EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Out of Hours Technology A Glimpse into the Future

As I’ve probably mentioned before, I advocate the approach of treating the hospital as a system. Improvements are needed everywhere, but let's start with the wards.

In my opinion, the equipment situation in a typical hospital ward is often, frankly, a chaotic mess. I see portable equipment of many types (NIBP "monitors", suction pumps, ECG recorders, pulse oximeters, infusion pumps and all the rest) scattered about all over the place, generally in the corridors, often in various stages of neglect, with depleted batteries, missing, incorrect or grotty "accessories", tangled (and mangled) patient cables, etc., etc. A scene familiar to you all, I’m sure.

In the hospital of the future, I hope we will see architects with vision providing "equipment bays" (or alcoves), with trunking containing a multitude of power socket outlets (RCD protected, naturally) and "docking stations" for all portable and mobile equipment.

The Equipment Bay should be the first port of call for the Equipment Librarian, and could also be under camera surveillance as well.

As for the equipment itself, I propose a new standard where as much as possible (ie, tending towards all of it) will be essentially battery powered ("cordless"), to be returned to the docking station after use for re-charging, automatic re-calibration and also downloading of data into the central patient management system. Yes, even suction pumps. Bits of kit will communicate with each other where necessary, and also tell the biomeds’ computer when servicing is due or repairs are needed. Our amazing new spec will call upon a special medical version of Bluetooth (or similar) technology to reduce (leading towards elimination of) the need for patient "probe cables". Needless to say, our new spec will include RFID tagging built in to every piece of equipment.

Just imagine a world without IEC mains cables and patient leads! Must this be only a dream?

It will mean manufacturers co-operating (rather than constantly competing for commercial advantage), it will mean clinical staff working together with architects and building services engineers, it will also mean IT people working together with biomedical engineers. Not something that should be beyond the realms of possibility in a National Health Service, surely?

Hi Geoff
I think u have seen STARTREK movie, SICK BAY, where all these equipments are just wireless round shape device with leds.
I think of it same way, should reach this level step by step, but cost will be main issue. I think someday u will be using all these devices, guess what where they will b coming from.... (MADE IN CHINA) :-)
take care. Keep up the good work.

Geoff, wash your mouth out with soap you mentioned cooperation and the NHS in the same post.

Lee

... why not Karachi? Can't see that cost is the main obstacle, Laiq. After all, we already have kit with docking stations, do we not? RCD's, trunking, networks and all the rest are already commonplace. All (?) we need (as Lee mentions) is a bit of co-operation. But the real struggle will be getting architects to design for equipment, if I know anything about it!

What happened to the universal medical equipment interface - MIB?
Medical Interface Bus not Men In Black.
That was supposed to aid connection of all amkes and types of equipment and one cable back to the wall rather than the spider's web we have now.
Robert

Spider's web? But never mind MIB, Robert ... surely you haven't forgotten GLIB? Remember we are going to walk into any ward, press a button on our hand-held device, and all equipment there in need of PM or repair will respond with the customary bleeps and flashing LED's.

I'm thinking of adding to the spec a "tilt" recorder, which will show if and when the kit had been dropped or otherwise badly treated. This will have a range of sensitivity settings depending upon location.

What about the GMT versus BST debate, by the way ... are we any nearer to agreement that we should leave all the kit at GMT (UTC)? Not long until the clocks change again, folks!