Beds – Attachment or accessory
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2002-03-26
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3628)
Beds
Attachment or accessory
C005S510000, C005S503100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06360389
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method to facilitate upgrading of a standard, general care hospital room to a critical room. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved apparatus and method for providing seamless critical care services to a patient in a hospital room and during transport of the patient within the hospital.
Recent trends have caused cost reducing pressures on hospitals. These cost pressures have driven traditional in-patient services to less expensive out-patient and home care settings. Therefore, hospitals tend to have smaller in-patient populations. Future in-patient populations are likely to be older and sicker patients with multiple complications. The population of intermediate care patients is also likely to increase while the med-surg hospital population is decreasing over time. Therefore, the in-patient hospital population has a higher level of acuity.
Hospitals will likely have fewer beds in the future. Reconstruction of hospital rooms for critical care services is very expensive. Typically, existing structures must be torn out and rebuilt with critical care capabilities.
It is known to provide a pivoting power column built within the room to provide life support services for critical care patients. These pivoting power columns, however, are not transportable and must be built within the particular hospital room. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,359; U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,371; U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,255; U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,337; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,906.
Several problems face hospital administrators and planners. Facilities within inflexible architectural systems restrict the ability of institutions to upgrade services quickly and inexpensively. In addition, the process of transporting critical care patients creates adverse conditions and risks for staff and patients due to the inability to easily move and maintain power for the ventilator and/or IV pumps and transport monitor.
In order to adapt to changes for fewer but more acute patients, hospitals need the option for more responsive architectural systems and patient rooms that can be upgraded to critical care or downgraded to med-surg quickly and inexpensively. In order to accomplish these needs and to reduce the number of staff and time required to transport a critical care patient, hospitals need a mobile equipment system that can support and provide power, medical gases, and a communication interface to a ventilator, IV pumps and/or a patient monitor. The system must consume minimum space within a patient room, be able to fit substantially within the footprint of the patient bed during transport, and organize and manage lines connected to the patient.
The apparatus and method of the present invention provides both an architectural headwall and a portion of the headwall that is mobile to allow a hospital to create a “general care” patient room that can be upgraded quickly and efficiently to a critical care room “upon demand” without remodeling the room. The apparatus of the present invention includes a general care “flexible” headwall with services that can be upgraded or downgraded easily. In addition, a care cart is provided that supports critical care devices such as the ventilator, pumps, etc. at the bedside. The care cart can be coupled to the patient bed for manually transporting the patient. During the transport the mobile care cart provides uninterrupted power for critical care devices.
The apparatus and method of the present invention provides several transport benefits. The apparatus reduces the time for preparing for transport and reduces the time required for disconnecting and handling of equipment. In addition, fewer staff are required for transport. The battery supply maintains uninterrupted power during transport as well as uninterrupted oxygen and air supply for ventilator patients. In the room, the apparatus and method of the present invention provides the flexibility to reposition services around the bed. Therefore, the present invention provides improved patient head access. The mobile care cart can also nest with the headwall to provide a compact design.
The apparatus and method of the present invention provides an improved headwall design for supporting med-surg patients. The headwall design provides minimal services including oxygen, air, vacuum, nurse call, and electricals. When it is desired to upgrade a room to a critical care room, a mobile care cart module of the present invention is transported into the room. The mobile care cart provides a means for efficiently upgrading a patient room to provide critical care services while minimizing construction and down time. The mobile care cart includes provisions for suction, oxygen, air, electrical outlets, and a battery power supply. A power assist drive mechanism can be included on the care cart, if desired.
The system of the present invention therefore provides basic universal services on the headwall. The hospital room can be upgraded to critical care “on demand” or just-in-time.
The headwall of the present invention includes an improved concealment cover to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The concealment cover acts as a folding top surface. The foldable concealment cover can be folded within a raceway of the headwall to provide access to a track for hanging accessory items from the top of the raceway of the headwall.
The care cart provides a platform for mounting primary critical care equipment. A ventilator is mounted on a movable, power assisted and adjustable shelf so that the ventilator can be positioned in an elevated position when the mobile care cart is used in the hospital room. The care cart can also be provided with a fixed shelf or multiple fixed shelves, if desired. When it is desired to transport the critically ill patient within the hospital, the mobile care cart is disconnected from the headwall and connected to an end of the patient's hospital bed. An on-board power supply on the care cart supports the ventilator during transport. Manifolds are provided on the care cart for holding oxygen and air tanks which are connected to the ventilator during transport. Pivoting IV poles on the care cart can swing into a nested position adjacent the bed for transport. During transport, the equipment shelf is lowered to a position below the bed. The equipment shelf may be rotated so that the caregiver can view the equipment control panel during transport.
The care cart of the present invention is designed to provide seamless care for the patient. In other words, the caregiver does not have to rehandle or disconnect equipment that is connected to the patient to transport the patient.
The apparatus and method of the present invention may reduce the number of staff required to transport a critically ill patient. Typically, up to five people are required to transport the patient. With the apparatus and method of the present invention, two people can transport the patient.
While the critical care patient remains in the hospital room, the mobile care cart integrates with and is nested with the headwall. The care cart is connected to the main power supply of the room and the ventilator is connected to oxygen or air supplies in the headwall in a conventional manner.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided to permit upgrading of a hospital room from a general care room to a critical care room and to facilitate transport of a critical care patient on a hospital bed or stretcher. The apparatus includes a headwall mounted to a wall of the hospital room. The headwall includes electrical outlets, gas supply outlets, and a bed locator section. The apparatus also includes a mobile care cart including a base having a plurality of casters, fixed or motorized adjustable equipment shelf coupled to the base, equipment located on the equipment shelf, a gas manifold, a medical gas supply line for coupling the gas manifold to a gas outlet of the headwall when the care cart is in the hospital room, and means for
Catton Edward W.
Gallant Dennis J.
Gray John C.
Ruehl John W.
Barnes & Thornburg
Browne Lynne H.
Conley Fredrick
Hill-Rom Services Inc.
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for upgrading a hospital room does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for upgrading a hospital room, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for upgrading a hospital room will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2887990