Health Care Facility Management and Information System

Abstract

A method, system, computer program product and apparatus related to managing and disseminating information in a health care facility is disclosed. The system may comprise a plurality of input devices, a processor connected to the input devices and a plurality of electronic output devices connected to the processor. The output devices may include a master patient information display, an electronic patient room information display, a master precaution display, a patient hourly rounding display and an individual room precaution display. The method may comprise receiving from at least one input device data associated with a plurality of patients, and displaying for each patient the information, based on the data received, that is associated with each patient, and then updating on each output device the information when it changes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 387,006, filed on Sep. 28, 2010.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present disclosure generally relates to computer based methods, systems and apparatus to provide information related to the status, condition or needs of a patient in a health care facility.BACKGROUND[0003]Patient satisfaction and patient-centered care go beyond patient needs and incorporate what patients and their families perceive as quality of care. Effective communication between patients, patient families, and nursing staff, as well as staff efficiency and accessibility, play key roles in determining how patients view their stay at a hospital, eldercare facility or other in-patient health care facility (collectively, “health care facilities”), and whether they will recommend your facility to their friends and loved ones. Poor communication or miscommunication, as well as lack of staff attent...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Poor communication or miscommunication, as well as lack of staff attention are highly detrimental to patients' perception of quality of care.

Traditional facility management and recordkeeping methods are a source of many health care delivery problems and staff and patient complaints.

These poor management practices may also be reflected in unfavorable reviews and reports, such as Press Ganey™ facility reports.

From the patient perspective, a significant source of complaints relate to poor communication.

For example, patients may complain that the patient and his loved ones are not kept appraised of past, present and future treatment plans.

In addition to being poorly informed regarding the patient's health care, sometimes it is not clear to the patient who should be contacted for this information.

In other cases, patients and family members may not be aware of the patient's dietary restrictions or special needs.

Some patients may even be confused about where they are and what day and time it is.

Creating such notices on an ad hoc basis is time-consuming and if such notices are not noticeable and legible, they may be overlooked by the staff, creating potential treatment issues.

Unusual or nonstandard precaution notices may result in confusion among staffers.

Similarly, paper and whiteboard notices are also vulnerable to alteration.

Precautions could even remain up after the patient for whom they were intended has been transferred or discharged, resulting in inappropriate treatment.

Other administrative issues relate to internal institutional recordkeeping.

Health care facilities may not necessarily integrate records of their hourly rounds into their electronic records.

Poor reports by patients could result in a reduction in patient admissions and have an adverse effect on the finances of the health care facility.

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