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Published: 06 October 2015

Faster and safer testing of medical devices and installed equipment in hospitals and healthcare facilities is provided by the new battery powered 288 Plus from Rigel Medical.

Rigel’s original 288 automated safety analyser now incorporates a range new features to provide enhanced performance and faster testing of electrical safety to IEC 62353 and leakage tests in accordance with IEC 61010, IEC 60601, NFPA, AAMI and AS/NZ3551.

While most conventional testers rely on mains power, the 288 Plus retains operational integrity, even without mains connection, due to standard AA battery power compatibility. This provides greater user flexibility and makes it quicker to complete in-service testing of point-to-point leakage as well as earth continuity and insulation resistance.

Because the new 288 Plus does not require a lengthy power cord to operate, there are no trailing cables to cause potential trip hazards, making it even safer and more convenient to set-up and use on-site. Further time saving benefits are achieved because the 288 Plus tester’s battery power back-up avoids the need for lengthy boot-up times between tests.

The Rigel 288 Plus now offers insulation testing between 50 VDC - 500 VDC to meet the test requirements of low voltage DC power supplies, and because it is the smallest analyser of its type, it is easier to transport from site-to-site by field engineers.
 

Up to 10 individual patient leakage circuits can be checked in a single test routine, while a further benefit is the ability to automatically warn users of incorrect test set-ups, helping to avoid incorrect readings – it is the only tester providing automated verification of secondary earth paths and incoming mains configuration.
 
The 288 Plus features Rigel’s unique earth bond technology, which combines high and low test current to ensure the accuracy of the protective  earth path, helping to accurately identify any potential wear and tear. This can help to avoid the need for any unnecessary cable replacement, providing further cost savings.
 
An integrated keyboard enables the user to quickly input equipment details alongside electrical safety test results for improved electronic data storage and traceability. The information can be downloaded into Med-eBase – the easy-to-use test solutions software – which enables the user to trace and manage test results, set-up bespoke templates, email html test certificates to clients and schedule new work orders among other customised functions.

The Rigel 288 Plus forms part of a comprehensive range of high performance specialist biomedical test equipment supplied by Rigel Medical.

More information about the Rigel 288.

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Published: 18 August 2015

Join St George’s Hospital to learn how they have begun recording the National Early Warning Score electronically, without the need for tablets

A webinar on Tuesday 22nd September between 12.30 – 1.30pm will explore the decision in 2015 by St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to automate the charting of routine patient observations and Early Warning Scores to their Cerner EMR.

The aim: to eliminate transcription errors, keeping the nurse at the bedside – the title of the webinar.

Register now to hear the core team of staff from Medical Physics, IT and Critical Care, who will host the webinar, explain how patient data is seamlessly sent directly from the medical devices to the medical record.

As a result, automated monitoring is set to transform patient care at the hospital–with cross-department collaboration a major factor in the project’s success..

St George’s, a major trauma centre treating around 170 cases per month, made the decision to equip many wards with 144 Welch Allyn Connex Vital Signs Monitors (CVSM), with an integrated Early Warning Scoring feature. Initial rollout on a pilot ward began in June 2015 with resounding success.

Now integrated with the Trust’s Cerner Millennium electronic medical record (EMR), the Connex system provides total connectivity.  As a result, patient observations can be sent directly from the medical device straight to the electronic patient records, virtually eliminating errors and delay and without nursing staff leaving a patient’s bedside.

Instant reporting means that patient deterioration can be picked up instantly and as a result, care is directed where it will make the most difference, leading to improved efficiencies and outcomes.

The webinar will be led by Jonathan Silver, Clinical Scientist, Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering; Deborah Dawson, Critical Care Nurse Consultant; and Liz Powell, IT Project Manager.

Taking place at 12.30-1.30pm, it will cover key topics including:

• The challenges and importance of Early Warning Scores
• How the decision to move to electronic observation recording was agreed
• The key benefits – from improved patient safety and nurses’ workflow to a substantial step along the path to the Trust’s goal of becoming ‘paper-light’
• How clinical engineering, procurement, clinicians and IT departments were involved in driving the project forward
• Finance – how St George’s accessed funding for ’connected’ devices

Those interested should register at www.welchallyn.org.uk/stgeorges before 5pm on September 18th.

The webinar will be recorded and made available afterwards for anyone unable to attend.

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Published: 06 August 2015

Avensys UK Announces CPD Certification for all level 2 and 3 training courses for medical equipment engineers and clinical staff.

And free, CPD certified, on-line Training

One of the UK’s main providers of practical based and distance learning medical equipment training, Avensys UK, has received CPD accreditation for all Level 2 and 3 courses and is inviting engineers to attend a free on-line training session.

The free, on-line training will take place on September 16 at 1pm on ‘Electrical Safety Testing’. It will give a taster of the company’s full one-day Electrical Safety Testing Course, and participants will receive a one hour CPD certificate. Anyone wishing to join the training can register at https://avensysmedical.eventbrite.co.uk.

At the forefront of medical engineering, Avensys UK offers maintenance and repair of medical devices as its core business, employing a dedicated team of engineering specialists to service over 65,000 medical devices for NHS Trusts and private clients throughout the UK. Going hand in hand with this expert service, Avensys UK is training the next generation of medical engineers in its purpose-built Training Academy, featuring the latest equipment and technologies.  

The Avensys Training Academy has recently undergone a major refurbishment. Now, in addition to its extensive range of equipment to simulate a clinical environment, it also features well- equipped classrooms with intelligent whiteboards, free Wifi facilities, a new ‘relaxing’ rest area for students and purpose- built kitchen facilities to supply students with high quality meals.

In addition to its Level 2 and 3 courses, Avensys runs the only specialist medical equipment Level 5 course currently running in the UK.  The Avensys Diploma in Medical Equipment Technologies is an 18 month, work-based, part-time, distance learning course with one training and assessment weekend per module (every ten weeks) at the Avensys Training Academy. 

Designed for medical engineers in full-time employment, it gives students the flexibility to study when they can, and use their new skills in their workplace.  Successful completion of the Diploma gives access to the distance learning BSc (Hons) in Engineering Management.  Following on from the first successful intake, the Diploma’s second cohort begins in September, with a third scheduled for March 2016.

For more information on the Avensys Training Academy see www.Avensysmedical.co.uk, search for Avensys UK Ltd on Facebook or call 01562 745 858.

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Published: 25 July 2015

Investment in advanced test instrumentation from Rigel Medical is helping a specialist supplier of veterinary and medical equipment verify the performance and safety of important electrosurgical devices.

Bristol-based Freelance Surgical Ltd. is an established and market leading medical equipment company specialising in the supply of operating and ITU equipment, as well as other medical supplies, to veterinary practices and hospitals.

The company's extensive range of specialist equipment ranges from orthopaedic power tools and flexible endoscopy instruments to general operating theatre medical equipment and pre-hospital equipment.

As part of a rigorous quality control policy all items supplied are safety and function tested prior to dispatch in the Freelance Surgical service centre.

For electrosurgical devices and power generators, the company is now using an advanced Uni-Therm unit from Rigel Medical to ensure that all equipment remains compliant with the relevant medical device standards and performs within required specifications.

Electrosurgical equipment uses high frequency electricity to produce enough heat to enable surgeons to cut tissue or seal bleeding vessels during operations. The sophisticated devices work by using the body as a conductor and to ensure the highest levels of patient safety, it is critical that the performance of surgical generators is verified on a regular basis.

At Freelance Surgical, the company's service team uses the Uni-Therm as part of the regular service, repair, testing and analysis of electrosurgical devices and associated diathermy instruments.

The Uni-Therm carries out a range of tests in line with the IEC 60601-2-2 type testing standard for electromedical equipment, using its unique load bank and current measurement technology to stimulate the behaviour of body tissue.

As a result, the instrument can accurately analyse the performance of all types of surgical generators across a wide range of impedances, including those operating at high current levels.

The Uni-Therm enables the Freelance Surgical engineers to upload the power distribution curves of different items of equipment for automatic comparison against preset power curves over time and to manufacturer's specifications.

Upper and lower limits of performance can be established and tolerances refined to ensure that operational norms are maintained.

Steve Griffiths, service manager at Freelance Surgical, explained: "Users of specialist electromedical devices should understand that more rigorous analysis and testing is required than that provided by conventional portable appliance testing.

"We are dealing with important operating theatre equipment and it is therefore vital that the highest levels of safety and performance standards are maintained.

"The simple to operate technical capabilities of the Uni-Therm mean we can reliably and regularly analyse devices, monitor the results over time and identify any changes to performance that should be rectified.

"This higher level testing means we can give customers much more comprehensive service reports, alongside the confidence that their important electromedical equipment continues to be fit for purpose."

Product features of the Uni-Therm include a built-in memory, automatic test sequencing, and comprehensive data management facilities - all supported by a large full colour screen display of step-by-step operating instructions to ensure the correct connection and testing of the device under test.

More at www.rigelmedical.com