Patient monitoring and repositioning system and method

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing patient repositioning systems require caregiver intervention for detecting and addressing undesirable patient positions, which can lead to increased effort and potential pressure ulcers due to prolonged exposure to concentrated forces.

Innovation Solution

A patient monitoring and repositioning system that automatically detects when a patient has migrated to an undesirable position and communicates the need for repositioning, either through alarms or indicators, allowing for remote or automated repositioning without continuous caregiver presence, using sensors to monitor patient position and a drive mechanism to adjust the patient's position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If automated sensor monitoring is implemented to detect patient position, then patient comfort and pressure ulcer prevention are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient position monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system is segmented into independent sensor units distributed along the bed, each detecting local pressure conditions. This modular approach improves monitoring reliability through multiple detection points while managing system complexity by allowing incremental deployment and independent sensor replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensor data is processed and transmitted to control units that automatically adjust patient position. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures reliable detection and response to undesirable positions while automating the repositioning process to reduce caregiver burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If continuous caregiver monitoring is eliminated in favor of automated systems, then caregiver efficiency is improved, but measurement precision of patient position may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaregiver efficiencyVSAvoidpatient position detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Manual visual inspection and physical assessment by caregivers is replaced with electronic pressure sensors that continuously measure contact forces between patient and support surface. This substitution maintains high measurement precision through quantitative sensor data while dramatically improving caregiver efficiency by eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system provides continuous, uninterrupted monitoring of patient position and pressure distribution, whereas manual monitoring by caregivers is intermittent and discontinuous. This continuous measurement capability ensures precise detection of position changes at all times, improving both accuracy and caregiver efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If manual patient repositioning is performed frequently, then pressure ulcer prevention is improved, but loss of time and caregiver effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure ulcer riskVSAvoidrepositioning time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of undesirable patient positions using distributed pressure sensors that continuously monitor support surface contact. When migration to an undesirable position is detected, the system automatically initiates repositioning actions, preventing pressure ulcer development before it occurs rather than requiring frequent reactive manual interventions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service repositioning where the patient is automatically repositioned by the monitoring system itself through integrated actuators or by triggering remote repositioning mechanisms, eliminating the need for frequent manual caregiver intervention and reducing both time loss and caregiver effort while maintaining pressure ulcer prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3102070B1Patient monitoring and repositioning system and method

Publication Date: 2025.08.06 THE MOREL CO LLC

Figure 1~2
Figure 3A
Figure 3B

AI summary

A patient monitoring and repositioning system (10a) includes a mattress (26), a sheet (16) residing on an upper surface of the mattress (26), a housing (29) containing a drive mechanism (28), and a sensor (20) adapted to sense a position of a patient (22) resting on the mattress (26). The drive mechanism (28) is operable to pull the sheet (16) and thereby pull the patient (22) resting thereon. The housing (29) receives the sheet (16) through a slot (54). In the event that the patient (22) is in an undesirable position on the mattress (26) as detected by the sensor (20), a controller (24) directs the drive mechanism (28) to pull the sheet (16) so as to pull the patient thereon from the undesirable position to a desirable, predetermined position. The controller (24) may direct the drive mechanism (28) automatically or indicate the undesirable position to a caregiver so that the caregiver may direct the drive mechanism (28) accordingly.