SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A CONDITION OF A PLURALITY OF PATIENTS

In a system and method for monitoring a condition of a plurality of patients, patient tags having a patient code assigned to it are used to identify a patient. Healthcare staff tags having a healthcare staff code assigned to it are used to identify a healthcare staff member. A patient data processing system is configured for storing and processing patient condition data for each patient. A user terminal comprising a tag reader, and is configured for: reading a healthcare staff code from a healthcare staff tag; reading a patient code from a patient tag provided to a particular patient. The patient data processing system further is configured for: recording an assignment of a specified healthcare staff code to a specified patient code for each healthcare staff member assigned to monitor a patient identified by the specified patient code; determining whether an assignment of the read healthcare staff code to the read patient code is recorded; and if said assignment is recorded, providing access through the user terminal to the patient condition data for the particular patient in the patient data processing system. The system and method can be used for indicating a general patient condition, and a possibility of a cardiac tamponade occurring in a patient.