Software development company, GlobalView Systems has worked with specialists at the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estates Management (IHEEM) on new software to help hospitals manage the increasing need for oxygen as they battle with the COVID-19 emergency.
The software is being offered to hospitals free of charge.
Developed in line with Department of Health Guidance, the software incorporates design parameters used in a variety of NHS environments, including the Nightingale field hospitals. It follows a letter from NHS England sent to all hospitals to take action to prevent their oxygen supplies running short because of heavy demand, and the risk of a hospital’s oxygen supply failing altogether.*
The pandemic has led to a massive increase in the use of high flow oxygen therapy, including masks, ventilators and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airways Pressure). The simple software suite enables Estates and Facilities Managers to assess the current and likely demand for oxygen in hospitals with in-patient facilities for COVID-19, and to model the most effective way of managing this.
The changing landscape and daily fluctuation in requirement make it a challenge to maintain a consistent quantity and supply, given the limitations on the amount of oxygen existing infrastructures can safely deliver. And whilst there is currently an adequate supply in the UK, increased demand has led to uncertainty of the regularity of delivery, making real-time monitoring and trend analysis essential.
The software has two key elements.
IHEEM O2 Medical Gas Flow Rate Assessment Tool
Hospital piped supplies are designed based on normal operating scenarios, however the COVID-19 emergency has made it increasingly difficult to ensure oxygen requirements can be met across entire hospital estates.
The Medical Gas Flow Rate Assessment Tool was developed working with IHEEM’s assessment model. The software provides the ability to assess current piped oxygen gas demand, and allows data manipulation, for example, the effects of varying the quantity of ventilators, helping hospitals explore likely scenarios incorporating the recommended diversified flow levels as set out by the Critical Care National Medical Director for England. This scenario mapping can help hospitals to test the effects of implementing different care models on oxygen demand before applying the most effective method.
Cylinder Gas Monitor and Usage Tool
Hospitals have been asked to consider reducing the consumption of piped medical oxygen for less critical departments, such as outpatients, leading to an increased number of cylinders on site. This tool enables the hospital to simply and quickly understand their current exposure and explore the impact of potential COVID-19 scenarios. They can also identify high usage areas and set thresholds for minimum stock rates to ensure cylinder use is optimised.
Matt Wright, CEO at GlobalView Systems says: “The COVID-19 pandemic is applying significant pressure on the hospital infrastructure and few NHS Estate Managers are confident that their systems are able cope. The increased demand for oxygen, and the age, condition and complexity of the distribution pipework can vary enormously in each hospital. We hope our software can deliver clear insight and the Estate Managers can see at a glance potential exposure, and smooth peaks in demand by changing the model of care, such as by increasing the use of cylinder oxygen in other areas of the hospital.
“We’re passionate about helping the NHS and were looking for ways to offer additional support during this national emergency. The Estates and Facilities teams do an amazing job in supporting the clinical services and this provided us with the ideal opportunity to play our small part in helping those on the front line.”
Case study
Walsall Manor Hospital was one of the first to use the new software. Its Estates and Facilities team was seeking a simple but effective solution to manage and predict the hospital’s cylinder gas levels which could be rapidly deployed utilising their existing Microsoft software.
GlobalView provided the hospital with software that features a real-time dashboard with at a glance view of current stock levels, which departments have the largest demand, and week on week trends to help plan for future demand.
Andrew Williams, Estates and Facilities Project Manager at the hospital says: “GlobalView has risen to the challenge in record time, and I now have access to all the data I need, quickly and simply.”
*NHS England, Estates and Facilities Alert NHSE/I – 2020/001 Issued: 31 March 2020
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