Patient fall monitoring in bathroom in a healthcare facility

US10629049B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Hill-Rom Services, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Laura A. Hassey · Raleigh, US
• Steven D. Baker · San Francisco, US
• Bradley T. Smith · Raleigh, US
• Eric D. Agdeppa · Cincinnati, US
• Pamela Wells · Soddy-Daisy, US
• Thomas A. Myers · Syracuse, US
• Andrew S. Robinson · Durham, US
• Kiana M. Dezelon · Cary, US
• John S. Schroder · Apex, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 27, 2018
• Grant date: Apr 21, 2020
• Expiry date: Dec 27, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G16H50/20
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A patient fall detection system includes a computer and multiple transceivers mounted at fixed locations in a healthcare facility. The transceivers are electronically coupled to the computer. A patient identification tag is worn by a patient and includes a tag transceiver. The high-accuracy locating system monitors a location of the patient ID tag via signals from the tag transceiver to determine whether a patient has entered a bathroom. The computer monitors at least one of an elevation of the patient ID tag in the bathroom, an elevation drop of the patient ID tag in the bathroom, or a time that the patient ID tag has been in the bathroom to determine whether the patient has fallen.