Importance

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Abstract

A portable, three-way wireless communication system provides a patient with a direct link to a caregiver, as well as a central facility such as a nurse's station. The system is comprised of a patient unit, a caregiver unit and a central station. The patient unit is designed to be small and portable, and can be worn on the patient's wrist or the like. The unit permits a patient to send a request for assistance directly to an assigned caregiver, and provides for two-way voice communications between the patient and the caregiver. The unit stores information associated with the patient, such as identification, medications, attending physician, and the like. The caregiver unit is also portable, and provides two-way voice communications with patients and other caregivers. The unit displays information about each patient to whom the caregiver is assigned. The central station functions as a backup, in the event that a caregiver is not able to timely respond to a call from a patient. In addition, it stores more detailed information regarding patients, which can be accessed by the caregiver via their individual units. It also functions as a management quality control facility, by recording all transmissions that take place via any unit in the communication system, and providing reports that indicate the calls for assistance, times of the calls, times of the responses by caregivers, and the like. The system functions to indicate the locations of respective patients by means of a distributed network of sensors throughout an area of interest, such as the buildings and grounds of a healthcare facility.

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First Claim