Handheld medical information management device
View Patent ↗A portable handheld medical information management device that includes a storage memory, a processor, an input device, a transceiver, a display, and software. The software includes programming instructions executable by said processor operative to communicate to a server over a network, said communication comprising sending messages to the server and receiving messages. The device can generate patient information screens on the display, using patient information from at least one received message from the server. The server can control the transceiver to interrogate proximate location devices and calculate a position based on location of proximate location devices. The device, in conjunction with the network and server, can route phone calls and other message-based communication over a local area network (LAN) enabling advanced logistic features such as reliable communication of critical messages; it can also interface effectively with traditional hospital extension based phone systems and the public phone network.
1. A method of tracking and communicating with a hospital personnel comprising:
providing said hospital personnel with a portable handheld device comprising storage memory, a processor, an input device, a transceiver, and a display,
authenticating said handheld device;
assigning said portable handheld device with a private branch exchange number;
linking said private branch exchange number to a name of said hospital personnel;
storing said private branch exchange number and said name linked to said private branch exchange number on a server in a database;
downloading said database to said portable handheld device;
identifying a location of said hospital personnel comprising interrogating a proximate location of said portable handheld device;
storing said location on said server;
generating patient information screens on the display, using patient information from at least one received message from the server;
connecting to a docking station attached to a host computer, whereby a session is transferred to the host computer so that the host computer can communicate directly with the server or can communicate with the server through the handheld and patient information is displayed on said host computer; and
processing to show the patient information on the host computer using at least one received message by the host computer from the server.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying said database on said display of said portable handheld device.
3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising selecting said name of said hospital personnel linked to said private branch exchange number from said display.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said proximate location is determined by transmitting an interrogating signal from said portable handheld device to a beacon, sending a machine identification code from said beacon wherein said code identifies said beacon, and transmitting said code and a beacon location code from said device to said server.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising downloading said location of said hospital personnel.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising downloading patient information to said portable handheld device from said server or a second server.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising overriding a patient entertainment center.