In message <[log in to unmask]>, Chris Royle
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Chris Royle [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: 14 July 1998 11:13
>To: 'acb mailbase'
>Subject: re: Vacuum tube delivery systems
>
>Any information / opinions / experiences concerning vacuum tube delivery
>systems
>would be greatly appreciated. In particular, what arrangements do users make in
>the event of system malfunction. Do any system suppliers provide 24hr / 365
>days cover?
>
>Many thanks,
>Chris Royle
>Royal Brompton Hospital
>
We have a system at the Northern General Hospital manufactured by DD
Lamson which is now getting old and needs updating. The system is
pretty unreliable with about a quarter of the faults due to the system
and the rest due to abuse which is relatively easy with this system. We
have no direct arrangements for malfunction but our hospital engineers
who provide 24 hour cover do a pretty good service and can repair most
faults. There are a number of points.
1. Do not undersize for the workload, we have a single tube system
which was a mistake.
2. Samples can haemolyse if the pressure changes are too sudden so
make sure the pressures are right and resist the "one big blower" for a
large site (ours is huge, geographically). This can also happen if the
bands round the canisters are not changed regularly so:
3. Service system and carriers regularly (we had no service
contract and are suffering.)
4. The biggest sanction for misuse is to make the system
unavailable so make sure you can (easily) remove a station from the
system, this can also enable the system to run with a station fault.
5. Purchase 5 times as many carriers as you think you need as
people hoard them.
6. Make sure that users know what the red light means as the
biggest grumble is when people don't realise the system is down - and
make sure they know what to do then - as some of the abuse stems from
this.
Having said that, the system has revolutionised our on-call and urgent
service but it would be better if we could invest in a new appropriately
sized system - now there's a thought for a slice of Mr. Browns largesse
for the N.H.S !
--
Trevor Gray
Northern General Hospital
Sheffield
0114 271 4309
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