Hill-Rom and GE Reach Settlement in Patent Infringement Lawsuit

Hill-Rom and GE announce that they have resolved Hill-Rom's patent infringement lawsuit against GE, involving Hill-Rom's hand hygiene technology. Hill-Rom has agreed to license its hand hygiene patents to GE, and GE no longer contests that Hill-Rom's patents are valid and enforceable.

"We're pleased to reach this settlement, which recognizes the value of the innovation at the heart of the Hill-Rom® Hand Hygiene Solution," says Alton Shader, senior vice president for Hill-Rom. "Protecting our intellectual property is a vital part of our product development process, which allows us to develop new technologies that enhance outcomes for patients and their caregivers."

The Hill-Rom Hand Hygiene Compliance Solution system uses badge locating technology that offers automatic, continuous monitoring of hand-hygiene station use, to help address healthcare-acquired infections associated with more than 75,000 deaths a year in the United States alone. Alerts are sent to caregivers to gently remind them of missed hand-hygiene opportunities. Once installed, the system can automate the clinical environment to drive productivity and safety, and benefit the patient environment. The system can also be leveraged beyond hygiene monitoring for other applications, including staff locating, asset tracking, environmental monitoring and other process automation applications.

Source: Hill-Rom