System, device, method and program product to provide healthcare at a remote location

Abstract

Systems and methods for a portable electronic device to provide healthcare to a subject at a remote location. In embodiments, the portable electronic device may include: a housing operable to encase one or more components of the portable electronic device, a power source, a plurality of light emitting diodes, a communication portal electrically coupled to the power source, a distribution module electrically coupled to the power source and operatively connected to the plurality of light emitting diodes and the communication portal, and an input device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing healthcare to a subject at a remote location, comprising:
 (A) providing a portable electronic device comprising:
 (1) a housing; 
 (2) a power source operable to provide power to the portable electronic device; 
 (3) a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the power source, 
 wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is operable to:
 i. emit one or more colors; and 
 ii. blink, and 
 
 wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is positioned such that light emitted from each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is visible outside the housing; 
 (4) a communication portal electrically coupled to the power source, 
 wherein at least a portion of the communication portal is located inside the housing; and 
 (5) an input device electrically coupled to the power source and operatively connected to the plurality of light emitting diodes and the communication portal, 
 wherein the input device is located outside the housing and is electrically coupled to the power source via an electrical cord, 
   wherein the portable electronic device is operable to be mechanically coupled to one or more patient devices associated with the subject,   wherein the portable electronic device is operable to provide a notification to one or more healthcare providers associated with the subject, and   (B) receiving, at the input device, an input from the subject indicating attention from the one or more healthcare providers is requested by the subject; and   (C) illuminating, in response to the input from the subject, one or more of the plurality of light emitting diodes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device further comprises:
 (6) a hook outside the housing and mechanically coupled to the housing,
 wherein the hook is operable to be mechanically coupled to the one or more patient devices. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more patient devices includes an IV for infusion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input device comprises a patient input device and a healthcare provider input device, and the method further comprises:
 (D) receiving, by the patient input device, a first one or more inputs which indicate attention from the one or more healthcare providers is requested by the subject; and   (E) receiving, by the healthcare provider input device, a second one or more inputs which indicate attention from the one or more healthcare providers has been provided to the subject.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication portal comprises an infra-red receiver and an infra-red transmitter, and the method further comprises:
 (D) receiving, by the infra-red receiver, communication from a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers; and   (E) sending, by the infra-red transmitter, communication to the nurse call station.   
     
     
         6 . The portable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication portal comprises an antenna and a radio frequency transmitter, and the method further comprises:
 (D) receiving, by the antenna, radio frequencies from a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers; and   (E) sending, by the radio frequency transmitter, radio frequencies to the nurse call station.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device further comprises a memory inside the housing and electrically coupled to the power source, and the method further comprises:
 (D) storing, by the memory, at least one of identity information associated with the subject or medical information associated with the subject.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device further comprises a computing device, and the method further comprises:
 (D) monitoring, by the computing device, one or more medical devices associated with the subject by receiving, from the one or more medical devices, one or more of the following:
 (1) medical data associated with a medical condition of the subject,
 wherein the medical data includes biometric information of the subject, and 
 wherein the medical data is obtained by the one or more medical devices; 
 
 (2) power data associated with a power supply of the one or more medical devices,
 wherein the power data indicates one or more of the following:
 i. whether the one or more medical devices is receiving electrical power; and 
 ii. an amount of electrical power remaining from one or more power supplies corresponding to the one or more medical devices; 
 
 
   (E) determining, by the computing device, whether an emergency is occurring by determining whether the medical data associated with the medical condition of the subject indicates the emergency;   (F) determining, by the computing device, whether the one or more medical devices has sufficient power by comparing the power data to a predetermined amount;   (G) in the event of the emergency occurring, causing, by the computing device, one or more of the plurality of light emitting diodes to illuminate; and   (H) in the event one or more of the one or more medical devices does not have sufficient power, causing, by the computing device, one or more of the plurality of light emitting diodes to illuminate.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 (I) in the event of the emergency occurring, sending, by the computing device, a first notification to a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers,
 wherein the first notification indicates the emergency is occurring; and 
   (J) in the event one or more of the one or more medical devices does not have sufficient power, sending, by the computing device, a second notification to the nurse call station indicating the one or more of the one or more medical devices not having sufficient power.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
 (I) storing, by the computing device, in memory operatively connected to the portable electronic device, the received medical data and the received power data;   (J) monitoring, by the computing device, based on medical data received and medical data stored, a status of the subject;   (K) determining, by the computing device, based on medical data received and medical data stored, the status of the subject based on one or more of the following:
 (1) comparing the medical data received to typical healthy medical data; 
 (2) comparing the medical data received to medical information associated with the subject; and 
 (3) comparing the medical data received to medical data stored to determine a status trend associated with the subject; 
   (L) in the event the status of the subject is a negative status, causing, by the computing device, one or more of the plurality of light emitting diodes to illuminate in a first color,
 wherein the first color indicates the negative status of the subject; 
   (M) in the event the status of the subject is a positive status, causing, by the computing device, one or more of the plurality of light emitting diodes to illuminate in a second color,
 wherein the second color indicates the positive status of the subject; and 
   (N) in the event the status of the subject is a neutral status, causing, by the computing device, one or more of the plurality of light emitting diodes to illuminate in a third color,
 wherein the third color indicates the neutral status of the subject. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 (O) sending, by the portable electronic device, a first notification to a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers,
 wherein the first notification indicates the status of the subject. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 (P) in the event the status of the subject changes, sending, by the portable electronic device, a second notification to the nurse call station indicating the status of the subject changing.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the portable electronic device further comprises an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, and the method further comprises:
 (O) in the event of the emergency occurring, playing, by the audio output, a first alarm;   (P) in the event one or more of the one or more medical devices does not have sufficient power, playing, by the audio output, a second alarm; and   (Q) in the event the status of the subject is a negative status, playing, by the audio output, a third alarm.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more medical devices includes a ventilator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more medical devices includes an intravenous control device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more medical devices includes a medication administering device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises one or more disposable batteries. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises one or more rechargeable batteries. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more rechargeable batteries are charged via capacitive coupling. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the portable electronic device further comprises an audio output electrically coupled to the power source, and the method comprises:
 (O) in response to the input from the subject, playing, by the audio output, an alarm.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device further comprises one or more sensor devices electrically coupled to the power source, the one more sensor devices comprising a smoke detector with an alarm, and the method further comprises:
 (D) detecting, by the smoke detector, smoke and fire within a predetermined radius of the subject.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 (E) in the event of detecting smoke, activating, by the smoke detector, the alarm;   (F) in the event of detecting fire, activating, by the smoke detector, the alarm; and   (G) in the event of low battery, activating, by the smoke detector, the alarm.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 (H) notifying, by the smoke detector, a nurse call station associated with the one or more healthcare providers in the event of detecting smoke, fire, or low battery.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more patient devices includes a wheelchair. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more patient devices includes a gurney. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more patient devices includes a bed. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more patient devices includes a removable pole. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the removable pole includes an intravenous drug delivery mechanism. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable electronic device further comprises a distribution module electrically coupled between the input device and the communication portal.