CA2796126A1 - Patient care monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

A patient care monitor has a housing defining an interior cavity and interior circuitry within the interior cavity comprising a controller and a transmitter. There is more than one activator connected to the controller including at least one sensor that senses a patient condition. The controller causes the transmitter to transmit an alarm signal in response to the operation of the more than one activator. The patient care monitor has a power source.

Description

TITLE
[0001] Patient Care Monitor FIELD

[0002] This relates to a patient care monitor for use in hospitals and care facilities.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Hospitals and other care facilities require the use of alarms to help monitor patients and warn administrators and staff when help is required in a specific area.
SUMMARY

[0004] According to an aspect, there is provided a patient care monitor comprising a housing defining an interior cavity, a power source and interior circuitry within the interior cavity comprising a controller and a transmitter or alternatively a controller and a transceiver.
There is more than one activator connected to the controller, at least one activator comprising a sensor that senses a patient condition, the controller causing the transmitter to transmit an alarm signal in response to the operation of the more than one activator.

[0005] According to another aspect, at least one attached activator may be carried by the housing and at least one remote activator positioned remotely from the housing that communicates wirelessly with the controller. At least one attached activator may be positioned on a front face of the housing, or positioned on a top or a bottom of the housing.
At least one attached activator may be a push button or a pull cord.

[0006] According to another aspect, the sensor may be is a bed monitor. The bed monitor may communicate wirelessly or through a hard wired connection with the controller. The bed monitor may monitor a position of the patient and the controller causes the transmitter to transmit an alarm signal when the patient is in an undesirable position. The undesirable position may be a patient's absence from a bed or presence in a bed. At least one of the bed monitor and the controller may comprise a delay such that the alarm signal is transmitted only after the undesirable position is maintained for a predetermined period of time.

[0007] According to another aspect, the power source may comprise one or more batteries or a wired connection. When batteries are used, the controller may cause the transmitter to transmit a low battery signal when the batteries are low.

[0008] According to another aspect, there may further comprise a remote receiver in communication with the transmitter. The remote receiver may be either wireless receiver or connected through a hard wired connection. The remote receiver may receive the signal from the transmitter and generates at least one of an audible alarm, a visible alarm, or a communication signal transmitted to a further remote receiver. An indicator is positioned on the monitoring housing that flashes when a signal is sent to the remote receiver. A reset button on the monitoring housing that deactivates the indicator when the indicator reset button is activated. The indicator may be positioned on any face of the housing. The transmitter and the remote receiver may be transceivers that permit two-way communication, such that the controller is capable of receiving instructions wirelessly from the remote receiver.

[0009] According to another aspect, a hanger may be positioned on a back face of the monitoring housing.

[0010] The alarm signal may be at least one of an audible alarm, a visible alarm, or a communication signal transmitted to a remote receiver. The controller may comprise a separate control module for each activator. The controller may comprise an integrated circuit chip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a patient care monitor with a pull cord.
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the patient care monitor shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the patient care monitor shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the patient care monitor with a call button.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the patient care monitor shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the patient care monitor shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a schematic of a wireless sensor communicating with the patient care monitor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] A patient care monitor generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 through 7.

Structure and Relationship of Parts:

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, a patient care monitor 10 includes a monitoring housing 12 with a front face 14, a rear face 16, a top 18, and a bottom 20. Housing 12 has interior circuitry, such as a controller 22 in communication with a transmitter 24. As shown, controller 22 is made up of a single processor, but may be multiple modules, such as modules 22a, 22b and 22c as shown in FIG. 6. Controller 22 receives inputs from activators, which may be attached to housing 12, such as a push button 26 or pull cord 28, or may be auxiliary equipment 30 that transmits a signal, such as a bed pad, or other sensor that detects the condition of a patient and transmits information to controller 22. Other conditions may include vital signs, movement, etc. As will be understood, sensor 30 may transmit a signal only when a certain condition is achieved, or continuously transmit data to controller 22, and controller 22 may monitor for a particular condition. Controller 22 may be an integrated circuit chip that is programmed or configured to perform certain functions as will be described below. Controller 22 may be designed to transmit and receive signals, and may be programmed to have its parameters of operation adjusted based on signals from external devices. Controller 22 may also provide a mechanism to allow in field reprogramming of any firmware contained within the controller 22. When controller 22 includes multiple modules, each module may be designed to receive an input from a different activator.

[0014] Housing 12 may be mounted using a typical design for a back of a device, such as the series of holes 23 shown in FIG. 2. Other hanger designs may also be used as is known in the art to be mounted to equipment, railings, a wall, or to a standard electrical or low voltage outlet box.

[0015] As shown, inputs are received by controller 22 from activators that are carried by housing 12, such as activators 26 and 28 that electrically connect to controller 22. In addition, communication with controller 22 may occur through ports 32, which may allow for a wired connection to a computer network or to other input devices. One or more ports 32 may be located at a convenient location, such as bottom 20 of housing 12 as is the case with monitor depicted in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 5 and 6, monitor 10 may also include an alarm 38, such as a visual and/or auditory alarm, or may transmit an alarm signal via transmitter 24.
10 Referring to FIG. 6, monitor 10 may also include an alarm delay or temporary disable timer 40, which is described in more detail below.

[0016] Referring to FIG. 6, patient care monitor 10 is powered by a power source 34. As shown in FIG. 5, monitor 10 may be powered by one or more batteries, which may be connected in serial or parallel to either provide a higher voltage or a higher capacity. The use of batteries 34 allows the monitor to be placed in any location regardless of the availability of power. The power source 34 may also include a wired power source that may be plugged into a common power outlet, or another powered device. When batteries 34 are used, a low battery signal may be sent to the wireless receiver when the batteries are low, or may generate an audible or visual alarm from monitor 10. The low battery signal may be generated by the controller 22, or may be a separate circuit. The patient care monitor preferably provides sufficient battery capacity to ensure that the monitor will continue to operate correctly for a predefined period of time that will match the installed facility's regular equipment schedule, which is generally at least once per year. In the case where the device is powered from a wired connection, the patient care monitor may provide the ability internally to regulate the AC or DC power supplied to the monitor to the power required internally for the monitor to operate.

[0017] The monitor is preferably designed to receive different transmitters, such that the monitor may be compatible with various types or brands of communication equipment. The monitor preferably supports wireless and hard wired connections to various types or brands of wireless or wired communication equipment running a plurality of different communication protocols and configurations [0018] Controller 22 receives an input from an activation source, such as a sensor or input device such as a pull cord or push button. While the block diagram in FIG. 6 shows separate modules in the block diagram, in some embodiments all three modules may be incorporated into the same integrated circuit 22 or microcontroller unit as shown in FIG. 5.
Examples of activators will be given below in the context of common monitoring equipment used in patient care. It will be understood that controller 22 may be configured to respond differently to an activation signal than what is described below, depending on the preferences of the user or the demands of a particular situation. The patient care monitor 10 may include hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software that allows each activation source to map to an input of the wireless transmitter 24. The same mechanism preferably allows multiple activation sources to be combined into a single input of the wireless transmitter. This combining can be achieved either through simple logic or through a more complex combining algorithm which may then be packaged into the correct protocol or packet structure as required by the wireless transmitter 24. The monitor may also permit the configuration of the signal that is sent to the wireless transmitter 24 to be either a direct reflection of the activation source, or be modified to provide just a single pulse, or alternatively latch until reset. Referring to FIG. 5, the device may be reset by pressing a reset button 42 or receiving a RF signal from the central station or other device that requests a reset of monitor 10. Each input into the wireless transmitter 24 may also be configured as being either active high or active low depending on the end user's requirement. This mapping and signal conditioning preferably also applies to wired connections.

[0019] One activator may be a push button 26 that is positioned on the first face of the monitoring housing as shown in FIG. 1, however it will be understood that the push button may be positioned on any portion of the monitoring housing. In the depicted example, this activator may cause the transmitter to send a signal to a wireless receiver, such as a nurse station or other receiver 44 as shown in FIG. 7. The design of the housing may include the ability to have the push button removed, disabled, or covered for embodiments that do not require this functionality.

[0020] Another activator may be a pull cord 28 that is positioned on the first face of the monitoring housing. Again, it will be understood that the pull cord may be positioned on any portion of the monitoring housing. Furthermore, while a pull cord is preferred as it can be any length and can be activated from a position further from the monitoring housing, the pull cord may be replaced with other suitable designs known to those in the art. Pull cord 28 may provide input to controller 22, which causes transmitter 24 to send a signal to a wireless receiver 44, and may also activate an auditory alarm 34 in monitor 10.
Auditory alarm 34 allows personnel to quickly locate distressed users or provide additional support to healthcare personnel in the event of an emergency. The auditory alarm 34 may be either a single tone, a plurality of different tones of one or many different pitches, or a recorded sound or message.
The design of pull cord 28 preferably provides for the activation of alarm 34 from any angle in which the cord is pulled. The design of housing 12 may include the ability to have the pull cord removed, disabled, or covered for embodiments that do not require this functionality, as shown in FIG. 4, where the opening for pull cord 28 has been replaced by a cover 36.

[0021] Another activator may be some auxiliary equipment or sensors that are connected to the monitoring housing. For example, referring to FIG. 7, the auxiliary monitor may be a bed monitor 30 that monitors whether a person being monitored is in bed or not. When a certain condition is sensed by the bed monitor, i.e. the person is absent from the bed, controller 22 receives input from the auxiliary monitor and a signal is sent by the transmitter 26 to the wireless receiver 44. The condition may be sensing a patient getting out of bed, remaining in bed, not returning to bed, etc. Sensor 30 may be connected to controller 22 by a wireless or wired connection. Other sensors may also be used to monitor other patient conditions.

[0022] A variety of different activators may be used, such as call buttons, geriatric pressure balls, geriatric nod pads and geriatric breath call cords. Other activators may also be used. The type of mechanism may be altered in each monitor by providing a standard jack which can be used to connect the mechanisms to the monitoring housing. The monitor 10 may also include circuitry to detect when a connected activator of any type has been removed or is no longer in contact and provide a signal to the wireless transmitter 24.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, an indicator 38 is preferably positioned on the monitoring housing which flashes when a signal is sent to the wireless receiver. The indicator 38 is preferably located on the first face where it is easily seen. An indicator reset button 42 is also preferably positioned on the monitoring body to stop the flashing of the indicator once it has been activated. This helps to prevent a signal from being ignored, as the indicator will continue to flash until it has been reset. The reset button 42 is preferably positioned on the top of the housing, however it should be understood that it may be positioned anywhere on the monitoring housing. Other types of indicators may also be included, such as indicators related to warning or error conditions, such as low batteries. Indicator 38 may also act as an alarm, which may produce an audible or visual alarm.

[0024] In some examples, the configuration of the patient care monitor may be completed through (a) a bank of switches with each switch or group of switches corresponding to the turning off or on of various configuration options, or (b) the monitor may be configured through a wired or wireless connection which presents a programmable interface such as a configuration screen on a terminal program, a command interface, webpage or any other mechanism which allows the monitor to be configured or the like, or (c) all configuration is done during manufacturing, or (d) any combination of (a), (b), and (c).

[0025] Transmitter 24 and receiver 44 may each be transceivers, such that they are capable of sending and receiving signals. This may be useful in order to change the function of monitor 10, such as to look for a particular condition from a sensor or other activator, to reset an alarm, or to perform a status check of monitor 10 and its activators.
In addition to the above the monitor 10 controller 22 could be reprogrammed through the transceiver allowing for a bulk update of controller 22 firmware over many monitors in a facility without having to physically connect to each monitor.

[0026] The monitoring housing may be placed in any location convenient for use. A

hanger is positioned on the second face of the monitoring housing to allow the housing to be hung on a bedside wall, a bedside rail, attached to furniture, or hung in any other convenient location. Incorporated inside of the housing may be a tamper detection mechanism that can be used to determine when the housing has been opened to detect unauthorized service or manipulation of the system. This mechanism may then send a signal to the wired or wireless transmitter. The housing preferably provides a mechanism in which the front cover can be removed to access configuration options and to replace the battery or batteries without requiring removal of the entire device from its mounting location.

[0027] The interior circuitry of the patient care monitor preferably also includes the ability to delay an alarm or to temporarily disable an alarm for either a fixed or variable period of time. The ability to delay an alarm provides the ability to prevent a transient condition from instigating a nuisance alarm. An example of this is for a bed monitor as a patient may move many times in a night and each movement could potentially trigger an alarm, having a delay allows the patient a period of time in which to adjust their position without triggering an alarm. However, if a patient is still off of the bed pad after the delay elapses the monitor will detect this and trigger the alarm. The temporary alarm disable provides the ability to complete a task without an alarm being triggered. An example of this is for the caregiver to disable the bed pad input for a few minutes while they get the patient up off of the bed. This mode could be entered either remotely from the nursing station or locally through some combination of inputs to the device such as by pressing a two buttons at once, holding one of the buttons down for a certain period of time, etc. Additional embodiments may include the ability to disable an alarm input for a period of time upon first trigger of the sensor. An example of this is the bed pad alarm may be disabled for a period of time upon first contact with the bed pad to allow a patient to settle before triggering an alarm. The unit may provide visual and or auditory feedback when it is in a delay or temporarily disabled mode. All delays could be implemented in a plurality of ways; however, in one embodiment the timer can be implemented as a timing mechanism on the controller 22 or in another embodiment could be alarms scheduled as interrupts through either an internal or external real time clock module.

Operation:

[0028] A discussion of the use of the preferred embodiment will now be described. The patient care monitor may be positioned beside a patient's bed in easy reach.
The push button may be used for many different purposes including a call button or a check in button. When used as a check in button, a user pushes the button upon awakening which provides input to controller 22 and causes the transmitter in the monitoring housing to send a signal to the receiver 44. In the event that the check in button did not provide input to the first module, personnel would know to check on the patient, or an alarm may be triggered by controller 22 after a certain period of time. Controller 22 may be programmed to send a signal if the button is pushed, or if the button is not pushed for a certain period of time.

[0029] Pull cords are best suited for use as an emergency resource. When used, it provides input to controller 22 which causes the transmitter 24 to send a signal to the wireless receiver 44 and causes activation of an alarm. When a bed monitor 30 is used, controller 22 receives an input when a patient gets out of bed, gets in bed, remains in bed, doesn't return to bed, etc., depending on the condition to be monitored. The transmitter 24 sends a signal to the wireless receiver 44 and personnel can monitor this to ensure, for example, that bedridden patients are quickly cared for if they fall out of bed. It can also be used to ensure that non bedridden patients have left the bed and if they have not, personnel can be sent to check on them.

[0030] The override timer, or delay circuit 40, may be activated to provide caregivers with time to help residents into bed without causing the alarm to be activated or a signal being sent by the transmitter 44, or to allow patients time to themselves to get into bed, change positions, etc. This also helps to eliminate false signals from being transmitted due to movement of patients into or out of beds, or as they shift position. As will be understood, controller 22 may be programmed to process data from a particular actuator and respond accordingly, or may be programmed to simply respond to a particular input signal.

[0031] In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article "a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.

[0032] The following claims are to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted.
The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Claims (25)

1. A patient care monitor comprising:
a housing defining an interior cavity;
interior circuitry within the interior cavity comprising a controller and a transmitter;
more than one activator connected to the controller, at least one activator comprising a sensor that senses a patient condition, the controller causing the transmitter to transmit an alarm signal in response to the operation of the more than one activator; and a power source.

2. The patient care monitor of claim 1, comprising at least one attached activator carried by the housing and at least one remote activator positioned remotely from the housing that communicates wirelessly with the controller.

3. The patient care monitor of claim 2, wherein at least one attached activator is positioned on a front face of the housing.

4. The patient care monitor of claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one attached activator is positioned on a top or a bottom of the housing.

5. The patient care monitor of claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein at least one attached activator is a push button.

6. The patient care monitor of any of claims 2 through 5, wherein at least one attached activator is a pull cord.

7. The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 5, wherein the sensor is a bed monitor.

8. The patient care monitor of claim 7, wherein the bed monitor communicates wirelessly with the controller.

9. The patient care monitor of claim 7 or 8, wherein the bed monitor monitors a position of the patient and the controller causes the transmitter to transmit an alarm signal when the patient is in an undesirable position.

10. The patient care monitor of claim 9, wherein the undesirable position is a patient's absence from a bed or presence in a bed.

11. The patient care monitor of claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein at least one of the bed monitor and the controller comprises a delay such that the alarm signal is transmitted only after the undesirable position is maintained for a predetermined period of time.

12. The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 11, wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries.

13. The patient care monitor of claim 17, wherein the controller causes the transmitter to transmit a low battery signal when the batteries are low.

14. The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 16, wherein the power source comprises a wired connection.

15. The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 19, comprising a remote receiver in communication with the transmitter.

16. The patient care monitor of claim 20, wherein the remote receiver is a wireless receiver.

17. The patient care monitor of claim 20 or 21, wherein the remote receiver receives the signal from the transmitter and generates at least one of an audible alarm, a visible alarm, or a communication signal transmitted to a further remote receiver.

18. The patient care monitor of claims 20, 21 or 22, wherein an indicator is positioned on the monitoring housing that flashes when a signal is sent to the remote receiver.

19. The patient care monitor of claim 23, comprising a reset button on the monitoring housing that deactivates the indicator when the indicator reset button is activated.

20. The patient care monitor of claim 23, wherein the indicator is positioned on the front face or the top of the housing.

21. The patient care monitor of any of claims 20 through 25, wherein the transmitter and the remote receiver are transceivers that permit two-way communication, such that the controller is capable of receiving instructions wirelessly from the remote receiver.

22. The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 26, comprising a hanger positioned on a back face of the monitoring housing.

23.

least one of an audible alarm, a visible alarm, or a communication signal transmitted to a The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 27, wherein the alarm signal is at remote receiver.

24. The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 28, wherein the controller comprises a separate control module for each activator.

25. The patient care monitor of any of claims 1 through 28, wherein the controller comprises an integrated circuit chip.