Abstract: Systems for voice control of medical devices in a healthcare facility are disclosed herein. The systems employ continuous speech processing software, voice recognition software, natural language processing software, and other software to permit voice control of the medical devices. Systems are also provided for distinguishing which medical device from among multiple medical devices in a patient room is the particular medical device to be controlled by voice input from a caregiver or a patient.

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 for voice control of medical devices in a healthcare facility are disclosed herein. The systems employ continuous speech processing software, voice recognition software, natural language processing software, and other software to permit voice control of the medical devices. Systems are also provided for distinguishing which medical device from among multiple medical devices in a patient room is the particular medical device to be controlled by voice input from a caregiver or a patient.

Abstract: Algorithms for continuous BP monitoring using the load cell ballistocardiogram and the finger/toe photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals. This disclosure includes two different approaches; (1) a conventional pulse transit time-based model and (2) a U-Net-based model to predict BP from ballistocardiogram and PPG signals. In pulse transit time-based models, the pulse transit time was acquired through signal processing and linear regression was performed on its inverse to estimate BP. In the U-Net-based model, the source signals (ballistocardiogram and PPG) were translated to BP waveforms from which the BP values were estimated after calibration.

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: 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: 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 communications system for a healthcare facility receives speech from a patient, and converts the speech to text to determine a patient request. The system processes the speech to determine an emotion classifier, and generates a message containing the patient request and the emotion classifier. The system identifies a caregiver based on the patient request, and sends the message to the caregiver.

Abstract: Technologies for efficiently producing documentation from voice data in a healthcare facility may include a compute device. The compute device may include circuitry configured to obtain, from a caregiver and in response to a determination that the caregiver is located in a room with a patient in a healthcare facility, voice data indicative of spoken information pertaining to the patient. The circuitry may be additionally configured to produce, from the obtained voice data, textual data indicative of the spoken information. Further, the circuitry may be configured to provide the textual data to another device for storage or presentation.

Abstract: A protective dressing includes an outer dressing and an adhesive layer. The outer dressing includes an opening and a cavity sized to receive a phase-change material (PCM) insert inserted through the opening. The adhesive layer is configured to adhere to a patient's skin surrounding an anatomic site. When adhered to the patient's skin, the PCM insert modifies the patient's skin at the anatomic site. The PCM insert may be removed and replaced with another PCM insert. For example, a warm PCM insert may be replaced with a refrigerated PCM insert. The opening of the outer dressing may be self-sealing. The opening of the outer dressing may be sealed with an upper layer dressing coupled to the PCM cooling insert.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the respiration of a patient supported on a patient support apparatus through receiving signals from load cells supporting a patient on the patient support apparatus, processing the signals to characterize movement of the patient's center of mass, using the movement of the patient's center of mass, determine respiratory characteristic of the patient, and communicating the respiratory characteristic of the patient to a caregiver.

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 patient monitoring system comprises a contactless monitoring unit having a contactless patient monitor and operable to communicate with equipment in a patient room and components of hospital information system. The patient monitoring system implements methods for detecting and optimizing signals from a patient supported on a patient support apparatus. The patient monitoring unit includes a power source and a controller. The contactless patient monitor includes a first detector, an emitter, and a controller. The controller processes signals from the first detector and vary the operation of the emitter to change the environment in the field of the detector such that the signals detected by the first detector are optimized.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an input indicative of at least one factor that contributes to the development of pressure ulcers; determining a risk score as a function of the input; comparing the risk score to a previous risk score; and at least one of activating a therapy configured to reduce the magnitude of the factor and notifying a caregiver if the risk score is greater than the previous risk score.

Abstract: Systems for voice control of medical devices in a healthcare facility are disclosed herein. The systems employ continuous speech processing software, voice recognition software, natural language processing software, and other software to permit voice control of the medical devices. Systems are also provided for distinguishing which medical device from among multiple medical devices in a patient room is the particular medical device to be controlled by voice input from a caregiver or a patient.

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 ballistocardiogram (BCG), a measurement of cardiogenic whole body movements, is a technique that enables non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring. A main challenge of the BCG signal is that its morphology and amplitude are sensitive to the posture and/or position of the subject during the recording period. The effects of posture on the BCG measured from a subject standing on a weighing scale have been investigated in the literature, but the effects of body posture and/or position on BCG signals measured from a subject lying in a bed have not been quantified. A contemplated method for bed-based BCG recordings includes (1) creating templates for standing BCG signals obtained from subjects in a prior study, and (2) quantifying the distance between these templates and BCG waveforms obtained in different body positions on the bed for a new set of subjects.

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: Systems and methods for predicting patient bed exit utilize motion sensors to determine when a patient is removing covers from the patient's bed. Sensors are used to detect movement of a patient's feet, the covers, or both. The sensors could be one or more of RFID sensors (tags), infrared motion detection, video motion detection, accelerometers, and load sensors in the bed. An algorithm generated from training data obtained in controlled experiments is used to analyze the sensor information to determine when patient movements indicate that a blanket or covers are being removed by a patient in a bed. When such patient movements are detected, an alert can be issued to caregivers through a call system so that the caregiver is notified that a patient at risk for falling needs assistance in getting out of bed.

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.