Techniques for managing patient therapy protocols

1. A system for managing patient therapy protocols across a communication network, the system comprising:

a patient support apparatus coupled to the communication network for supporting a patient;

a first input device coupled to the communication network for use by a first caregiver;

a location system coupled to the communication network to determine a location of the first caregiver; and

a therapy management system coupled to the communication network, wherein the therapy management system is configured to:

receive a first caregiver location input signal, from the location system, corresponding to the location of the first caregiver;

receive a selection of a patient therapy protocol from the first input device, wherein the selected patient therapy protocol comprises a location requirement;

determine whether the first caregiver location input signal satisfies the location requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol;

transmit a patient-moving output signal to the patient support apparatus to initiate the selected patient therapy protocol; and

transmit a notification signal across the communication network based on the first caregiver location input signal and the location requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the location requirement comprises a proximity to the patient support apparatus, a predetermined location, or combinations thereof.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the selected patient therapy protocol comprises an instance of a command for moving the patient, and wherein the therapy management system is configured to determine whether the caregiver location input signal satisfies the location requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol before executing the instance of a command for moving the patient.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the selected patient therapy protocol comprises an instance of a command for moving the patient, and wherein the therapy management system is configured to determine whether the caregiver location input signal satisfies the location requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol during execution of the instance of a command for moving the patient.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the selected patient therapy protocol comprises an instance of a command for moving the patient, wherein the location requirement comprises a first location requirement and a subsequent location requirement, and wherein the first location requirement is a location requirement for a first instance of the selected patient therapy protocol and the subsequent location requirement is a location requirement for a subsequent instance of the selected patient therapy protocol.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the patient therapy protocol is selected from a first patient therapy protocol and a second patient therapy protocol, the first patient therapy protocol and the second patient therapy protocol having different location requirements.

7. The system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the location system comprises at least one of a software component and a hardware component of a computing device; and

wherein the computing device is the first input device and the location system is further configured to determine the location of the first caregiver based on a location of the first input device.

8. The system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the location system determines the location of the first caregiver based on the location of the first input device using an asset tracking system.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the location requirement is based on medical procedure data, patient characteristic data, caregiver observation data, a patient condition of the patient, a state of the patient support apparatus, a risk level of the selected patient therapy protocol, patient preferences, medication data, prior injury data, or combinations thereof.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a second input device coupled to the communication network for use by a second caregiver.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the first input device and the second input device are mobile input devices and/or are disposed on the patient support apparatus.

12. The system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the location system is further configured to determine a location of the second caregiver; and

wherein the therapy management system is further configured to receive a second location input signal corresponding to the location of the second caregiver and to determine whether the second location input signal satisfies the location requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising a third input device coupled to the communication network for use by a third caregiver, wherein the therapy management system is further configured to transmit a notification signal to the third input device based on the second location input signal and the location requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the therapy management system is further configured to terminate the patient-moving output signal to the patient support apparatus based on the second location input signal and the location requirements of the selected patient therapy protocol.

15. The system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the selected patient therapy protocol comprises a permission requirement, and wherein the therapy management system is further configured to:

determine whether a permission level of the second caregiver satisfies the permission requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol; and

transmit the notification signal to the second input device based on the permission level of the second caregiver and the permission requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol.

16. The system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the therapy management system is further configured to transmit a notification signal to at least one of the first input device and the second input device upon a determination that the first caregiver location input signal does not satisfy the location requirement of the selected patient therapy protocol.

17. The system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the therapy management system is configured to receive a response to notifying the second caregiver via the second input device; and

wherein the response to notifying comprises an acceptance of the patient therapy protocol, a denial of the patient therapy protocol, a modification to the patient therapy protocol, a selection of a different patient therapy protocol, or combinations thereof.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 , wherein the therapy management system is further configured to wait a predetermined amount of time for the response to notifying the second caregiver via the second input device.

19. The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the patient support apparatus further comprises an override system being configured to transmit a control signal, and wherein the therapy management system is further configured to receive the control signal; and

wherein the control signal comprises an acceptance of the patient therapy protocol, a denial of the patient therapy protocol, a modification to the patient therapy protocol, a selection of a different patient therapy protocol, or combinations thereof.