Following our work with the Gas Cylinder tracking tool for Walsall Manor Hospital we are proud to offer hospitals throughout the country a new innovative new software for free, to help them manage the increasing need for oxygen as they battle with the COVID-19 emergency. The software has been developed in conjunction with specialists at the Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estates Management (IHEEM) in line with Department of Health Guidance, and 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.1 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. 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 e.g. 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. Matt Wright, CEO at GlobalView Systems said: “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.”