Hospital Bed Touchscreen Charting With Integrated EMR Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hospital beds lack efficient connectivity with electronic medical record (EMR) systems, requiring manual data entry and verification at separate computers, which is inefficient and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A hospital bed with a graphical user interface that allows caregivers to directly chart patient data into the EMR system, incorporating identity verification methods such as PIN entry, card readers, wireless tag readers, and biometric sensors, and displaying various data inputs and options for charting patient information, bed status, vital signs, and activities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual data entry at separate computers is used, then connectivity between hospital beds and EMR systems is established, but efficiency and time consumption are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hospital bed control system with the EMR charting function by integrating a touchscreen display and control circuitry directly into the bed structure. This allows caregivers to control bed functions and chart patient data into the EMR system through a single interface at the bedside, eliminating the need to switch between separate computers and improving workflow efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication system as an intermediary between the hospital bed and the EMR system. This wireless interface enables data transmission without requiring physical connection to separate computers, allowing caregivers to efficiently transfer patient data from the bed controls to the EMR system through wireless communication protocols.
2Reliability
If multiple identity verification methods are implemented, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional control circuitry system that can accept and process multiple types of identification inputs including personal identification numbers, magnetic stripe cards, wireless tags, and biometric data. This universal verification system handles diverse identification methods through a single integrated interface, enhancing security while managing complexity through unified processing architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs biometric sensors that detect and verify physical characteristics such as fingerprints or other biological identifiers. By changing the verification parameter from traditional digital credentials to physical biometric properties, the system enhances security through harder-to-copy identification methods while the sensor integration remains manageable within the control circuitry.
3Ease of operation
If graphical user interface with direct charting capability is added, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the graphical user interface for bed control with the EMR charting functionality into a single integrated touchscreen display. This merged interface allows caregivers to perform both bed function control and patient data charting through one unified system, improving ease of operation by eliminating the need to switch between separate devices while the integration is managed through coordinated control circuitry.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient support apparatus, such as a hospital bed, communicates with an electronic medical record (EMR) system in healthcare facility. The hospital bed includes a patient support structure to support a patient, a graphical user interface coupled to the patient support structure, and control circuitry coupled to the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface displays at least one input that may be used by a caregiver to chart data into an electronic medical record (EMR) of a patient supported by the patient support structure.