A load cell apparatus for use with a bed includes a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, and a load cell device held by the bottom portion of the housing. The load cell device is structured to generate a signal having a magnitude that is proportional to a first force being applied to the load cell device. The load cell apparatus also includes a button member held by the housing in a manner wherein the button member is structured to engage the load cell device and apply the first force to the load cell device in response to a second force being applied to the top portion of the housing. Also, various systems for monitoring parameters such as weight, sleep quality, fall risk, and/or pressure sore risk that may incorporate such a load cell apparatus.

A patient support apparatus, such as a hospital bed, communicates with an electronic medical record (EMR) system in healthcare facility. The hospital bed includes a patient support structure to support a patient, a graphical user interface coupled to the patient support structure, and control circuitry coupled to the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface displays at least one input that may be used by a caregiver to chart data into an electronic medical record (EMR) of a patient supported by the patient support structure.

A patient support apparatus, such as a bed, stretcher, cot, or the like, includes a frame, a support surface, a control, a controller, and a transceiver. The patient support apparatus employs one or more machine learning techniques to perform one or more of the following: automatically implement one or more user-preferred settings, automatically predict the occurrence of one or more events based on analyses of prior events, and/or automatically improve one or more algorithms based on analyses of additional sensor data. The machine learning techniques may be implemented onboard the patient support apparatus and/or may be implemented at a remote computer device (e.g. a server) that collates and analyzes data from multiple patient support apparatuses, and then sends the results of the analyses back to the patient support apparatuses.

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.

Apparatus and methods are described including identifying that a subject suffers from sleep apnea. Positive airway pressure (PAP) is applied to the subject via a mask placed on a face of the subject. A respiratory-related parameter of the subject is sensed, while the mask is on the face of the subject, and a need of the subject for respiratory support is assessed, responsively to the respiratory-related parameter. In accordance with the assessed need, the mask is configured to regulate the PAP provided to the subject's face. Other applications are also described.

A patient support apparatus comprises a patient support deck and a base frame assembly. The base frame assembly comprises a first frame assembly supporting a plurality of wheels, and a second frame assembly supporting one or more lift arms that are coupled to the patient support deck to the second frame assembly. A load cell assembly is interposed between the first and second frame assemblies to sense force acting on the first frame assembly associated with weight applied to the second frame assembly. The load cell assembly comprises: a load cell element coupled to one of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly; a first pivot mount operatively attached to the load cell element; a second pivot mount operatively attached to the other of the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly; and a swing link arranged for pivoting movement.

A person support apparatus, such as a bed, cot, stretcher, or the like, includes an exit detection system that utilizes an occupant motion parameter to determine whether to issue an alert or not. The motion parameter may be based on the weight and motion of the occupant. Successive positions of the occupant are determined in order to calculate a velocity of the occupant. In some embodiments, the kinetic energy of the occupant is used to determine if an alert should be issued. Objects positioned on the person support apparatus may also be detected and tracked. Auto-zeroing of a built-in scale, as well as automatic recognition of the removal, movement, and/or addition of objects is also provided.

A caregiver assistance system for assisting a caregiver in a healthcare facility to perform his or her rounding duties comprises a server in communication with one or more patient beds and one or more electronic devices (e.g. smart phones) that are remote from the beds and that include a display, a user input, and a web browser. The server executes a caregiver assistance application that causes the electronic device to perform the following actions after the web browser of the electronic device accesses a particular URL whose content and function are controlled by the caregiver assistance application: (a) display rounding information on the display relating to a patient associated with the bed, and (b) forward a completion indication to the caregiver assistance application wherein the completion indication is generated in response to a caregiver manipulating the user input when the caregiver has completed a rounding task associated with the patient.

A patient support apparatus comprises a plurality of load cells, a frame supported on the load cells, a mattress, a vibration sensor, and a control system. The mattress includes a plurality of inflatable zones positioned on the frame, the mattress and frame cooperating to direct any patient load through the mattress and frame to the load cells. The control system includes a controller operable to receive a separate signal from each of the plurality of load cells and the vibration sensor and process the signals to identify motion of the patient.

A method for detecting an exit of a patient from a hospital bed, the method comprising: detecting a presence of the patient on the bed, upon detection of the patient on the bed, monitoring an indication that the patient has moved from a predetermined patient area on a patient receiving surface of the bed to outside the predetermined patient area, upon detection that the patient has moved outside the predetermined patient area, activating a bed alarm to indicate to a user that an exit of the patient from the hospital bed has been detected, and after monitoring the indication that the patient has moved from the predetermined patient area and further upon receiving a pause command, suspending monitoring the indication that the patient has moved from the predetermined patient area. There is also provided a system for detecting an exit of a patient from a hospital bed.