Electronic ecosystem for medical examination room

Abstract

A system comprises a storage device, a piece of medical equipment, a portable computing device, and a hub portal. The piece of medical equipment has at least one electrically powered feature and comprises either a medical examination table or a storage cabinet. The storage device is operable to store data and is remotely located relative to the first piece of medical equipment and relative to the portable computing device. The hub portal is operable to provide communication of one or both of data or commands between the storage device, the piece of medical equipment, and the portable computing device. A method includes enablement or activation of an electrically powered feature of medical equipment upon entry of a portable computing device into a medical examination room. The method also includes disablement or further activation of the electrically powered feature upon exit of the portable computing device from the medical examination room.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 (a) emanating a wireless signal from a communication hub assembly located in an examination room;   (b) confining the wireless signal to a range, wherein the range is smaller than the examination room;   (c) forming a wireless connection between a portable computing device and the communication hub assembly via the wireless signal;   (d) collecting patient data from a patient with a medical device located in the examination room;   (e) transmitting the patient data from the medical device to the communication hub assembly; and   (f) transmitting the patient data from the communication hub assembly to the portable computing device via the wireless connection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 modifying an off-the-shelf low energy Bluetooth communication module associated with the communication hub assembly to attenuate the wireless signal and confine the wireless signal to the range.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) terminating the wireless connection between the portable computing device and the communication hub assembly; and   (b) in response to terminating the wireless connection between the portable computing device and the communication hub assembly, prompting a user to transmit the patient data from the portable computing device to a remote server.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) moving the portable computing device into the range; and   (b) in response to moving the portable computing device into the range, forming the wireless connection between the portable computing device and the communication hub assembly.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) moving the portable computing device out of the range; and   (b) in response to moving the portable computing device out of the range, terminating the wireless connection between the portable computing device and the communication hub assembly.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (a) moving the portable computing device into the range; and   (b) in response to moving the portable computing device into the range, enabling an electronic feature of the medical device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 actuating the medical device via the portable computing device over the wireless connection.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to forming the wireless connection, enabling an electronic feature of the medical device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 (a) terminating the wireless connection between the portable computing device and the communication hub assembly; and   (b) in response to terminating the wireless connection, disabling the electronic feature of the medical device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to forming the wireless connection, unlocking a medical cabinet located within the examination room.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 (a) terminating the wireless connection between the portable computing device and the communication hub assembly; and   (b) in response to terminating the wireless connection, locking the medical cabinet.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication hub assembly is statically located in the examination room. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 integrating the communication hub assembly into a vital signs monitor.   
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 (a) moving a portable computing device into a range of a communication hub assembly;   (b) in response to moving the portable computing device into the range of the communication hub assembly, enabling a wireless connection between the portable computing device and the communication hub assembly;   (c) collecting patient data from a patient with a medical device;   (d) transmitting the patient data from the medical device to the communication hub assembly;   (e) transmitting the patient data from the communication hub assembly to the portable computing device via the wireless connection;   (f) moving the portable computing device out of the range of the communication hub assembly;   (g) in response to moving the portable computing device out of the range of the communication hub assembly, disabling the wireless connection; and   (h) in response to an event, prompting a user to transmit the patient data from the portable computing device to a remote server.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the event comprises disabling the wireless connection. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the event comprises moving the portable computing device out of the range of the communication hub assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 actuating a feature of the medical device via the portable computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the medical device comprises a medical examination table having a patient weight sensor, wherein the patient data is a weight measurement collected by the patient weight sensor, and further comprising:
 (a) in response to enabling the wireless connection, enabling the weight sensor of the medical examination table; and   (b) in response to disabling the wireless connection, disabling the weight sensor of the medical examination table.   
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 (a) a medical device, wherein the medical device is configured to acquire and transmit patient data;   (b) a remote server, wherein the remote server is configured to receive and store patient data;   (c) a portable computing device, wherein the portable computing device is configured to receive and transmit patient data to the remote server; and   (d) a communication hub assembly associated with the medical device and having a range, wherein the communication hub assembly is configured to receive patient data from the medical device, and wherein the communication hub assembly is configured to wirelessly transmit patient data to the portable computing device when the portable computing device is within the range.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a storage cabinet operable to transition between a locked state and an unlocked state, wherein the storage cabinet is configured to transition from the locked state to the unlocked state when the portable computing device is within the range. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the medical device includes an electrically powered feature, and wherein the portable computing device is operable to control the electrically powered feature when the portable computing device is within the range.