Patient Support Deck Ligature Risk Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to address the challenge of patients with behavioral health indicia attempting to inflict self-harm using patient support apparatuses, particularly in scenarios where continuous monitoring by caregivers is not feasible.
Innovation Solution
A patient support apparatus is designed with a support structure, sensor system, and controller. The support structure includes a patient support deck with ligature risk locations outside a ligature safety zone. The sensor system generates data on load distribution, and the controller issues a ligature risk event alert when the load criteria are met, indicating a potential self-harm risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous monitoring by caregivers is implemented, then patient safety is improved, but labor cost and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support apparatus autonomously monitors itself for ligature risks using integrated sensors and control systems, eliminating the need for continuous human monitoring while maintaining patient safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual visual monitoring with an automated electronic monitoring system that uses sensors to detect load distribution patterns indicating ligature attempts
2Productivity
If automated sensor monitoring is implemented, then labor cost is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system serves multiple functions: it monitors patient position, detects ligature attempts, and provides alerts to caregivers, consolidating multiple monitoring needs into a single integrated system
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously receives sensor data, analyzes load distribution patterns, and provides real-time feedback through alerts when potential ligature risks are detected, enabling timely intervention
Data Source
AI summary
A patient support apparatus for use in treating patients with behavioral health indicia. The patient support apparatus includes a support structure with a patient support deck defining a patient support surface having one or more ligature risk locations arranged outside of a ligature safety zone defined relative to the patient support surface. A sensor system is coupled to the support structure to generate data representing load acting on the support structure. A controller is disposed in communication with the sensor system and is configured to issue a ligature risk event alert in response to the data generated by the sensor system satisfying a predetermined load criteria indicating a distribution of load acting on the support structure outside of the ligature safety zone for a predetermined period.