Patient Care Modules For Hospital Walls

Abstract

A modular wall system is provided for use in a healthcare facility to divide the available floor space into rooms and to support hospital equipment modules. The system includes a plurality of frame units configured to rest on the floor and extend vertically upwardly. The frame units form a grid of vertically and laterally spaced apart wall spaces having a predetermined height and a predetermined width. A plurality of patient care modules is configured to be positioned in the spaces to form a wall of the healthcare facility.

1 . A modular wall system for use in a healthcare facility, the system comprising: 
 a plurality of frame units, and    a plurality of patient care modules coupled to the frame units to form a wall of a patient room.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of frame units form a grid of vertically and laterally spaced apart wall spaces having a predetermined height and a predetermined width, the plurality of patient care modules are configured to be positioned in the wall spaces to form the wall.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the plurality of modules have a width substantially equal to a multiple, including one, of the predetermined width of the wall spaces and have a height substantially equal to a multiple, including one, of the predetermined height of the wall spaces.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each frame unit has a plurality of connection points spaced apart from each other by a predetermined height and a predetermined width to form a grid, the plurality of patient care modules are coupled to the frame units at the connection points to form the wall.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the plurality of patient care modules have a width substantially equal to a multiple, including one, of the predetermined width and have a height substantially equal to a multiple, including one, of the predetermined height.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , comprising a plurality of supporting members configured to be detachably coupled to the frame units at the connection points, wherein the supporting members extend generally horizontally away from the frame units in a cantilevered fashion, and the plurality of patient care modules is configured to be coupled to the supporting members to form the wall.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each patient care module includes at least one pair of oppositely disposed guide tracks sized and positioned to receive an associated pair of oppositely disposed supporting members.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient care modules include any one or more of the following: a vital signs module, a service delivery module, a bed locator module, a monitor module, a sharps-disposal module, a computer module, a tube drop module, a cabinet module, a waste management module, a light module and a clock module.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the vital signs module comprises a housing, a display panel coupled to the housing, a controller coupled to the housing, and at least one vital sign measuring device coupled to the controller, the display panel being coupled to the controller and configured to display data in response to an output of the at least one vital sign measuring device.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one vital sign measuring device includes a sensor.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is coupled to the controller via a wire.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the sensor is coupled to the controller via a wireless communication link.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the vital signs module comprises any one or more of the following: a blood pressure cuff, a thermometer, a pulse oximeter, a cardiac monitor, a respiration rate sensor, storage for leads and sensors, storage for disposable probe covers, and an accessory mounting track.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the waste management module includes any one or more of the following: a trash bin for collecting trash, a sharps-disposal bin for collecting sharps, a biohazard-disposal bin for collecting biohazard material and a soiled linen bin for soiled linen.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the waste management module is configured to be accessible from inside the patient room and accessible from outside the patient room.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , comprising a plurality of conveyor tubes coupled to the associated trash bin, sharps-disposal bin, biohazard-disposal bin and soiled linen bin, wherein the conveyor tubes are configured to transport the accumulated trash, sharps, biohazard material and the soiled linen from the respective bins to a pick-up module outside the patient room.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the trash, sharps and biohazard material are compacted prior to their transfer to the pick-up module via the conveyor tubes.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the trash, sharps and biohazard material are compacted in their respective bins prior to their transfer to the pick-up module via the conveyor tubes.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the service delivery module has a plurality of service connectors to provide any one or more of the following services: electrical power outlets, medical gas outlets, vacuum outlets, air outlets, and communication ports.  
     
     
         20 . A vital signs module for use in a healthcare facility, the vital sign module comprising: 
 a housing,    a display panel coupled to the housing,    a controller coupled to the housing, and    at least one vital sign measuring device coupled to the controller, the display panel being coupled to the controller and configured to display data in response to an output of the at least one vital sign measuring device.    
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for use in a healthcare facility, the apparatus comprising: 
 a headwall, and    an armoire movable between a first position blocking access to at least a first portion of the headwall and a second position providing access to the first portion of the headwall, the armoire being coupled to the headwall.    
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , comprising at least one track to guide the movement of the armoire between the first and second positions.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the headwall includes a plurality of service connectors.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the armoire is movable to one side of the headwall.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the armoire comprises first and second sections, the first section is laterally movable to a first side of the headwall, and the second section is laterally movable to a second side of the headwall.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the headwall projects outwardly from a wall of the healthcare facility, the first section of the armoire is movable rearwardly toward the wall after it is moved laterally to the first side of the headwall, and the second section of the armoire is movable rearwardly toward the wall after it is moved laterally to the second side of the headwall.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the armoire first and second sections are movable on tracks coupled to a floor, a ceiling, and/or both the floor and the ceiling.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , comprising a linkage system coupled to the first and second sections to guide the movement of the first and second sections between respective first positions in front of the headwall and second positions alongside the headwall.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the armoire includes any one or more of the following: a wardrobe, a shelf, a cabinet, a pullout writing surface, a tack surface, and an entertainment center.