Patient support apparatus with patient information sensors

摘要

A patient support apparatus includes multiple sensors used to monitor aspects of a patient positioned on a support surface of the patient support apparatus. The outputs from the sensors are used, alone or in combination with other signals, to perform any one or more of the following: distinguishing between new and old patients entering onto the support surface; automatically zeroing a scale system on the support apparatus; distinguishing between objects and humans positioned on the support surface; determining if a patient is sleeping or awake; monitoring and characterizing movement levels of the patient; recording for subsequent display a log of likely events regarding the support surface; proposing identifications of objects added to or removed from the support surface; automatically re-arming a patient exit alert system; recording force outputs prior to and during a patient exit from the support apparatus; and transmitting the recorded force outputs to a remote location.

主权项

1. A patient support apparatus comprising:
a support surface adapted to support a patient thereon; a plurality of force sensors adapted to output signals corresponding to downward forces exerted on the support surface; and a controller in communication with the plurality of force sensors, the controller adapted to analyze the signals to detect when a patient enters the support surface and to characterize the patient entry as an initial entry or a reentry of the patient on the support surface.