Patient-need prediction system

1. A method for predicting patient needs comprising:

detecting electromagnetic radiation from a field of view and providing a signal indicative of a characteristic of a patient in the field of view, the signal being based on the electromagnetic radiation; and

processing the signal to produce a value related to a stress condition experienced by the patient located in the field of view to determine whether a patient need is indicated by the value related to a stress condition experienced by the patient and to perform a predetermined action if the patient need is predicted.

2. A method for predicting patient needs comprising:

detecting electromagnetic radiation from a field of view and providing a signal indicative of a characteristic of a patient in the field of view, the signal being based on the electromagnetic radiation;

detecting a status of equipment included in a patient support apparatus supporting the patient; and

processing the signal to produce a value related to a stress condition experienced by the patient located in the field of view to determine whether a patient need is indicated by the value related to a stress condition experienced by the patient and to perform a predetermined action if the patient need is predicted.

3. A method for predicting patient needs comprising:

detecting electromagnetic radiation from a field of view and providing a patient signal indicative of a characteristic of a patient in the field of view, the signal being based on the electromagnetic radiation;

detecting a status of a component of a patient support apparatus; and

processing the signal to produce a value related to a stress condition experienced by the patient located in the field of view to determine whether the value has exceeded a predetermined limit and to perform a predetermined action if the value has exceeded the predetermined limit.

4. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is visual light and the sensor unit detects the visual light over time.

5. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 4 , wherein the field of view is limited to a face of the patient in the field of view and the characteristic of the patient in the field of view is a change in a facial expression of the patient that is indicative of the stress condition.

6. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 4 , wherein the characteristic of the patient in the field of view is a change in color of a patient's skin indicative of the stress condition.

7. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 4 , wherein the characteristic of the patient in the field of view is a change in position of the patient in the field of view indicative of the stress condition.

8. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 7 , wherein the stress condition is at least one of a need to urinate and defecate by the patient.

9. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is infrared light.

10. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 9 , wherein the characteristic of the patient in the field of view is a patient's skin temperature as measured by the infrared light.

11. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 10 , wherein the stress condition is at least one of a need to urinate and defecate by the patient.

12. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 11 , wherein the sensor unit is a camera located in spaced-apart relation to the patient in the field of view.

13. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a bed-sensor signal indicative of a status of equipment included in a patient support apparatus supporting the patient.

14. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 13 , further comprising the step of processing the bed-sensor signal and the patient sensor signal to produce the value related to the stress condition experience by the patient located in the field of view as detected by the sensor unit.

15. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 14 , wherein the patient support apparatus includes a support frame, a support surface supported by the support frame, and a moveable side rail coupled to the support frame to move relative to the support frame between a raised position and a lowered position and the bed-sensor signal is indicative of the position of the movable side rail.

16. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 14 , wherein the patient support apparatus includes a support frame and a support surface supported by the support frame, and the bed-sensor signal is indicative of a pressure exerted on the support surface when the patient is resting on the support surface.

17. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 1 , further comprising the step of communicating with a hospital information system.

18. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 17 , wherein the predetermined action includes requesting via the communication link for a caregiver to come to the patient within a predetermined time period.

19. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 17 , further comprising the step of providing a communication via the user interface to the patient that a caregiver has been requested to come to the patient within the predetermined time period.

20. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 18 , wherein the communication is visual and displayed on a display included in the user interface.

21. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 19 , wherein the communication is auditory and emitted through a speaker included in the user interface.

22. The method for predicting patient needs of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined action includes commanding the light to emit light.