Patient Support Apparatus Wireless Tag Protocol Adherence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hospital communication systems fail to effectively remind and alert caregivers to follow established patient care protocols, leading to potential issues such as patient falls, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and inadequate hand hygiene.

Innovation Solution

A patient support system comprising a patient support apparatus, a display, a wireless sensor, and a controller that detects mobile electronic tags to provide reminders and alerts for caregivers, ensuring adherence to protocols like hand washing, fall prevention, and maintaining appropriate bed angles to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a patient support system integrates wireless sensors and controllers to monitor and alert caregivers about patient care protocols, then the quality of care and protocol adherence improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol adherenceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patient support apparatus integrates multiple functions including wireless sensing, communication, display, and control capabilities into a single multi-functional system. This allows the device to monitor patient parameters, detect caregiver presence via electronic tags, communicate with hand washing stations, and provide alerts through the display, thereby improving protocol adherence without requiring multiple separate devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses mobile electronic tags as intermediaries to enable communication between caregivers and the patient support apparatus. These tags allow the system to detect caregiver presence and identity without requiring direct interaction or complex authentication mechanisms, simplifying the interaction while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the system continuously monitors caregiver presence and hand washing status using wireless sensors and electronic tags, then hand hygiene compliance improves, but the loss of information and detection complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehand hygiene complianceVSAvoiddetection complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual monitoring and reporting of hand washing compliance with an automated electronic detection system. Wireless sensors and electronic tags automatically detect caregiver presence and verify hand washing events, eliminating the need for manual tracking and reducing detection complexity through non-contact, automated measurement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the controller receives information from wireless sensors about caregiver presence and hand washing status, then provides real-time alerts through the display when protocols are not followed. This closed-loop feedback system automatically enforces hand hygiene compliance without requiring complex manual verification processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system ensures improved patient care by consistently reminding caregivers to follow protocols, reducing the likelihood of patient falls and ventilator-associated pneumonia, and promoting hand hygiene, thereby enhancing the quality of care.

Implementation Method 1

The wireless sensor is positioned on the patient support apparatus and detects the presence of, and identity of, a mobile electronic tag positioned within the vicinity of the patient support apparatus

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation detection: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS9320662B2Patient support apparatus with in-room device communication

Publication Date: 2016.04.26 STRYKER CORP

AI summary

A patient support system includes a patient support apparatus—which may be a bed or the like—and one or more mobile electronic tags that are positionable in the room and which communicate wirelessly with the patient support apparatus. The electronic tags are attached to one or more of a patient, a medical device, or a caregiver. After detecting the tag(s), the patient support apparatus implements one or more patient care protocols, and provides alerts if the protocols are violated. The implementation may be automatic or require caregiver confirmation. The protocols can be for fall prevention, bed sore prevention, pneumonia prevention, caregiver hand washing, dialysis, and/or other purposes. The patient support apparatus determines the protocol(s) based on one or more of the following: the type of medical device, the specific patient, the presence or absence of the caregiver, and/or information transmitted to, or input into, the patient support apparatus.