Compact treatment, examination and waiting station

Abstract

SOLUTION: There is provided a method that adapts / upgrades an existing, or new medical facility to examine and treat occupants in a safe, efficient manner which is one quarter the size of conventional examination and treatment spaces through the use of a system that utilizes a modular frame and compartments to organize medical utilities, services and equipment to be more space efficient than conventional examination and treatment spaces. The frame and compartments have a shaped surface that focuses acoustic energy to increase intelligibility between a caregiver and the occupant and at the same time reduce ambient acoustic energy propagation. Additionally, the device can be disassembled, moved and reassembled easily. Further, the surface over the compartments creates a safety barrier between expensive and delicate utilities that mitigates tampering, accidental damage and reduces the possibility of infectious disease transmission.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Not applicable STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable <Macrofish Appendix> Not applicable <Technical field> The present invention relates to providing patients needing medical examination, treatment, or observation with the medical treatments, supplies, and facilities they need in a space-efficient, safe, flexible, and private environment. [Background technology]

[0002] Healthcare is expensive, involves long wait times, and is sometimes unavailable. It is important to note that healthcare is at the cusp of policy change, technological change, and financial pressures, all of which combine to require successful healthcare facilities to adapt, change, and respond quickly in order to survive in a rapidly changing environment. Access to healthcare is a function of provider availability, the patient's ability to pay, appropriate diagnostic tools, and an adequate amount of examination / treatment space to examine and treat patients. In many cases, access to healthcare is hindered by a lack of adequate waiting, examination, and treatment space. This is particularly true in emergency care, where long wait times are clearly related to a lack of waiting, examination, and treatment areas. Additionally, healthcare facilities inherently have limited space because they are expensive to build. However, in emergency departments, for example, 50% of patients do not need to be on stretchers in large, expensive private rooms. These people are called "vertical" because they can sit in a chair, as opposed to on a stretcher in a private room ("horizontal"). However, apart from this invention, no studies have replicated the requirements of vertical users in detail.

[0003] Currently, vertical clients (in emergency care settings) are accommodated in chairs in waiting rooms and escorted to consultation, treatment, and diagnostic departments when a healthcare provider is required. This not only requires a concentrated staff presence, but also multiple, large treatment and examination spaces specifically tailored to each encounter. After extensive research into these clients, we have found that what is needed is a compact, safe space carefully designed to ensure privacy while providing access to all the supplies, equipment, and diagnostics needed to properly manage the client's care. After years of research, we have developed a solution that provides all the functionality of a traditional examination / treatment room in a space significantly smaller than a traditional examination / treatment room, using one-quarter the floor space. While the previous discussion used emergency care requests as an example, several other healthcare settings can also benefit from a compact, safe, and private treatment environment. Examples include, but are not limited to, infusion, surgical recovery, outpatient clinics, freestanding urgent care clinics, freestanding urgent care centers, small hospitals, workplace occupational health care, and telemedicine-delivered clinics. The devices disclosed herein allow healthcare facilities to treat more patients per square foot, allowing more patients to be seen at one time and reducing wait times. Healthcare facilities can also reduce healthcare costs by creating more space-efficient treatment areas. The present disclosure also allows for a very simple two-to-one retrofit of existing facilities, since it provides two treatment areas for every traditional treatment space. Traditional treatment rooms are constructed with studs, drywall, and ceiling components, which means they cannot be moved as a unit or disassembled into components. In contrast to traditional treatment spaces, the disclosed devices have a one-piece frame that supports the entire assembly, allowing the assembly to be easily moved as a unit or disassembled into components for easy relocation and reassembly elsewhere in the healthcare facility. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] Until now, no device has existed that allows for the consolidation, retrofitting, or upgrading of medical facilities to provide compact, secure, private treatment areas that allow for the distribution of hospital equipment to users. Three disclosures: U.S. Patent No. 7,818,840, priority date October 26, 2010, to Barnett; Peter Andrew (Costa Mesa, California); Neil; Todd Douglas (Brea, California); Alexander; Steven Bruce (Rolling Hills Estates, California); Domai; and Terrance Paul (Cerritos, California). U.S. Patent No. 5,991,947, priority date March 2, 1995, to Gregory C. Levin; Craig A. Young. U.S. Patent No. 5,918,331, priority date August 5, 1994, to David Hall; John Charles; and Grant Thomas. All three have medical equipment designed integrally into the stretcher and disclose methods for constructing a mobile trauma treatment platform (best thought of as a reinforced stretcher) that is intended to serve as a means for transporting trauma victims between a remote injury site (battlefield) and a hospital where the casualty will be transferred to a bed. In this disclosure, the method for connecting to utilities is only used with the specially constructed treatment platform; the mobile unit that is part of the disclosure is not a hospital treatment platform. None of the prior disclosures are suitable for use in a traditional hospital, outpatient clinic, or industrial medical setting. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention includes a frame that can be attached to the wall structure of a conventional hospital, outpatient facility, or industrial medical setting and supports a series of modular compartments that house medical equipment, power sources, and user amenities and are located near users and optimally positioned for access by medical staff. The present invention includes a novel design for the modular compartments attached to the frame, which provide noise reduction and have doors that enclose hospital equipment. The doors protect users from hospital-acquired infections and eliminate the need for staff to protect sensitive equipment from tampering by users. It is noteworthy that this device places all necessary medical equipment and supplies in an optimal location for staff access, while requiring only one-quarter the space of a typical examination / treatment room. This feature allows hospitals and other medical facilities using this device to see twice as many users while still retaining all the functionality to treat them in the same space as a typical examination / treatment room.

[0006] Additionally, the frame and compartments can be easily relocated to other parts of the facility, allowing for quick and inexpensive modification of the clinical environment to accommodate changes in policy, technology, and provider characteristics. The frame and modular compartments are designed to connect to wall outlets for medical utilities, power, and communication between the utility source and the present invention. Patients in a healthcare facility often require medical equipment such as pressurized oxygen, suction, treated natural air, power, electrocardiogram monitoring, communications, and other devices, and the frame and compartments organize these for efficient patient care. In traditional examination / treatment spaces, these utilities are mounted on the wall behind the patient or run along columns structurally attached to the ceiling. In traditional examination / treatment spaces, utility outlets are often inconvenient for caregivers and can be accidentally disconnected during routine procedures. Furthermore, during a life-threatening event, caregivers must contend with tubes and cables stretching between the wall outlet and the patient.

[0007] The present invention moves utility outlet connection points to a series of modular compartments. These compartments have doors (which may be powered or manually operated) to provide multiple utilities, including, but not limited to, electrocardiograms, vacuum, oxygen, medical air, examination lights, gloves, commonly used medical supplies (bandages, tongue depressors, etc.), and trash cans, located in locations that will not be accidentally disconnected or interfere with emergency or routine procedures. Additionally, the compartment geometry provides a novel method for focusing sound, attenuating user voices between adjacent users and amplifying voices between caregivers and users. The sidewall dividers between users are, in a preferred configuration, piezoelectric glass, which provides user privacy by being selectively opaque or transparent depending on the electrical state of the glass, which can be controlled by a switch on the sidewall. In other configurations, the sidewalls may be solid or may be absent entirely. In a preferred configuration, two poles are placed on either side of the open side of the frame to support the frame vertically and provide mounting points for equipment (IV pump, computer terminal support arm) and future equipment.

[0008] The frame has modular locations for utilities, supplies, equipment, and user amenities. In a preferred configuration, the frame can support nine compartments for utilities, consumables, user belongings, trash, and other consumables required for utilities. Additionally, the side walls provide users with retractable shelving for user belongings, along with controls for lighting, nurse call, 110V power, USB power, and entertainment / educational devices (TV, internet, etc.). Other configurations may accommodate a different number of equipment and utilities depending on the device's mission (e.g., ambulatory care, occupational health, infusion, etc.). Other configurations allow for any device that conforms to the frame's dimensional and connection constraints, such as, but not limited to, an IV pump, a user communication device, or any existing or future device or utility. All nine locations on the frame are movable, allowing equipment and utilities to be relocated to locations more suited to specific user needs. The frame also has the ability to connect to additional frames, allowing for a series of frames to be efficiently deployed in a space. Such arrangements include linear side-by-side arrangements in preferred configurations, staggered arrangements, and radial arrangements to fit irregular spaces. Furthermore, while the minimum size is 5 feet wide and 7 feet 6 inches deep, the width can be adjusted to any dimension from 5 feet to 8 feet and the depth from 7 feet 6 inches to 10 feet by increasing the distance between the ribs of the frame. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the entire device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the device in a preferred configuration, showing sound reflections from the caregiver onto the surface of the frame focused on a seated user. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the device in a preferred configuration similar to that of FIG. 2, where reflected sound from the user is collected on the floor outside the device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of Alternative Embodiment A. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of Alternative Embodiment B. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of Alternative Embodiment C. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the side wall showing the pivoting device used to secure the computer tablet to the frame. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing how the frame is structurally supported, the compartment configuration, the shape of the frame surface, and how the frame width can be adapted to suit different sized environments. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows a mounting method in which the support posts are attached to the ribs of the frame, allowing for disassembly and reassembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the entire device assembly, including a support frame 1, its wall, floor, and ceiling connections 15, modular compartments 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and a lift door covering compartment 3. Compartments 3 are arranged to provide optimal height and size for equipment such as physiological monitors, nurse sharps containers, supplies used in conjunction with the physiological monitors, pressurized medical gases such as oxygen, vacuum, and medical air, retractable examination lights, and 110V power for these devices. All compartments 3 have manual or powered lift doors, providing safety and protection from infection. Compartment 4 contains a sub-drawer 11 for general medical supplies such as bandages, tape, and scissors; a lockable drawer for controlled medications; and three sub-drawers 10 for three sizes of gloves. Compartments 5 and 6, intended for backup supplies and future devices, also have tilt-down, lockable hinged doors. Compartment 7 is for storing user belongings such as clothing, computers, and mobile devices and has 110V and USB power sources. Compartment 8 is for non-infectious waste, and compartment 9 is for infectious waste. Both are protected from the user by tilt-down hinged doors. Piezoelectric privacy glass 13 is located on each side of the frame 1; a typical modular compartment 2 for easily cleanable supplies and equipment is located there; vertical and lateral stability supports 14; lighting 12 controlled by a touchpad or tiltable computer tablet 18, which also displays educational materials and entertainment programs for users, such as movies. Modern tablets also incorporate selfie cameras and network capabilities, allowing the same tablet 18 to communicate with translators and other healthcare providers. There is a retractable table 17 for user belongings, such as beverages, mobile devices, and small items like keys and wallets; power outlets (110V, USB); an emergency call button; and a network connector 16 for staff devices.Specially treated antimicrobial surfaces 19 to prevent the transmission of hospital-acquired infections to staff and patients can be achieved using commercially available materials such as copper-infused metals, laser-etched patterns in high-density plastics, or near-ultraviolet light to illuminate surfaces and high-touch areas 19. The width of the device is determined by the space required to position the recliner / examination chair and caregiver for examination or treatment, and ranges from a minimum of 5 feet to a maximum of 8 feet 25 inches. The depth is determined by allowing sufficient space for the recliner / examination chair to be fully extended horizontally and for the cubicle curtains to be closed to provide visual privacy for the patient, and ranges from 7 feet 6 inches to 10 feet. The size range is achieved by adding filler panels 41 on each side of the frame to fit the finished size.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view (with the support frame removed for clarity) showing the user-facing surface 23 of the device, illustrating that sound waves emanate from the caregiver 21 and are reflected back towards the user 20, effectively focusing sound from the caregiver onto the user for improved intelligibility; walls, floor and ceiling are indicated by the numerals 24.

[0012] FIG. 3 shows how sound from occupants 20 is reflected towards the floor, attenuating the propagation of sound 22 between occupants.

[0013] 4, 5 and 6 are examples of alternative embodiments showing different ways to achieve the desired reflection of acoustic energy 22 from the user 20. FIG.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of side wall 13 depicting a housing for pivotable computer tablets 18, 30, and 31, which can be rotated in the "X" and "Y" directions to adjust to an angle suitable for the user.

[0015] Figure 8 is a perspective view of frame 1, showing the basic structural system: a series of ribs 37 separated by struts 38 connected by L-shaped brackets 39 with machine screws 40. Filler panels 41 are used to facilitate the frame's ability to adapt to various as-built widths of existing and new facilities. As shown in Figure 1, modular compartments are inserted between the ribs to house various medical utilities and equipment along with user amenities.

[0016] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a typical connection at the intersection of structural ribs and struts that are screwed together with L-shaped clip mechanisms using 37, 38, 39, 40.

[0017] While the above description contains considerable detail, it should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as providing illustrations of preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, the illustrated acoustic energy functions may take a variety of different forms, as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Alternative methods of attachment to existing buildings and processing platforms may take a variety of forms to achieve the same purpose. The physical shape of the frame may vary to accommodate different medical platforms and building materials. Such variations do not materially alter the essence of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims, rather than by the specific examples provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0018] 1 frame 2 Highly cleanable / Representative modular compartment made of seamless, easy-to-clean materials. 3 Modular compartment slide-up doors for ECG and medical equipment compartments 4 modular compartment doors for medical supplies and gloves 5 Compartment Modular Compartment Door for Medical Supplies 6 Compartment Modular Compartment Door for Medical Supplies 7 Modular compartment door for user belongings 8 modular waste compartment doors Modular Compartment Door for 9 Device Electronics 10 Glove container 11 Tilt-down medical supply storage 12 Lighting controlled by 18, 30 and 31 13 Piezoelectric glass that can be switched from clear to opaque for visual and acoustic privacy 14 Support pole 15 Floor, ceiling and wall attachments for stabilization 16 110V and USB power outlets 17 Retractable user table 18 Lighting control equipment 19 Infectious disease prevention measures 20 Reclining chair users 21 Caregivers 22 Reflected sound waves 23 Sound-reflecting frame surface 24 Environmental floors, ceilings, and walls 25 Device width range 26 Device depth range 27 Cubicle curtains and ceiling tracks designed to provide visual privacy 28 4-110V, 4-USB power outlets 29 Pivot shaft for adjusting the computer tablets 30, 31 in the X and Y axes to the user's viewing angle 30 Metal security case for protecting computer tablet 31 from theft and damage DC power supplies 30, 31 for computer tablets housed in 32 33 33 Side panels for mounting 16, 17, 18, 28, 29, 30, and 31 AC / DC power supply from 34 wall power to 16 input 33 35 AC / DC power supply from wall power to 28 input to 33 36 Metal support mullions for fastening the side walls 13 to the frame 1 37 Support rib 38 horizontal strut 39 L-shaped bracket secured to 37 and 39 with machine screws (40) 40 Machine screws used to connect 37, 38 and 39 41 Filler piece for adjusting size

Claims

1. 1. A compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station located at a first location within a building, said station comprising: a frame assembly that can be removably attached to a floor and a wall or ceiling of the building and selectively moved as a unit to a second location within the building or disassembled into parts for rearrangement and reassembly, the frame assembly including a plurality of cooperatively assembled frame members, poles, ribs, and struts; a plurality of modular compartments removably attached to the frame assembly, the frame assembly and the plurality of modular compartments further including connection points for medical equipment and medical utilities at locations convenient for use by a medical caregiver, and providing accessible storage space for medical supplies and personal amenities of a user; A compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station comprising:

2. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein the medical equipment includes a physiological monitoring device.

3. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said frame assembly and said plurality of modular compartments include outlets for AC and DC power and internet access.

4. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said medical utilities are selected from the group consisting of pressurized oxygen, suction, and treated natural air (medical air).

5. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of modular compartments further comprises a door that selectively controls access to at least one of said medical utilities, medical equipment, or medical supplies.

6. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said plurality of modular compartments are configured to attenuate sound between a user within said station and a user at an adjacent station.

7. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said plurality of modular compartments are configured to concentrate sound passing between a user and other persons present at said station.

8. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, further comprising at least one side wall divider adjacent to the user, the at least one side wall divider supporting controls for medical equipment or utilities selected from the group consisting of lighting, nurse call alert, 110 volt power, DC power, USB power, television, and internet.

9. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 8, wherein said at least one sidewall divider comprises piezoelectric glass.

10. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said plurality of modular compartments have rigid side walls.

11. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said plurality of modular compartments do not include side wall dividers.

12. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said medical equipment comprises an infusion pump and a computer terminal support arm.

13. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 8, wherein said at least one side wall divider further comprises a retractable storage shelf.

14. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modular compartments comprise medical equipment, medical utilities and medical supplies useful for at least one of an emergency department, an outpatient clinic, industrial medicine, and infusion services.

15. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein the frame assembly further comprises at least one component useful for selectively positioning at least one of a medical utility, a medical device, or a medical supply.

16. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein the frame assembly is assembled to define a space that is at least 5 feet wide and at least 7 feet 6 inches deep, and is expandable in dimensions from 5 feet to 8 feet wide and from 7 feet 6 inches to 10 feet deep.

17. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, combined with a chair so that the patient can recline while waiting or receiving treatment within the station.

18. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein the frame assembly comprises a plurality of ribs and struts that cooperate to support the plurality of modular compartments to achieve a desired size, shape and acoustic characteristics of the station.

19. 17. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 16, further comprising at least one filler panel used to accommodate various construction widths of the frame assembly, new or existing facilities.

20. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, comprising an easily cleanable, smooth, durable material selected from the group consisting of metal, high density wood and high density plastic.

21. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, further comprising a modular compartment for temporary storage of waste materials.

22. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein said frame assembly and said plurality of modular compartments cooperate to focus sound in a desired direction.

23. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modular compartments comprise a plurality of doors that cooperate to define a series of surfaces angled to reflect acoustic energy to the same point in space.

24. 10. The compact medical treatment, examination and waiting station of claim 1, wherein at least one modular compartment comprises a lockable door for restricting access to at least one of medical equipment, medical supplies, or medications.

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