US 7,154,397 · Granted 2006-12-26
The Hospital Bedside Tablet That Connected Patients to Their Records
Imagine a tablet or screen built right into a hospital bed that lets patients see their medical info, test results, and communicate with nurses—all without leaving the room. This patent covers the idea of putting a smart display at bedside and connecting it to the hospital's main computer system so everything stays in sync.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a point-of-care computer system that includes a display screen positioned at a patient care location (like a hospital bed), a computer attached to that display, and a network connection that lets the bedside computer pull information from remote medical databases and systems. What's protected is the specific arrangement of combining a physical display in the care location with networked access to centralized patient records.
Why it matters
This patent matters because it addresses a real problem in hospitals: patients and caregivers often can't easily access medical information without leaving the bedside or waiting for someone to bring a chart. By securing this point-of-care display concept, Hill Rom was able to create a competitive advantage in hospital furniture and patient monitoring systems. The patent protects the value of integrated bedside information systems that improve workflow and patient engagement.
Real-world use
When a hospital patient presses a call button on their bed and sees their medication schedule, vital signs, or messages from their nurse displayed on a built-in screen, they're using the exact setup this patent describes.
Original USPTO abstract
A point-of-care computer system includes a display positioned in a point-of-care location, a computer coupled to the display, and a network coupled to the computer to enable the computer to access information stored in a remote location.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 7,154,397
- Filing date
- 2002-08-02
- Grant date
- 2006-12-26
- Assignee
- Hill Rom Services, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- ZERHUSEN ROBERT MARK, REEDER RYAN A., VOGEL JOHN D., CERIMELE MICHAEL E., RILEY CARL W., WILDMAN TIMOTHY D.
- CPC class
- G16H40/63
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