# US 2017/0280949 A1 · Hygiene monitoring system

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- Number: US 2017/0280949 A1
- Document ID: US20170280949A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/628,713
- Filed: 2017-06-21
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 1999-10-29
- Assignees: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
- Applicants: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
- Inventors: Timothy D. Wildman; Dennis J. Gallant; Phillip J. Hausman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170280949A1

## CPC

- G08B 21/245: {Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands}
- G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
- G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- G16H 50/80: for detecting, monitoring or modelling epidemics or pandemics, e.g. flu
- G16H 80/00: ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
- A47K 2005/1218: {Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap}
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES

## Abstract

A system and method is provided for monitoring hygiene compliance.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A system for monitoring hygiene compliance, the system comprising
a plurality of first sensors operable to monitor a location of caregivers in a facility;
a computer receiving location information regarding the location of the caregivers in the facility; and
a plurality of second sensors operable to sense hand washes by the caregivers, the computer receiving handwashing information regarding the hand washes, wherein the computer is operable to keep track of periods of time the caregivers spend in each location of the facility monitored by the plurality of first sensors, wherein the computer determines hand washing compliance by correlating hand washes with a threshold amount of time within which each caregiver enters or exits each location, wherein the threshold amount of time varies depending upon a particular class of each caregiver of the monitored caregivers.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the computer is further operable to update status information associated with each caregiver to indicate that the caregiver is compliant if the computer determines that the period of time the caregiver has remained in a current location after handwashing is less than an exit time associated with the current location.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the computer is further operable to update status information associated with each caregiver to indicate that the caregiver is compliant if the computer determines that the period of time the caregiver has remained in a current location after handwashing is greater than an exit time associated with the current location but is less than an exposure time associated with the current location.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the computer is further operable to update status information associated with each caregiver to indicate that the caregiver is compliant if the computer determines that the period of time the caregiver has remained in a current location after handwashing is less than an exit time associated with the current location but is greater than an exposure time associated with the current location.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein the computer is further operable to update status information associated with each caregiver to indicate that the caregiver is not compliant if the computer determines that the period of time the caregiver has remained in a current location after handwashing is greater than an exit time associated with the current location and is greater than an exposure time associated with the current location.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of alert indicators, at least some of the plurality of alert indicators being located in proximity to a respective second sensor of the plurality of second sensors.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, wherein each alert indicator is configured to display text messages relating to handwashing compliance of the caregivers.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, wherein each alert indicator is configured to display a visual indicator relating to a handwashing policy of the facility.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, wherein at least some of the plurality of alert indicators are coupled to a respective patient bed of a plurality of patient beds.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26, wherein at least some of the plurality of alert indicators are located on a wall of a respective room.

### Claim 31 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, further comprising badges worn by the caregivers, the badges being operable to communicate with each sensor of the plurality of first sensors.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The system of claim 31, wherein the badges each include a first receiver to receive wireless signals.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The system of claim 32, wherein the first receiver of the badges receive wireless signals of a type different than those that are transmitted by the badges.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the badges transmit radio frequency (RF) signals and/or infrared (IR) signals.

### Claim 35 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein each sensor of the second plurality of sensors is associated with a respective sink.

### Claim 36 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein each sensor of the second plurality of sensors is associated with a respective faucet.

### Claim 37 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein each sensor of the second plurality of sensors is associated with a respective dispenser.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the respective dispensers comprises a towelette dispenser.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the respective dispensers comprises an alcohol dispenser.

### Claim 40 (depends on 37)

The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the respective dispensers dispenses a hand sanitizer substance.