Wireless communication between patient beds and equipment for checking compatibility
View Patent ↗A system comprises a patient bed having a reader to read wireless signals. In some embodiments a wound dressing has a transmitter that transmits wireless signals to the reader of the patient bed. In other embodiments, a garment has a transmitter that transmits wireless signals to the reader of the patient bed. In still further embodiments, other medical equipment has a transmitter that transmits wireless signals to the reader of the patient bed.
1. A patient bed for use with a separate piece of patient care equipment, the patient bed comprising
a frame configured to support a patient,
a weigh scale carried by the frame and configured to weigh a patient supported by the frame,
bed control circuitry including a receiver configured to receive a wireless transmission from the separate piece of patient care equipment, the wireless transmission including an equipment identification (ID), the bed control circuitry including an indicator to provide an alert if a weight of the patient exceeds a weight rating of the separate piece of patient care equipment.
2. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the bed control circuitry is configured to retrieve the weight rating of the separate piece of patient care equipment from a remote computer after receipt of the wireless transmission including the equipment ID.
3. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the bed control circuitry includes a database of weight ratings for various pieces of patient care equipment including the separate piece of patient care equipment.
4. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the indicator comprises a graphical user interface.
5. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the separate piece of patient care equipment comprises a patient lift.
6. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the separate piece of patient care equipment comprises a stretcher.
7. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the separate piece of patient care equipment comprises a wheelchair.
8. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the separate piece of patient care equipment comprises a mattress to be supported by the frame.
9. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the alert is also transmitted by the bed control circuitry off of the bed.
10. The patient bed of claim 9 , wherein the alert is transmitted from the bed control circuitry for receipt by a wireless communication device carried by one or more caregivers.
11. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the weigh scale also serves as a patient position monitoring system that, when in an enabled state, alarms in response to at least one of the following: a patient exiting the bed or a patient moving toward exiting the bed by a threshold amount.
12. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises one or more of the following: an audible alert, a visual alert, or a tactile alert.
13. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the receiver also receives a wireless signal transmitted by an item worn by the patient.
14. The patient bed of claim 13 , wherein the item includes a color coded sock worn by the patient to indicate that the patient is a falls risk.
15. The patient bed of claim 14 , wherein the bed control circuitry implements a falls prevention protocol in response to the receiver receiving the wireless signal from the color coded sock.
16. The patient bed of claim 13 , wherein the item includes a wound dressing.
17. The patient bed of claim 16 , further comprising a mattress having a plurality of inflatable bladders and wherein pressure in at least one inflatable bladder is adjusted based on a location of the wound dressing on the patient.
18. The patient bed of claim 17 , wherein the bed control circuitry further includes a graphical user interface that is operable to display a location of the wound dressing on the patient.
19. The patient bed of claim 13 , wherein the item includes a wrist band.
20. The patient bed of claim 1 , wherein the receiver comprises multiple receivers.