TWI880757B - Wheelchair management system and wheelchair management method for medical institutions - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wheelchair management system and wheelchair management method for medical institutions. Each wheelchair of a medical institution is provided with a respective positioning module, a respective vibration module, and a respective data transmission module. The positioning module and the vibration module are respectively configured to detect the location of the corresponding wheelchair in the medical institution and the vibration value resulting from the movement of the corresponding wheelchair. The detected location and vibration value are transmitted to a server through the data transmission module. The server sends out an alarm message when the vibration value exceeds a threshold value. The alarm message can then be determined to be either a wheelchair fault message or a road condition message. Moreover, a machine-readable code is provided on each wheelchair of the medical institution, allowing a person to log into a cleaning and disinfection interface on the server through the data transmission module by scanning the machine-readable code and input a cleaning and disinfection examination record for each wheelchair. The server can also send out an alert message when the number of wheelchairs at a wheelchair placement area is less than a predetermined value, provide a recommended wheelchair collection route according to the location of specific wheelchairs, and provide a wheelchair distribution suggestion based on the usage amount of each wheelchair placement area. The present invention provides the aforesaid functions by establishing an Internet of Things for wheelchairs, effectively managing the wheelchairs and ensuring that the users attending the medical institution have a better wheelchair-using experience.

Description

Wheelchair management system and wheelchair management method for medical institutions

This invention is a wheelchair management system and wheelchair management method for medical institutions, specifically connecting wheelchairs to the Internet of Things (IoT), and having functions such as positioning, road conditions, navigation, wheelchair recycling, wheelchair quantity deployment, and wheelchair clearing by detecting the status of the wheelchair through various modules, providing effective wheelchair management and allowing users to have a better wheelchair use experience when seeking medical treatment.

Larger-scale regional hospitals, district hospitals, medical centers and other medical institutions usually provide free wheelchairs for rent in parking lots and building entrances to facilitate medical treatment for the public. Usually, wheelchairs are collected and disinfected and checked for faults after the daily outpatient clinic, and then collected and placed in the wheelchair storage area for rent by patients seeking medical treatment the next day.

Take Taipei Veterans General Hospital as an example. Since the Taipei Veterans General Hospital is large and has many medical buildings, the number of patients seeking medical treatment every day is also large, and the number of wheelchairs that need to be rented and managed every day is as high as thousands.

Since there are thousands of wheelchairs, damage to the wheelchairs is sometimes not discovered and repaired in time. The Taipei Veterans General Hospital is large, and the total length of the paths is very long. The engineering department is sometimes unable to discover and repair damaged paths in time. The above conditions will hinder the passage of wheelchairs.

Occasionally, wheelchairs are found to be abandoned in areas with few people after being rented, which results in them not being recycled every day and even being damaged by the sun and rain. Some users push the wheelchairs out of the hospital, which sometimes leads to a shortage of wheelchairs.

Taipei Veterans General Hospital currently has volunteers to assist in the daily wheelchair recycling and disinfection work. However, due to the large number of people seeking medical treatment, it is often found that the same wheelchair may be rented by 2 or 3 people per day. If the wheelchair is not disinfected after each rental, when there is an infectious source attached, it may cause infection to the next user. Therefore, confirming the disinfection of wheelchairs after use is a problem to be solved.

For example, in outpatient buildings with high wheelchair rental rates, sometimes when all the wheelchairs in the wheelchair storage area are rented out, there will be no idle wheelchairs for later patients to rent. Therefore, given the limited number of wheelchairs, the number of wheelchairs in parking lots, outpatient buildings, or inpatient buildings must be allocated or replenished in time to provide patients who need to use wheelchairs with idle wheelchairs.

The Republic of China's invention patent No. I546753 "Wheelchair Management System" provides real-name rental wheelchair management, which includes one or more identity verification devices, multiple wheelchairs, a relay station, and a data management center. A reader is fixed on each wheelchair. The wheelchair management system uses the identity verification device carried by the user to sense the reader installed on the wheelchair to perform wheelchair rental and return operations.

In the above-mentioned case I546753, although the wheelchair real-name rental system can ensure the correct borrowing and returning of wheelchairs and prevent wheelchairs from being arbitrarily abandoned or pushed out of the hospital, there are still deficiencies in wheelchair management functions such as wheelchair positioning, road conditions, navigation, non-real-name wheelchair recycling, wheelchair quantity deployment, and wheelchair clearing and elimination.

Therefore, the present invention proposes a wheelchair management method for a medical institution, comprising the following steps: a plurality of wheelchairs in a medical institution each use a positioning module to detect a location of each wheelchair in the medical institution. A vibration value generated when each wheelchair moves is detected based on a vibration module on each wheelchair. The location and the vibration value are sent to a server by a data transmission module on each wheelchair. The server outputs the location of each wheelchair, and when the vibration value of an individual wheelchair exceeds a threshold, a warning message is output.

Furthermore, the positioning module includes a GPS module for outdoor positioning and a Bluetooth module for indoor positioning.

Furthermore, when the vibration values generated by individual wheelchairs on the path of the medical institution all exceed the threshold, the server further determines that the warning message is a wheelchair failure message; when the vibration values of multiple wheelchairs at the same location all exceed the threshold, the server further determines that the warning message is a road condition message (for example, uneven road surface).

Furthermore, scanning a barcode on each wheelchair can log into a clearing and troubleshooting interface of the server, and input a clearing and troubleshooting record of each wheelchair. Furthermore, each wheelchair has a prompt light, and after the clearing and troubleshooting record is input into the clearing and troubleshooting interface, the prompt light lights up, indicating that the wheelchair is in a usable state.

Furthermore, the hospital has at least one wheelchair placement area, and when the number of wheelchairs in the wheelchair placement area is lower than a preset value, the server outputs an alarm message.

Furthermore, the server outputs a recommended recycling path based on the wheelchair placement area of the medical institution and the location of each wheelchair in the medical institution (the recommended recycling path may be, for example, the shortest path, the path with the most wheelchairs, etc.).

Furthermore, when there are multiple wheelchair placement areas, the server outputs a wheelchair quantity deployment recommendation based on the wheelchair usage in each wheelchair placement area.

Furthermore, an electronic fence module is installed on each wheelchair, and an electronic fence is installed around the medical institution through the electronic fence module. The electronic fence module receives the location, and when the location exceeds the range of the electronic fence, the electronic fence module sends a reminder message.

Furthermore, the positioning module provides a navigation function, which can be used to input the destination department and provide path navigation.

The present invention further proposes a wheelchair management system for medical institutions, and the wheelchair management system executes the aforementioned wheelchair management method for medical institutions.

Based on the above technical features, the following effects can be achieved:

1. This invention connects the wheelchairs of medical institutions (especially large-scale medical centers that need to manage hundreds or even thousands of wheelchairs) into the Internet of Things (IoT). Through each module detecting the status of the wheelchair, it has the functions of positioning, road conditions, navigation, wheelchair recycling, wheelchair quantity deployment, and wheelchair clearing and elimination, providing the hospital with a better wheelchair management system to effectively manage the wheelchairs in the hospital area. At the same time, it allows users to effectively and instantly rent clean and undamaged wheelchairs when seeking medical treatment and have a better wheelchair use experience.

2. Through the positioning module and vibration module on the wheelchair, the server can track and locate the wheelchair, and detect whether the wheelchair is faulty or the road surface is uneven. The tracking and positioning of the wheelchair can also provide recommended recycling routes for the wheelchair and prevent orphaned wheelchairs from being abandoned. The server can also statistically analyze the wheelchair usage data in different wheelchair placement areas, and then provide recommendations on the number of wheelchairs to be deployed in different wheelchair placement areas.

3. Stick a barcode on the wheelchair so that volunteers can scan the barcode and log into the server-side cleaning and troubleshooting interface to input the cleaning and troubleshooting records of the wheelchair in real time. Then, the indicator light will indicate the usable status of the wheelchair, making it easier for patients to use the wheelchair and preventing the spread of infection through the wheelchair.

4. An electronic fence module is installed on the wheelchair, which can send out a reminder message when the wheelchair is improperly used and pushed out of the medical institution, and remind the user to use the wheelchair in the medical institution reasonably in a timely manner.

5. The campus of a medical center is usually wide, even including multiple buildings (outpatient buildings, inpatient buildings, etc.). A navigation function can be added to the positioning module to input the destination department and provide route navigation, so that patients can quickly and correctly reach the destination department.

1: Wheelchair

11:Handle

12: Hanging parts

13: IV stand

2:GPS module

3:Bluetooth module

31: Bluetooth base station

32: Bluetooth transceiver

4: Vibration module

5: Data transmission module

6: Barcode

7: Prompt light

8: Electronic fence module

9: Server side

91: Clearing and troubleshooting interface

A: Medical institutions

A1: Medical area

A11: Space inside the medical area

A12: Wheelchair storage area

B: Recommended recycling path

C: Electronic fence

[Figure 1] is a block diagram of the wheelchair management system of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2A] is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which electronic components such as a positioning module and a vibration module are integrated into a housing and can be locked on an existing wheelchair handle as a hanging part.

[Figure 2B] is a schematic diagram showing that the hanging piece in Figure 2A can be used to hang an IV stand, drainage tube or the user's personal belongings in an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2C] is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, which integrates electronic components such as a positioning module and a vibration module into a wheelchair handle.

[Figure 3] is a flow chart of the server outputting a warning message based on the vibration value of the vibration module in the wheelchair management method of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] is a flow chart of the wheelchair cleaning and fault inspection in the wheelchair management method of the embodiment of the present invention, and the use of a warning light to indicate the usable status of the wheelchair.

[Fifth Figure] is a schematic diagram of scanning the barcode on the wheelchair to log into the server-side clearing and troubleshooting interface in the embodiment of the present invention to input the clearing and troubleshooting records of the wheelchair.

[Figure 6] is a flow chart of the wheelchair management method of the embodiment of the present invention, in which the server outputs an alarm message when the number of wheelchairs in the wheelchair placement area is lower than the preset value, and provides a recommended recycling path for the wheelchairs and a recommended deployment of the number of wheelchairs in different wheelchair placement areas.

[Figure 7] is a schematic diagram of the server providing a recommended recycling path for the wheelchair in an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 8] is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which an electronic fence is installed around a medical institution through an electronic fence module, and a reminder message is issued when the position of the wheelchair exceeds the range of the electronic fence.

[Figure 9] is a flow chart of the electronic fence module sending a reminder message when the position of the wheelchair exceeds the range of the electronic fence in an embodiment of the present invention.

The following embodiments are only used to assist in explaining the wheelchair management system and wheelchair management method for medical institutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

Referring to the first figure, the wheelchair management system of the present invention includes: a plurality of wheelchairs 1 are arranged in a medical institution, and a positioning module is set on each wheelchair 1. The positioning module of this embodiment includes a GPS module 2 for outdoor positioning and a Bluetooth module 3 for indoor positioning. The Bluetooth module 3 adopts BLE indoor positioning technology and includes a Bluetooth base station 31 set inside the medical institution and a Bluetooth transceiver 32 set on each wheelchair 1. A vibration module 4 and a data transmission module 5 are also set on each wheelchair 1. The vibration module 4 uses a gyroscope or a three-axis accelerometer to detect the vibration of the wheelchair 1 during its movement, and the data transmission module 5 uses a WiFi module. A barcode 6 and a prompt light 7 are also set on each wheelchair 1, as well as an electronic fence module 8. For example, the engineering department of a medical institution sets up a server end 9 to connect the data transmission module 5 of each wheelchair 1 by signal, thereby connecting each wheelchair 1 in the medical institution to the Internet of Things (IoT), and can provide the following functions such as positioning, road conditions, navigation, wheelchair recycling, wheelchair quantity deployment, and wheelchair clearing, so as to facilitate the management of wheelchairs 1 and allow users to have a better experience of using wheelchairs 1 when seeking medical treatment.

As shown in the second A and second B figures, for the existing wheelchair 1, the above-mentioned modules and other electronic components can be integrated into the shell and locked on the handle 11 of the existing wheelchair 1 as a hanging piece 12 for hanging items, without disassembling the wheelchair 1 and changing the structure of the wheelchair 1. The hanging piece 12 can be used to hang, for example, an IV stand 13, a drainage tube or the user's personal belongings. As shown in the second C figure, for a new wheelchair 1, the above-mentioned modules and other electronic components can also be integrated into the handle 11 of the wheelchair 1.

Referring to the first and third figures, in the wheelchair management method of the present invention, when the wheelchair 1 is pushed, the positioning module will detect the location of each wheelchair 1 in the medical institution (GPS module 2 or Bluetooth module 3 is used for positioning according to whether the wheelchair 1 is outdoors or indoors). And when the wheelchair 1 is moving, the vibration value generated when the wheelchair 1 moves is detected by the vibration module 4. The location of the wheelchair 1 and the vibration value generated by the movement of the wheelchair 1 will be sent back to the server 9 by the data transmission module 5. The server 9 will output the location of each wheelchair 1, thereby fully grasping the location of each wheelchair 1 in the hospital area of the medical institution, and the server 9 will output a warning message when the vibration value exceeds the threshold. Specifically, when the vibration values generated by the wheelchair 1 on the path exceed the threshold, the server 9 further determines that the warning message is a wheelchair fault message, for example, the wheelchair 1 continues to vibrate during the movement due to the damage of the wheel of the wheelchair 1; and when the vibration values of multiple wheelchairs 1 at the same location exceed the threshold, the server 9 further determines that the warning message is a road condition message, for example, the road surface at the location is uneven, causing the wheelchair 1 to vibrate when passing. Therefore, the server 9 can issue a wheelchair maintenance notice in response to the above warning message to notify the engineering unit to recover the faulty wheelchair 1 for maintenance, or issue a road surface maintenance notice to notify the engineering unit to repair the uneven road surface.

Referring to the first figure, the second figure A, the second figure B, the second figure C and the fourth figure, when the volunteer performs cleaning and troubleshooting on the wheelchair 1, he can scan the barcode 6 on the wheelchair 1 with a handheld device and log in to the cleaning and troubleshooting interface 91 of the server 9 (as shown in the fifth figure). After cleaning and troubleshooting, the cleaning and troubleshooting record of the wheelchair 1 can be input in the cleaning and troubleshooting interface 91. After the cleaning and troubleshooting is completed, the reminder light 7 on the wheelchair 1 can be turned on with a green light, for example, the reminder light 7 is turned on by the volunteer or directly controlled by the server 9 to light up, thereby notifying that the wheelchair 1 has been cleaned and has no faults and is in a rental state for use by medical patients, while preventing the infection source from spreading through the wheelchair 1.

Referring to the first, sixth, seventh and eighth figures, a larger medical institution A usually has a larger hinterland and includes multiple medical areas A1 (such as outpatient areas and inpatient areas). Usually, a wheelchair placement area A12 for renting wheelchairs 1 is set up at least at the entrance of the internal space A11 of each medical area. Taking Taipei Veterans General Hospital as an example, the number of wheelchairs 1 rented out in the outpatient building may be as high as thousands per day. Often, the wheelchairs 1 in wheelchair placement area A12 are rented out, and subsequent patients have no wheelchairs 1 to rent or need to wait for volunteers to find idle wheelchairs 1. In the present invention, when the number of wheelchairs 1 in wheelchair placement area A12 is lower than the preset value (e.g., 10% of the total number of wheelchairs 1), the server 9 will output an alarm message to notify volunteers to replenish the wheelchairs 1 in wheelchair placement area A12. Furthermore, in order to facilitate volunteers to retrieve wheelchairs 1, the server 9 will output a recommended recovery path B based on the wheelchair placement area A12 and the location of each wheelchair 1 (the recommended recovery path is, for example, the shortest path, the path with the most wheelchairs, etc.). The server 9 will also regularly count the number of wheelchairs 1 rented and used in each wheelchair placement area A12, and output recommendations on the number of wheelchairs to be deployed in each wheelchair placement area A12, so that patients who need to use wheelchairs 1 can quickly obtain wheelchairs 1.

Referring to the first, eighth and ninth figures, the electronic fence module 8 on the wheelchair 1 can be used to set up an electronic fence C around the medical institution A. The electronic fence module 8 will receive the position of the wheelchair 1. When the position of the wheelchair 1 exceeds the range of the electronic fence C, that is, when the wheelchair 1 is pushed out of the medical institution A, the electronic fence module 8 will send a reminder message to remind the user to use the wheelchair 1 of the medical institution A reasonably.

Among them, the positioning module on the wheelchair 1 of the present invention can also provide a navigation function, allowing the patient to input the destination department and provide route navigation.

Combined with the description of the above embodiments, the operation, use and effects of the present invention can be fully understood. However, the above embodiments are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and cannot be used to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. That is, simple equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the patent application and the content of the invention description are all within the scope of the present invention.

1: Wheelchair

2:GPS module

3:Bluetooth module

31: Bluetooth base station

32: Bluetooth transceiver

4: Vibration module

5: Data transmission module

6: Barcode

7: Prompt light

8: Electronic fence module

9: Server side

Claims (18)

A wheelchair management method for a medical institution includes the following steps: A plurality of wheelchairs in a medical institution each use a positioning module to detect a location of each wheelchair in the medical institution; A vibration value generated when each wheelchair moves is detected based on a vibration module on each wheelchair; The location and the vibration value are sent to a server by a data transmission module on each wheelchair; The server outputs the location of each wheelchair, and when the vibration value of an individual wheelchair exceeds a threshold, a warning message is output; When the vibration values generated by individual wheelchairs on the path of the medical institution all exceed the threshold, the server further determines that the warning message is a wheelchair fault message, and the server sends a wheelchair maintenance notice based on the wheelchair fault message; When the vibration values of multiple wheelchairs at the same location all exceed the threshold, the server further determines that the warning message is a road condition message, and the server issues a road maintenance notification based on the road condition message. A wheelchair management method for a medical institution as described in claim 1, wherein the positioning module includes a GPS module for outdoor positioning and a Bluetooth module for indoor positioning. A wheelchair management method for a medical institution as described in claim 1, wherein scanning a barcode on each wheelchair can log into a clearing and troubleshooting interface of the server, and can input a clearing and troubleshooting record for each wheelchair. A wheelchair management method for a medical institution as described in claim 3, wherein each wheelchair has a reminder light, and after the clearing and troubleshooting record is input into the clearing and troubleshooting interface, the reminder light lights up to indicate that the wheelchair is ready for use. A wheelchair management method for a medical institution as described in claim 1, wherein the medical institution has at least one wheelchair placement area, and when the number of wheelchairs located in the wheelchair placement area is lower than a preset value, the server outputs an alarm message. A wheelchair management method for a medical institution as described in claim 5, wherein the server outputs a recommended recycling path based on the wheelchair placement area of the medical institution and the location of each wheelchair in the medical institution. A wheelchair management method for a medical institution as described in claim 5, wherein, when there are multiple wheelchair placement areas, the server outputs a wheelchair quantity deployment recommendation based on the wheelchair usage in each wheelchair placement area. A method for managing wheelchairs in a medical institution as described in claim 1, wherein an electronic fence module is installed on each wheelchair, and an electronic fence is installed around the medical institution through the electronic fence module. The electronic fence module receives the location and sends a reminder message when the location exceeds the range of the electronic fence. A wheelchair management method for a medical institution as described in claim 1, wherein the positioning module provides a navigation function, which can be used to input the destination department and provide path navigation. A wheelchair management system for a medical institution, comprising: A plurality of wheelchairs are arranged in a medical institution, each wheelchair being provided with a positioning module, a vibration module and a data transmission module; A server end, signal-connected to the data transmission modules of each wheelchair; Each wheelchair uses the positioning module to detect a location in the medical institution, and detects a vibration value generated when each wheelchair moves according to the vibration module on each wheelchair; the location and the vibration value are sent to the server end by the data transmission module on each wheelchair, and the server end outputs the location of each wheelchair, and outputs a warning message when the vibration value exceeds a threshold; When the vibration values generated by individual wheelchairs on the path of the medical institution all exceed the threshold, the server further determines that the warning message is a wheelchair failure message, and the server issues a wheelchair inspection notification according to the wheelchair failure message; When the vibration values of multiple wheelchairs at the same location all exceed the threshold, the server further determines that the warning message is a road condition message, and the server issues a road condition inspection notification according to the road condition message. A wheelchair management system for a medical institution as described in claim 10, wherein the positioning module includes a GPS module for outdoor positioning and a Bluetooth module for indoor positioning. In the wheelchair management system of a medical institution as described in claim 10, each wheelchair has a barcode, and scanning the barcode on each wheelchair can log into a clearing and troubleshooting interface of the server, and input a clearing and troubleshooting record of each wheelchair. The wheelchair management system for a medical institution as described in claim 12, wherein each wheelchair has a reminder light, and after the clearing and troubleshooting record is input into the clearing and troubleshooting interface, the reminder light lights up to indicate that the wheelchair is in usable status. A wheelchair management system for a medical institution as described in claim 10, wherein the medical institution has at least one wheelchair placement area, and when the number of wheelchairs located in the wheelchair placement area is lower than a preset value, the server outputs an alarm message. A wheelchair management system for a medical institution as described in claim 14, wherein the server outputs a recommended recycling path based on the wheelchair placement area of the medical institution and the location of each wheelchair in the medical institution. A wheelchair management system for a medical institution as described in claim 14, wherein, when there are multiple wheelchair placement areas, the server outputs a wheelchair deployment recommendation based on the wheelchair usage in each wheelchair placement area. A wheelchair management system for a medical institution as described in claim 10, wherein an electronic fence module is installed on each wheelchair, and an electronic fence is installed around the medical institution through the electronic fence module. The electronic fence module receives the location and sends a reminder message when the location exceeds the range of the electronic fence. A wheelchair management system for a medical institution as described in claim 10, wherein the positioning module provides a navigation function, can be used to input the destination department, and provides path navigation.

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