Method and apparatus for determining personnel harnessing and position protocol adherence

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for determining patient safety, including capturing an image of an area and determining if a person on the patient transport apparatus is correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol and/or correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol.

1 . A method for determining patient safety, the method comprising:
 capturing an image of an area associated with a vehicle;   analysing the captured image;   detecting if the captured image contains at least one person and a patient transport apparatus; and   determining if a person on the patient transport apparatus is correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol and/or correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising selectively controlling a locking mechanism of the vehicle in response to the captured image containing the person on the patient transport apparatus correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol and/or correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol, and the captured image containing an authorised person. 
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , further comprising determining a type of the patient transport apparatus and controlling a parameter of the vehicle in response to the determined type. 
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 3 , wherein one or more predefined protocols are selected for use in response to determining the type of the patient transport apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 3 , further comprising determining if the patient transport apparatus is a stretcher, a wheelchair or a dolly. 
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining the type of the stretcher, the type of the wheelchair or the type of the dolly. 
     
     
         7 . A method of  claims 1 - 6 , further comprising extending a ramp from the vehicle or lowering a lift from the vehicle to facilitate access of the patient transport apparatus to the vehicle in response to one or more of:
 I) the captured image containing the person on the patient transport apparatus correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol;   II) the captured image containing the person on the patient transport apparatus correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol;   III) determining the type of the patient transport apparatus.   
     
     
         8 . A method of one of  claims 7 , further comprising determining if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured on the vehicle lift according to a predefined protocol. 
     
     
         9 . A method of one of  claims 7 , further comprising determining if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured on the vehicle ramp according to a predefined protocol. 
     
     
         10 . A method of any one of  claims 1 - 9 , further comprising determining if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured in the interior of the vehicle according to a predefined protocol. 
     
     
         11 . A method of any previous claim, further comprising providing a notification to a user of the vehicle in response to one or more of:
 i) determining if the person on the patient transport apparatus is correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol;   ii) determining if the person on the patient transport apparatus is correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol;   iii) determining if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured on the vehicle lift according to a predefined protocol;   iv) determining if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured on the vehicle ramp according to a predefined protocol; or   v) determining if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured in the interior of the vehicle according to a predefined protocol.   
     
     
         12 . A method of  claim 11 , wherein the notification comprises an audio and/or visual notification. 
     
     
         13 . A method of any previous claim; further comprising selectively controlling at least one parameter of the vehicle in response to detecting both of the at least one authorised personnel and the patient transport apparatus approaching the vicinity of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . A method of  claim 13 ; wherein the at least one parameter is an environmental parameter. 
     
     
         15 . A method of  claim 14 ; wherein the environmental parameter comprises temperature. 
     
     
         16 . A method of any preceding claim, further comprising measuring at least one external environment parameter of the vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A method of  claim 16 ; further comprising controlling a vehicle environment parameter in response to the at least one measured external environment parameter. 
     
     
         18 . A method of  claim 17 ; further comprising regulating the vehicle environment to a predefined characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . A method of any previous claim; further comprising maintaining a log in memory each time the predefined protocol was breached. 
     
     
         20 . A method of  claim 19 ; wherein the log in memory is associated with a user profile of one or more authorised personnel. 
     
     
         21 . A method of  claim 20 ; further comprising transmitting at least part of the contents of the memory to a remote database. 
     
     
         22 . A method of  claim 21 ; wherein a transmission transmits at least part of the contents of the memory to a remote database when the predefined protocol was breached. 
     
     
         23 . The method of any one of  claim 21  or  22 ; wherein the transmission is a wireless transmission. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for determining patient safety, the apparatus comprising:
 an image capture device for capturing an image of an area associated with a vehicle;   a detecting means for detecting if the captured images contain both at least one person and a patient transport apparatus;   an image analysing means for analysing the captured image, wherein the imaging analysing means is configured for determining if a person on the patient transport apparatus is correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol and/or correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising a control means for selectively controlling a locking mechanism of the vehicle in response to the captured image containing one or both of: the person on the patient transport apparatus correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol and/or correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol, and the captured image containing at least one authorised person and the patient transport apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24  or  claim 25 , wherein the image analysing means is configured to implement a machine learning algorithm. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  26 , wherein the detecting means is configured for detecting if the patient transport apparatus is a stretcher, a wheelchair or a dolly. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the detecting means is configured for detecting the type of the stretcher, the type of the wheelchair or the type of the dolly. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 25  to  28 , wherein the control means is further configured for extending a ramp from the vehicle or lowering a lift from the vehicle to facilitate access of the patient transport apparatus to the vehicle in response to one or more of:
 I) image analysing means determining that the captured image contains the person on the patient transport apparatus correctly positioned according to a predefined protocol; 
 II) image analysing means determining that the captured image contains the captured image containing the person on the patient transport apparatus correctly harnessed according to a predefined protocol; 
 III) the type of the patient transport apparatus determined by the detecting means. 
 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  29 , wherein the image analysing means is further configured to determine one or more of: if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured on the vehicle lift according to a predefined protocol; if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured on the vehicle ramp according to a predefined protocol; and if the patient transport apparatus is correctly secured in the interior of the vehicle according to a predefined protocol. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  30 , further comprising an environment measurement means for measuring one or more vehicle environment parameters. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 25  to  31 , further comprising an environment controlling means for controlling one or more vehicle environment parameters. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 23  to  32 , further comprising an external environment measurement means for measuring one or more external environment parameters. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32  or  claim 33 , further comprising memory for storing one or more environment control protocols defining instructions for controlling the vehicle environment parameters. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 31  to  34 , wherein the control means is configured for varying the one or more vehicle environment parameters towards predefined values for the one or more vehicle environment parameters, with respect to the external environment parameters. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 34  or  claim 35 , wherein the control means is configured for dynamically adjusting a power output of the environmental controlling means in dependence on one or a combination of one or more environment parameters, one or more external environment parameters, a duration the vehicle doors have been open and a duration of a presence of the at least one authorised personnel in the vicinity of the vehicle. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  36 , wherein the control means is operationally associated with the vehicle electromechanical actuators. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  37 , further comprising memory for storing one or more predefined protocols for harnessing and/or positioning a person on the patient transport apparatus. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  38 , further comprising a communication means for communicating with a remote server or a remote database. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the communication means is a wireless communication means. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  40 , wherein the control means is configured for locking the vehicle doors if a predefined combination or number of authorised personnel leaves the vehicle or the vicinity of the vehicle. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  41 , further comprising a recording means for synchronously recording patient status, vehicle environment and vehicle parameter data. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  42 , wherein the detecting means is configured for detecting fluid spillage. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the fluid is a bodily fluid including but not limited to blood or vomit. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  44 , further comprising memory for storing one or more of synchronously recorded data, harnessing protocol adherence, positioning protocol adherence and fluid spillage. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  45 , wherein the processing means is further configured to generate a report to be transmitted wirelessly to a remote server or a remote database. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the report to be transmitted to a remote server or a remote database contains one or more of the synchronously recorded data, harnessing protocol adherence, positioning protocol adherence and fluid spillage. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  47 , wherein the detecting means is further configured to determine the distance of the at least one person and one or more objects from the vehicle, their duration of time from the vehicle, and the direction and speed of their motion with respect to the vehicle. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 24  to  48 , further comprising a notification means configured for providing an audio and/or visual notification. 
     
     
         50 . A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to carry out a method as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  23 . 
     
     
         51 . An emergency vehicle comprising the apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 24 - 50 .