Apparatus and method for reducing the risk of decubitus ulcers
US6646556B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 9, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 21, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61G2203/46
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
There is provided herein a sensor for use in patient monitoring situations, wherein the level of patient motion activity is tracked for purposes of determining whether or not that patient has exhibited sufficient activity to merit eliminating a scheduled assisted relocation to a new position. The instant device broadly operates to sense the length of time since a patient has last moved from a previous sitting or lying position. If the patient has not moved during some predetermined time interval, it is preferred that the nursing staff be notified that it is time to manually reposition the patient. On the other hand, if the patient has changed position within the specified time period, the device will note that fact and inform the attending nurse or other caregiver that the patient need not be moved at the next scheduled relocation, thereby eliminating the need in some cases to rouse the patient from an otherwise sound sleep. In either case, the instant invention operates to reduce the risk that a patient will develop bed sores by helping ensure that the patient is manually moved as frequently as is medically necessary, but no more often than is actually necessary.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.