determination that the amount of time the staff member is detected in the other location exceeds the duration threshold.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein assigning the staff member to the other location comprises assigning the staff member to a patient assigned to the other location.

9 . A system for location-based automated assignment, the system comprising:
a plurality of proximity sensing devices located in different locations in a nursing unit of a healthcare facility, wherein each of the proximity sensing devices is configured to detect a portable transceiver device associated with a staff member; and a computer communicatively coupled to the proximity sensing devices, wherein the computer is configured to: receive location information from each of the proximity sensing devices, wherein the location information includes an identifier of the staff member of the healthcare facility associated with a portable transceiver device detected by the proximity sensing device and a location of the proximity sensing device in the healthcare facility that detected the portable transceiver device; determine whether to assign the staff member to the location of the staff member based on whether an amount of time the staff member is detected in the location exceeds a duration threshold; and assign the staff member to the location of the staff member based on a determination that the amount of time the staff member is detected in the location exceeds the duration threshold.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein to assign the staff member to the location comprises to assign the staff member to a patient assigned to the location.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the location of the staff member comprises a room of a patient of the healthcare facility.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the location of the staff member comprises a nursing unit of the healthcare facility.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
determine an assigned area of the staff member; compare the location of the staff member and the assigned area of the staff member to determine whether to assign the staff member to the location; and determine the amount of time the staff member is detected in the location, wherein to assign the staff member to the location comprises to assign the staff member to a patient assigned to the location based on the location of the staff member and a determination that the amount of time the staff member is detected in the location exceeds the duration threshold.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein to determine the amount of time the staff member is at the location comprises to determine an amount of time the portable transceiver device has been detected at the location.

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
receive, subsequent to assigning the staff member to the location of the staff member, additional location information for the staff member from another proximity sensing device located at another location different than the location; determine the amount of time the staff member is detected in the other location; cancel the assignment of the staff member to the location of the staff member to which the staff member was previously assigned; and assign the staff member to the other location in response to a determination that the amount of time the staff member is detected in the other location exceeds the duration threshold.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein to assign the staff member to the other location comprises assigning the staff member to a patient to assign to the other location.

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Smith Bradley T
• Lingenfelser Joshua P
• Morgan Matthew D
• Robinson Andrew S
• Girardeau David M

Classifications

• G16H40/20 Primary

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• G06F19/327 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic