EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Tracking equipment in the community

Has anyone found a solution to the problem of trying to trace the location of equipment in the Community, in particular T34 syringe pumps?

Our community equipment stores are having a great deal of difficulty with this, any guidance would be welcome.

Regards

Mark

Bl**dy long piece of string.

An efficient equipment library would be a good start. Make the prescribing officer responsible for the equipment they send out.
If money's no object (NHS look away now) glue a mobile phone onto the device.

What exactly is the problem Mark?

Patients not bringing kit back in?

Why do they need to "trace the location" of equipment? Surely it gets signed out to a named person (or nurse) ... as well as a return date (date that it has to be brought back in by, or re-prescribed)?

And ... who prescribes the kit in the first place? Don't they bear some sort of responsibility here?

So ... if the kit doesn't come back ... just send out a *bill!

No need to be thinking about "high tech" solutions - a "low tech" log book will suffice!

@Bill - proforma invoice, if you prefer.

Not me

Mark,

just pass on the responsibility for 'community based equipment' to a local independent engineering company? Im sure you have such a group close by in Kidderminster who would more than welcome the opportunity

Thanks for all the advice.

Geoff, the T34 is used predominantly in palliative care - as you indicated with the smilie the patient will not be bringing the pump back themselves.

The community stores are not part of the Acute Trust, however they provide the service that ensures there are pumps available within the Acute Trust. If a patient is on an end of life care pathway and prescribed one of these syringe pumps, in theory at least the Community Equipment store database is updated.
Also, the patient may be moved to either:

Home (District Nurse responsibility to update database)
Hospice
Nursing Home

This would rely on staff updating the database - if this is not done then the syringe pump is effectively missing.

There may be a way forward that came to light yesterday indirectly via this forum and is currently being investigated -if sucessful I will share it with you.

Thanks again

Mark

Hi Rob - hope you are keeping well?

I am sure there are several local companies that would relish the opportunity!

As stated this is a community equipment store issue, therefore not my gift to give.

Hopefully the new initiative, provided through NHS collaboration, I might add, looks promising.

Regards

Mark

OK ... that's the real problem, right there.

Solution (as already hinted at):- hit them in the pocket.