Patient bed inventory hardware and software system and method

Abstract

A resource tracking system for monitoring the status of multiple resources, displaying the status of those resources to medical personnel, and mirroring the status information to multiple displays for remote users is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the tracking system is used to track the availability of beds in a hospital or treatment facility. The resource tracking system comprises a resource tracking board and a server. The board comprises a re-writable surface with a plurality of buttons and lights arrayed in one or more columns; and, a network interface operably coupled to the plurality of buttons and plurality of lights. The lights are configured to emit at least three colors including green when the associated resource is available, yellow when the resource is reserved, and red when the resource is in use. The server is configured to generate interactive displays enabling remote users to observe and reserve available resources. The interactive display features a representation of at least one of the plurality of buttons and lights on the physical board. The server causes any change in status of a resource on the physical board in the hospital or treatment facility to be reflected on the interactive displays. The server also causes any change in status of a resource on an interactive display to be reflected on the physical board in the hospital or treatment facility.