Abstract: Dynamic support surface technologies configure a person support surface in various ways, including configurations in which the person support surface at least temporarily assumes an apnea therapy position, such as a progressive lateral tilt or a ramp-like position.

Abstract: High-accuracy locating systems and methods are used for determining successful caregiver rounding, monitoring whether housekeepers have properly cleaned patient beds, or determining whether patients have ambulated sufficient distances during recovery. Patient beds having at least two locating tags are used for establishing patient care zones around the patient beds. Locating anchors and equipment tags are moved around a patient room to determine optimum locating anchor placement within the patient room based on signal quality values. A locating tag on a patient bed switches roles to operate as a locating anchor in response to the patient bed becoming stationary. A locating tag has a digital compass which is used to determine a field of good ranging relative to a front of a caregiver wearing the locating tag.

Abstract: A system and method to determine availability of caregivers to respond to nurse calls or other alerts originating in patient rooms is provided. Caregivers are designated as unavailable depending upon room types in which they are located, or depending upon patient types in the rooms in which they are located, or depending upon how long they have been present in certain rooms, or depending upon whether the caregivers have designated themselves as unavailable, or any combination of the foregoing. A system and method to escalate alerts to other caregivers if a primary caregiver is unavailable includes escalating first to a designated secondary caregiver and then to a caregiver who is closest in proximity to the room from which the alert originated if the secondary caregiver is also unavailable.

Abstract: A patient support system includes a patient support apparatus operable to collect biometric and/or physiological data of a patient located on the patient support apparatus, using one or more sensors that are coupled to the patient or coupled to a component of the patient support apparatus. The system can use the biometric and/or physiological data to verify the identity of a patient that is associated with the patient support apparatus or a patient room. Based on the patient verification, the system can update patient electronic medical records to include the biometric and/or physiological data, and/or perform other tasks.

Abstract: A system for predicting exit from an occupant support, includes a processor, a memory in communication with the processor, and a frame having at least one force sensor which outputs a force signal in response to force exerted thereon. The system also includes machine readable instructions stored in the memory which cause the system to perform at least the following actions when executed by the processor: 1) determine a property of the signal during an interval of time, 2) classify the property as suggesting an exit event or as not suggesting an exit event, and 3) if the property is classified as suggesting an exit event, generate a notification thereof.

Abstract: A sleep apparatus, such as a mattress, comprises a head support surface sized to support a person's head, and a torso support surface sized to support a person's torso. The head support surface is generally laterally sloped moving from a first side toward a second side of the mattress, and the torso support surface is generally laterally sloped moving from the first side toward the second side. In some embodiments, the lateral slope of the head support surface is at least about 15°, the lateral slope of the head support surface is greater than the lateral slope of the torso support surface, and/or, the sleep apparatus slopes in the longitudinal direction as well.

Abstract: A caregiver badge system includes a caregiver badge configured to be worn by a caregiver and having a cavity defined therein. An identification badge is configured to be positioned within the cavity. The identification badge is removable from the caregiver badge. A transceiver is positioned within the caregiver badge and configured to communicate with a positioning system to identify a location of the caregiver. A battery is positioned within the caregiver badge to power the transceiver.

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.

Abstract: A system and method to determine availability of caregivers to respond to nurse calls or other alerts originating in patient rooms is provided. Caregivers are designated as unavailable depending upon room types in which they are located, or depending upon patient types in the rooms in which they are located, or depending upon how long they have been present in certain rooms, or depending upon whether the caregivers have designated themselves as unavailable, or any combination of the foregoing. A system and method to escalate alerts to other caregivers if a primary caregiver is unavailable includes escalating first to a designated secondary caregiver and then to a caregiver who is closest in proximity to the room from which the alert originated if the secondary caregiver is also unavailable.

Abstract: A caregiver badge system includes a caregiver badge configured to be worn by a caregiver and having a cavity defined therein. An identification badge is configured to be positioned within the cavity. The identification badge is removable from the caregiver badge. A transceiver is positioned within the caregiver badge and configured to communicate with a positioning system to identify a location of the caregiver. A battery is positioned within the caregiver badge to power the transceiver.

Abstract: A sleep apparatus, such as a mattress for example, is provided in one embodiment. The apparatus comprises a head support surface sized to support a person's head, and a torso support surface sized to support a person's torso. The head support surface is generally laterally sloped moving from the first side toward the second side, and the torso support surface is generally laterally sloped moving from the first side toward the second side. In some embodiments, the lateral slope of the head support surface is at least about 15°, the lateral slope of the head support surface is greater than the lateral slope of the torso support surface, and/or, the sleep apparatus slopes in the longitudinal direction as well.

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.

Abstract: A caregiver shift change system and method for a healthcare facility includes a patient bed in a patient room and a high-accuracy locating system that includes locating tags. A first tag is coupled to a first caregiver and a second tag is coupled to a second caregiver. The high-accuracy locating system further has a number of transceivers within the healthcare facility to receive tag data from the tags. The high-accuracy locating system also includes a computer coupled to the transceivers to receive the tag data and to process the tag data to determine a location of each tag within the healthcare facility. The caregiver shift change system and method also includes a server that determines whether a successful caregiver shift change has occurred based on locations of the first and second tags being, for a predetermined period of time, within a threshold proximity of each other and within a zone defined around the patient support apparatus in the patient room.

Abstract: A magnetic suspension system for a medical device is provided. The magnetic suspension system comprises a support structure having an area provided with a ferromagnetic characteristic, and a carriage comprising a magnet exerting a magnetic attraction force between the carriage and the support structure. The carriage comprises a friction reducing device and a drive device configured to drive a motion of the carriage upon the support structure in an arbitrary predetermined direction, the drive device being separate from the friction reducing device.

Abstract: A care system includes a mobile communication device, a remote server, and a patient support system that is in communication with either or both of the mobile communication device and the remote server. The mobile communication device may operate as a user interface for the patient support system. The remote server may provide computing power for the patient support system for resource intensive computing tasks.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating notifications based on bladder volume signals and bladder muscle signals are disclosed. A system includes a processor, a plurality of bladder electrical signal application electrodes, a plurality of bladder volume measurement electrodes, a plurality of bladder muscle measurement electrodes, a memory module communicatively coupled to the processor, and machine readable instructions stored in the memory module. When executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions cause the system to output a first electrical output signal with the plurality of bladder electrical signal application electrodes, receive the bladder volume signal at the plurality of bladder volume measurement electrodes in response to the first electrical output signal, receive the bladder muscle signal at the plurality of bladder muscle measurement electrodes, and generate the notification based on the bladder volume signal and the bladder muscle signal.

Abstract: A dressing for guarding against the development of pressure ulcers has a recipient side and an environmental side. The dressing comprises a moisture barrier layer whose components include a sacral member, a left gluteal member and a right gluteal member. Each gluteal member has a base and an extension which extends longitudinally inferiorly further than the inferior edge of the sacral member by a dimension which is approximately no less than the longitudinal length of the sacral member. The dressing also includes a connective element on the recipient side of the dressing. The connective element is arranged to provide a zone of occlusion. In some embodiments the dressing includes electrodes and is a component of a dressing assembly which includes an exciter for stimulating gluteal muscles.

Abstract: Apparatus for assessing medical risks of a patient includes an analytics engine and equipment that provides data to the analytics engine. The equipment includes a patient support apparatus such as a patient bed, a nurse call computer, a physiological monitor, a patient lift, a locating computer of a locating system, and an incontinence detection pad. The analytics engine analyzes the data from the equipment to determine a sepsis risk score, a falls risk score, and a pressure injury score. The apparatus further include displays that are communicatively coupled to the analytics engine and that display the sepsis, falls, and pressure injury risk scores. The displays include a status board display located at a master nurse station, an in-room display provided by a room station of a nurse call system, an electronic medical records (EMR) display of an EMR computer, and a mobile device display of a mobile device of a caregiver assigned to the patient.

Abstract: A system for predicting exit from an occupant support, includes a processor, a memory in communication with the processor, and a frame having at least one force sensor which outputs a force signal in response to force exerted thereon. The system also includes machine readable instructions stored in the memory which cause the system to perform at least the following actions when executed by the processor: 1) determine a property of the signal during an interval of time, 2) classify the property as suggesting an exit event or as not suggesting an exit event, and 3) if the property is classified as suggesting an exit event, generate a notification thereof.