Patent ID: 9700247
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: A47C,A61B,A61G,G16H

Claim:
1. A patient support apparatus embodied as a hospital bed comprising: a support frame configured to support a patient in a plurality of positions including a horizontal position; an inflatable patient-support surface supported by the support frame; a siderail coupled to the support frame; a first sensing device supported by the siderail; a second sensing device supported by the siderail, the second sensing device being a different type of sensing device than the first sensing device; bed function controls coupled to the siderail, the bed function controls being useable to raise and lower the support frame and to adjust inflation parameters of the inflatable patient-support surface; and a control module in communication with the first sensing device and the second sensing device to verify the identity of a person based on first identity information received by the first sensing device and second identity information received by the second sensing device, the first identity information being different than the second identity information, wherein the control module is configured to analyze vital signs sensing data produced by at least the first sensing device to (i) determine a current health state of a patient supported by the support frame and (ii) verify the identity of the patient, wherein the control module initiates at least one electronically-controllable function of the patient support apparatus in response to the vital signs sensing data.