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 charting system is provided for use in a healthcare facility having a network. The charting system includes a microphone to receive voice inputs from a caregiver. A vital sign monitor obtains a vital sign from a patient and displays it. The system includes a communication device having a voice-to-text module that includes a processor coupled to the microphone. The processor operates a voice-to-text algorithm that converts the vital sign into text in response to the caregiver dictating the vital sign into the microphone. The processor initiates transmission of the vital sign to an EMR computer via the network after conversion of the at least one vital sign to text.

Abstract: An example system includes a patch defining a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface is removably attachable to skin of a subject. The patch includes a conductor associated with the first surface, a first sensor configured to determine a temperature of the conductor, and a second sensor configured to determine an additional temperature. The first sensor is separated from the second sensor by material having a known thermal resistance. The patch also includes a transmitter operably connected to the first and second sensors.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a person support system including support pads having cooling features. According to one embodiment, a person support system may include a longitudinal frame comprising at least one side rail. A support pad may be positioned on the longitudinal frame. The support pad may comprise a thermally conductive core portion comprising a support matrix and at least one thermally conductive element. A cooling source may be thermally coupled to the thermally conductive core portion through the side rail with a connector comprising thermally conductive fibers. The cooling source may draw heat from the thermally conductive core portion through the at least one thermally conductive element and the thermally conductive fibers of the connector thereby cooling at least the thermally conductive core portion of the support pad.

Abstract: A subject monitoring system operates to detect a current status of a subject in a subject arrangement area, such as on a bed, and predict an upcoming status of the subject. The system includes a subject status detection device that may use a radar signal. A radar signal is transmitted toward the subject and is used to detect a subject status, such as a subject position, a subject incontinence condition, and a physiological condition of the subject. One example of the radar signal includes a millimeter wave.

Abstract: A packaging system comprises: a package forming a set of discrete compartments; and a film portion interfacing with the package. The film portion includes a set of one or more electrically conductive traces in which each electrically conductive trace is associated with a respective compartment of the set of discrete compartments. Each electrically conductive trace of the set of electrically conductive traces forms a respective circuit loop that has a terminal end that terminates within an interface region of the film portion to collectively form a termination pattern. At least one of the package or the film portion have two or more alignment ports defined therein that are arranged according to an alignment pattern, each alignment port passing through at least one of the package or film portion.

Abstract: A thermal powered medical device generates power from a temperature differential between a living body and a differential temperature source. The power is supplied to power one or more electrical components of the medical device.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for encouraging perfusion by electrostimulation.

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 thermal powered medical device generates power from a temperature differential between a living body and a differential temperature source. The power is supplied to power one or more electrical components of the medical device.

Abstract: A patient support system for supporting a patient includes a core support structure which includes supportive foam. The support structure has an upper surface and a lower surface. A radar apparatus, including at least one antenna situated beneath the upper surface and spatially separated therefrom, is adapted to emit a pulse which travels through the support structure and is reflected, by either the upper surface or a surrogate thereof, as a reflected signal back to the radar antenna. The emitted pulse and reflected signal comprise a ranging signal. The patient support system also includes circuitry that determines a life parameter of the core support structure as a function of at least the ranging signal. The patient support system also includes an RFID tag having a memory. The RFID tag is in communication with the circuitry.

Abstract: A patient care environment includes a monitoring device and a vital sign device, where the vital sign device communicates patient vital sign data to the monitoring device. A site key, entity keys, and key combining algorithms are used to secure communications in the patient care environment. Neither the site key nor the entity keys are communicated between the monitoring device and the vital sign device. The monitoring device may use the site key and entity keys to decrypt encrypted messages that have been previously stored in the vital sign device and transmitted back to any monitoring device containing the correct set of site and entity keys. The site key and entity key may also be used during the discovery and/or connection operations between the monitoring device and the vital sign device to associate a wirelessly connected vital sign device with a patient record.

Abstract: A body worn patient monitoring device includes a flexible substrate having a plurality of electrical connections adapted to be coupled to a skin surface to measure physiological signals. The flexible substrate is adapted to be directly and non-permanently affixed to a skin surface of a patient and configured for single patient use. A communication-computation module, removably attached to an upper surface of the flexible substrate, is configured to receive physiological signals from the flexible substrate and includes a microprocessor that is configured to process and analyze the physiological signals. A series of resistive traces screened onto the flexible substrate are configured as at least one series current-limiting resistor to protect the communication-computation module.

Abstract: A subject monitoring system operates to detect a current status of a subject in a subject arrangement area, such as on a bed, and predict an upcoming status of the subject. The system includes a subject status detection device that may use a radar signal. A radar signal is transmitted toward the subject and is used to detect a subject status, such as a subject position, a subject incontinence condition, and a physiological condition of the subject. One example of the radar signal includes a millimeter wave.

Abstract: A system for detecting one or more physical assessment parameters of a subject includes a sensing patch and a processor. The sensing patch is configured to sense signals from the subject corresponding to one or more physical assessment parameters, reduce sensed parameter data corresponding to the sensed signals, and transmit the sensed parameter data. The sensing patch also includes at least one adjustable sensing patch parameter. The processor is separate from the sensing patch and configured to receive the sensed parameter data from the sensing patch and transmit a command to the sensing patch. The sensing patch is configured to perform different amounts of data reduction on the sensed parameter data before transmitting the sensed parameter data to the processor. These different amounts of data reduction are determined at least in part by one or more system parameters.

Abstract: A patient immersion sensor includes a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) apparatus to determine a time of flight (TOF) of a RADAR pulse and a reflected signal that is reflected by a patient or by a portion of a patient support surface supporting the patient. The TOF is indicative of an immersion depth or a distance toward bottoming out of a patient supported on the patient support surface, such as a mattress or a pad. The RADAR apparatus emits pulses of very short duration so as to be able to detect objects, such as a patient or a portion of a mattress or pad, at very close distances. The RADAR apparatus may use time-of-flight (TOF) between transmission of the pulse and receipt of a reflected signal to determine a distance toward bottoming out by the patient, thereby to determine if the patient is properly immersed into the patient support surface.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating candidate answer passages. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query determined to be a question query data identifying resources determined to be responsive to the query; for each resource in a top-ranked subset of the resources: identifying a plurality of passage units in the resource; applying a set of passage unit selection criterion to the passage units, each passage unit selection criterion specifying a condition for inclusion of a passage unit in a candidate answer passage, wherein a first subset of passage unit selection criteria applies to structured content and a second subset of passage unit selection criteria applies to unstructured content; and generating, from passage units that satisfy the set of passage unit selection criterion, a set of candidate answer passages.

Abstract: A multi-parametric vital signs monitoring device configured for use as an ambulatory and a bedside monitor wherein the device can be patient-wearable and is battery powered. The monitoring device can be used with a charging cradle to provide power to the device in lieu of the battery as a power source for bedside applications, in which the cradle further serves as an intermediary device to enable a data link with a PC or other peripheral device. The monitoring device can include a wireless radio to enable bi-directional transfer of patient-related data to a separate remote station.

Abstract: A body worn patient monitoring device includes a flexible substrate having a plurality of electrical connections adapted to be coupled to a skin surface to measure physiological signals. The flexible substrate is adapted to be directly and non-permanently affixed to a skin surface of a patient and configured for single patient use. A communication-computation module, removably attached to an upper surface of the flexible substrate, is configured to receive physiological signals from the flexible substrate and includes a microprocessor that is configured to process and analyze the physiological signals. A series of resistive traces screened onto the flexible substrate are configured as at least one series current-limiting resistor to protect the communication-computation module.

Abstract: A method for establishing a connection between a first electronic computing device and a second electronic computing device includes moving the second electronic computing device so that it is proximal to the first electronic computing device. When the first electronic computing device detects the proximity of the first electronic computing device relative to the second electronic computing device, a radio on the first electronic device is set to a connectable and discoverable state. A wireless connection is automatically established between the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device. Data is transmitted between the first electronic computing device and the second electronic computing device.