Patient Support Configuration Control with Risk-Based Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient support apparatuses face challenges in safely adjusting configurations automatically, as automation can increase patient risk while manual control provides full user control but is not always feasible.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a patient support apparatus with actuators and a control unit that receives patient risk information, determines an optimum configuration, and allows user input to accept or modify the suggested configuration before adjusting the apparatus, ensuring safety and user control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automation of the adjustment process is implemented, then productivity and ease of operation are improved, but reliability and patient safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a feedback mechanism where the control unit receives patient risk information, determines an optimum configuration, and presents it to the user for confirmation. This feedback loop ensures that automation provides its productivity benefits while maintaining safety through user verification of the suggested configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the automated determination process and the final actuator control. It processes patient risk information to suggest an optimum configuration, but requires explicit user confirmation before executing the adjustment, thus mediating between automation and safety control.
2Reliability
If full manual control is used, then patient safety and user control are improved, but ease of operation and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary action by automatically determining the optimum patient support apparatus configuration based on patient risk information before user confirmation. This preliminary determination reduces the operational effort required from the user while maintaining safety through the confirmation step.
3Loss of time
If automated configuration adjustment is implemented, then time consumption is reduced, but risk to patient increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback mechanism ensures that while the system quickly determines the optimum configuration (reducing time loss), it presents this determination to the user for confirmation before execution. This feedback step mitigates patient risk by allowing human oversight of the automated process.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for adjusting the configuration of a patient support apparatus includes a patient support apparatus having at least one actuator configured to adjust the configuration of the patient support apparatus and a control unit to control the at least one actuator. The control unit has a memory that is configured to store patient support apparatus configurations. The control unit is also configured to: receive a first input including patient risk information of a patient to be supported; determine an optimum patient support apparatus configuration from the patient support apparatus configurations based on the patient risk information; receive a second input from a user to accept the determined optimum patient support apparatus configuration; and if the determined optimum patient support apparatus configuration is accepted by a user, control the at least one actuator to adjust the patient support apparatus into the determined optimum patient support apparatus configuration.